How We Review Prescription Dog Foods

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The following items represent some of The Dog Food Advisor’s most frequently asked questions about prescription dog foods.

How do you rate prescription dog foods?

With the exception of dog foods designed for weight loss, we do not assign a star rating to prescription dog foods.

Why do most prescription dog foods not get a star rating?

To treat certain health conditions like kidney or liver disease, some veterinary products have been intentionally designed to reduce the meat protein content of a recipe.

Since we shamelessly favor dog foods rich in meat, it would be inappropriate for us to assign a star rating to such meat-restricted prescription food products.

In these cases, we award the product our “not rated” designation.

What about the claims of efficacy made by the manufacturer or a prescribing veterinarian?

Our reports have nothing to do with the ability of any product to effectively treat or cure a specific health condition.

Why do you still review prescription dog foods? Shouldn’t they be exempt from scrutiny?

Although we respect the right of every veterinary professional to prescribe what would be in the best interest of each patient, we still believe these foods should be held to the same scrutiny allotted virtually any other commercial food product.

Every consumer of veterinary products has the right to expect at least the same quality and good value for his money afforded any other pet food purchase (as well as protection from lower-quality, over-priced dog foods — no matter how they’re dispensed).

Can you recommend a dog food I can get from a pet food store that’s designed to treat a specific health problem?

Unfortunately, since I’m not a veterinarian, I cannot provide specific medical advice. However, please see our FAQ page for a list of some suggested products you may wish to discuss with your vet.

Since one of the prescription foods you reviewed appears to be of questionable quality, can you suggest a substitute?

Because our ratings have nothing to do with a product’s ability to treat a specific condition, we do not recommend ignoring your veterinarian’s advice and replacing a professionally prescribed product with an over-the-counter substitute.

  • Shawna

    Oh, I missed this post….
    My dog was born with kidney disease. Polydipsia and polyuria noticed at about six weeks of age. She was officially diagnosed during blood work eval at her one year birthday. She has NEVER eaten prescription diet and to date has lived seven years (as of June 30th 2013). That study was obviously flawed or my dog would already be gone… Esp considering dogs have a harder time with kd, I’ve read, then cats.

  • Red

    And by “non-prescription” what do they mean? Meow Mix, Whiskas, Fancy Feast? They can do studies till they come out of a certain area, but if they are skewed then they all they do is spew false data.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    I feel that while Royal Canin isn’t horrible, it’s overpriced for what you’re getting. For the price you’d pay for Royal Canin you could get a 5 star food with a lot more meat and less fillers (like corn).

  • nancy

    Why is Royal Canin not good? Is corn something to stay away from? I am using the low fat and my dog is just too thin, but i dont know how to help him gain weight.

  • Joann

    Amen brother! They are being taught evil alchemy for profit!

  • Bethsoda

    Oh, and Verus is another good one.

  • Bethsoda

    Annamaet, which is a very high quality dog food (and that I think should be rated higher on here) has never had any recalls that I know of.  It’s made by a small company who cares a lot about quality control, even locally sourcing ingredients like potatoes for their grain free line and making sure all of their poultry is cage free and antibiotic and hormone free.  The key is to look for local companis who haven’t sold out to large distributors like P&G, and Diamond, and the like.

  • Robin

    I recently started working as a receptionist for a veterinary clinic. I really enjoy what I do, except HATE that they sell prescription diets. I have checked out the ingredients on the bag and the first ingredient is always whole corn. It makes me so mad that these people HIGHLY believe in this food. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t have 5-10 people coming in just to buy science diet or royal canin for their pets and think it is the best for them because of what the vet is telling them. I wish there was something I could do, but unfortunately am not a licensed doctor and no one will listen to me.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Too true! But then they might have to admit to something that they really don’t want people to know(their food is c**p).

  • Pattyvaughn

    I can’t always tell because I usually get on here on my iThingy and the mobile version is slightly different.  I finally got a new laptop and haven’t learned to find everything yet.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Really? Big pet food companies are hiring people to get on blogs now? LOL…maybe they should use some of that money to buy better ingredients.

  • Shawna

    LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  OMGosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!  ROLFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I had heard that the big pet food companies were hiring people to get on blogs etc.. Yeah, I guess that would be referred to as a troll wouldn’t it?? Hee hee ehee heehehehhe

    You make me laugh Pattyvaughn :) …

    And yes, all the posts are by the same person. You can tell this by looking at the activity (in the profile section) of the poster…

  • Pattyvaughn

    Do you suppose this guest is that guest and the omnivore guest too, and is really a troll in the guise of a person?  Most recent fortune cookie applies

    Don’t tell your goal to the troll

    Yes, that really was my fortune!  Too funny!

  • Shawna

    This is nonsense Guest.. 

    I quoted data from the Merck Vet Manual stating that protein should only be restricted in the later stages of kidney disease and Purina research states “Protein restriction for healthy older dogs is not only unnecessary, it can be detrimental. Protein requirements actually increase by about 50% in older dogs, while their energy requirements tend to decrease.”  http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/frequently-asked-questions/dog-food-protein-faq/#comment-684563085

    PLEASE get your facts straight.

  • BryanV21

    Well of course if a cat or dog is having major medical issues, and needs to be on a prescription diet for it, then it’s best. But I think Ruth and others like myself are speaking more in general. Personally, I think Rx diets are fine for the short-term, but in the long-run are hardly ideal.

  • Guest

    I understand your concern Ruth. But in this peer-reviewed, prospective study cats with chronic renal failure (CRF) fed a prescription diet lived for 1 year longer than cats fed non-prescription diets. This type of study design is used to evaluate human drugs and is the most robust type there is. I don’t know about you, but I’d like an extra year with my kitty if she had CRF.
    Here’s the paper: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1748-5827.2000.tb03932.x/abstract

  • George

    Sorry to hear about Lucy. I lost my Cockapoo, Bandit, to CHF a few months ago. Bandit was on the same drugs as Lucy and they gave him 3 extra years of life since his diagnosis. You may want to research an amino acid “taurine” that is deficient in dogs with CHF. Research has shown that it can reverse the effects of CHF and actually repair the heart.
    Good luck in your dogs health!

  • concernedmom

    My dog has been tested and her liver levels were elevated due to a large mass in her belly that is covering half her liver. What would be a good food to feed her? She is 13 years old. She also is with a 15 year old lab mix who has tested fine. Is there something I could feed the both of them?

  • Myrasal

    Has there ever been a dog food that has not had a recall.  It seems like everytime I feed my dogs a recommended food (now TOTW) it gets a recall.  Pretty frustrating.

  • Evilpinklolita

    I agree. I think dogs are tougher than we think, and as long as they get a decent food, good veterinary care, and love, you’re good. The subject seems overcomplicated and grain free and raw is too expensive, IMO. I’ve done great on less expensive dog food for 20 years with my Great Danes. However, I respect everyone else’s choice to do what they feel is best. 

  • Ruth Kaempf

    Forgive my bluntness, but I personally believe that the prescription food that one can only purchase from a vet is a racket.  I might add so is most people special diet too.

  • Shawna

    So you are a raw feed Louhadi!!  Cool, we don’t have enough on the site..  What do you feed?

  • http://BrothersComplete.com/ Richard Darlington

    Louhadi

    Coca Cola was originally “marketed” as a solution for headaches, nerves, stomach, etc. because it had some Cocaine in it. In about 1903 or so the FDA had them remove the cocaine and they replaced it with caffeine to keep the “buzz”. Seems to me it was all about profit right from the beginning.

    You ask, “What is in these meals to make them a 300% concentration of the “natural” protein source?” and I think the answer has more to do with what’s NOT in the meals that makes them a concentrated source of protein that is capable of being an ingredient in a dry kibble.

    The fat and moisture are removed and later the fat is mixed with natural preservatives like Vitamin E, Green Tea, and Rosemary (hopefully they use the natural preservatives and not BHA, BHT, Ethoxyquin, etc.) and sprayed back on the kibble.

    Since about 70 to 80% of meat is water simply removing the water creates a concentrated source of protein.

    Feeding raw is not feeding “a food with a lower fresh protein content” as you say. Actually the protein content on a dry matter basis for a raw food is likely between 60% and 80% whereas a dry kibble usually maxes out around 40%.

    Being wary of “mystery meals” as you put it is probably wise but then again if the company tells you that the meat is a named meal such as Chicken meal or Beef meal then you may be fairly certain that you are getting Chicken or Beef and the mystery is solved.

    Dehydrated food has been proven to be quite healthy so food without water content is not necessarily a negative thing. As long as water is available to the animal then the reconstituted combination of protein, fat, and water should do a good job of nourishing the animal especially if the protein is named and of high quality. 

    An added advantage is that other very healthy and productive things can be added like digestive enzymes, prebiotics, and probiotics.

    Certainly a balanced raw diet is the ideal but there are other healthy alternatives these days for those who cannot or will not for one reason or another feed an all raw diet. I personally advocate adding some raw to a high quality kibble whenever possible.

  • melissa

     Nina-

    As a kennel owner(sorry I did not see this sooner) one must be prepared for owners with different requirements. Not all feed dry kibble, and therefore, one must be prepared to make accomodations. You can not expect her to cook(without a huge fee associated with it) however, you can expect her to be able to serve prepackaged, refrigerated(or frozen) meals to your dog.

  • Louhadi

    Interesting analogy with soda.  Cola was originally medicinal invented by a pharmicist for digestive upset.  But to cut expenses, the formulas changed from sugar to high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweetners, and people drank it in excess.  And it became a problem.
    Likewise, to save money, meat meals and grain meals and gluten concentrates were added to pet foods.  What is in these meals to make them a 300% concentration of the “natural” protein source?  How are animals supposed to process such high concentrations?  Where are these pre processed meals manufactured?
    I would rather feed a food with a lower fresh protein content than have the protein “jacked up” by mystery meals. If meats come with moisture content then that is how they should be fed. 

  • Tess

    Hi Nina,
    First, I want to say how sorry I am to hear your sweet companion has CHF.  My dog, Lucy, also has CHF; diag  2/2011.  It was so touch and go for days, weeks and months.  She is on Lasix, Enalapril and Vetmedin.  I think Vetmedin is a very special medicine!  Lucy breathes easier (cough is gone!!) and she runs and plays like her pre-sick days.  We estimate she is 13+ years.

    I am blessed to be able to say that a little over a yr later, she is still with us!  It is nothing short of a MIRACLE!  And I do not hesitate to tell ppl this whenever I speak of little Lucy.  I continue to pray that God will allow me to be her companion and caregiver in the days weeks months (and even year or so) more!!  Nina, I will pray this for you and your sweet dog!

    Next, I just wanted to share with you a food that Lucy has been on since her diagnosis.  She eats Royal Canin Early Cardiac–it is a low sodium Rx food.  Petsmart used to carry it.  Now my vet orders it for us and we pick up at their hospital.  

    If I were sitting for/caring for someones beloved companion, espeically a sick one, I would not mind the extra effort of feeding/cooking his/her special diet.

    Wishing you and your doggy many more happy times and memories together!

    Tess
    Noblesville, IN

    tess6325@comcast:disqus 
    .net

  • Nina

    I need some help here.  My dog (who has congestive heart failure) was prescribed a low-sodium dry kibble (Science Diet H/D formula), to avoid fluid build-up. The reviews on it are bad, plus my dog refused to eat it.  I started cooking for him and he loves my cooking (he is the only creature on the planet who does).  My problem is: I will be going out of town for work for 5 days and I can’t expect the kennel lady to cook for him AND give him all his meds.  I thought about preparing and packing the meals in containers to be refrigerated.  However, I don’t want the kennel owner to feel that we are expecting more from her than we should.  She is absolutely wonderful and I don’t want to be overbearing by taking space in her refrigerator.  It would be easier for all involved if I could find a high quality low sodium wet food he could eat while I’m away.  Any suggestions?  Thanks a bunch for any ideas you can share with me.

  • Shawna

    Dr. Karen Becker DVM discusses a diet for liver shunt (a more serious cause of liver issues).

    “A dog with a liver shunt should be fed only excellent quality protein – human-grade meat. Feeding a smaller amount of human-grade, clean, preferably organic and raw meat is the best way to maintain the foundational health of a dog with a liver shunt.

    My frustration with many of the commercially available diets for dogs with liver conditions is that while they do contain a lower percentage of protein, the quality of that protein is terrible. It is from rendered meat, not human grade. It is difficult for your dog to digest and has minimal bioavailability because it is of such poor quality.”  http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/02/01/liver-shunts-disease-in-pet-dogs.aspx

    Animal nutritionist Mary Straus writes
    “Diet for dogs with liver disease is controversial. I have often seen low protein diets recommended, but recent studies indicate that too little protein can actually make liver problems worse….  A low-purine (not low-protein) diet is recommended for dogs with liver shunts (see below for more info).”  http://www.dogaware.com/health/liver.html

    Dog nutritionist Lew Olson
    “ProteinDogs with liver disease can lose the ability to process the ammonia in the body to urea. This causes a build of ammonia in the system which can be fatal. Past recommendations stated to feed dogs with liver disease a low protein diet, but this has since been found to be just as lethal, as the liver needs protein to regenerate. Newer recommendations are to feed proteins of high quality or of good bioavailability.”  http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/the-liver/

    Unfortunately, plant proteins (in vegetarian diets) are not considered “high quality” and do not have “good bioavailibility”. :(

  • Guest

    I could not agree more with this post.  High protein, meaty diets almost killed my dog.  She has a very MILD liver issue and is on prescription vegetarian dog food.  Her coat came in thicker, her anal gland issues stopped, her bloodwork is beautiful. 

  • aimee

    Melissa ..

     Not sure if Chloer88 is going to come back. But I wonder if you are in the ballpark when describing the problems some dogs have with fat. 

     Since many commercial “meaty” diets  are high in fat as well it may be that she was referring to weight gain and pancreatitis.

     I too can’t think of protein causing problems. If however the protein source in the food has poor digestibility it would contribute to diarrhea and stinky gas. 

  • melissa

    chloer88-

    I would like elaboration on which diseases you are speaking of? Ones that have been caused by excessive meat in the diets?

    I do not recall any off the top of my head, but I do recall lots of dogs suffering from gastroenteritis and pancreatitis-but this was typically preceded by well meaning owners throwing the dog meat scraps-and further questioning showed that the owners idea of “meat” was simply the fat/grizzle chunks they cut off. Or owners meaning well, preparing a plate of turkey at Thanksgiving time, and expecting a dog who was not used to this to not have issues.

    I for one, value Mike’s website to be able to look at foods, what they contain and then make my own judgements as to what is the right amount of whatever for my dogs. While I do not have a problem with grain in the diet, I certainly would not make a statement that high meat content causes specific issues in dogs.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com/ Mike Sagman

    Chloer88,

    Somehow, in the Disqus technical hiccup that occurred here on Wednesday, my response to you was lost during editing. So, I’ve taken care to try to recreate it here…

    Did you say, “It is insane to rate dog food based on ‘meat’ content”?

    Are you kidding me?

    What level of advanced scientific and nutritional education does a vet tech receive to be able to find fault in the rating of a dog food because that report values the use of meat in the product’s recipe?

    Disregarding pets already suffering from active disease (such as advanced renal conditions), how could anyone possibly claim “dogs and cats suffer great consequences due to a diet of ‘meaty’ foods”?

    If you truly believe a meat-based diet is detrimental to otherwise healthy dogs and cats, I invite you to back up that sweeping claim by providing our readers with a few references to some peer-reviewed studies published in recognized scientific journals.

    We’ll be waiting for that list.

  • http://BrothersComplete.com/ Richard Darlington

    Dr Mike

    I think the only peer-reviewed influence on them is that the big money wielding kibble companies who write and provide their textbooks (which should be titled “Nutrition – according to the grain pushers”) reVIEW them as susceptible to PEER pressure from rich grain pushers who are willing to share the wealth acquired by selling junk dog food worth pennies for mucho dollars under the official umbrella of “Veterinarian approved”. 

    I think the term “peer-reviewed” has acquired a more common usage that means “PEER into your bank account and REVIEW how much money you made selling junk to dog owners who trusted your opinion on the quality of dog food.”

  • http://BrothersComplete.com/ Richard Darlington

    chloer88

    “Dogs are not wolves” …is this what you are being taught in Vet Tech school? Actually the “domestic dog” (Canis Familiaris) is in the same family as the gray wolf (Canis Lupis) and has Mitochondrial DNA that is only 0.2% different from the Gray wolf of 5 million years ago. The closest wild relative of the Gray wolf (the Coyote) has a Mitochondrial DNA difference of 4.0% so the domestic dog is as similar to the Gray wolf as a black man is to a white man as far as Mitochondrial DNA is concerned. 

    “…dogs have had corn and other grain in their diet for as long as they have walked besides humans.”…is this a form of logic you are presenting from which we are supposed to deduce that because we’ve been feeding dogs grain it necessarily means that grain is good for dogs?

    Is the fact that humans have been drinking cans of soda full of caffeine and sugar for decades mean that it’s good for them?

    I’m beginning to lose faith in our Vet Tech schools if this is what you are learning there.

  • Marie

    I’ll admit to not knowing as much about dog nutrition, cause I’m a cat person – but REALLY? An OBLIGATE carnivore like a CAT ‘suffers’ from a MEAT BASED FOOD? ‘Suffers’ on a MEAT based diet?

    No offense – but have you lost your mind?

    Whatever ‘damage’ you see due to food is likely because people feed their cats dry food, something cat really have no business eating. THAT damages their kidneys because of lack of moisture. That has nothing to do with protein.

  • Addie

    Interesting info off AAFCO website: 
    It should be pointed out that while “veterinarian recommended” requires a survey of a statistically sound number of veterinarians who recommend your product, it only takes one veterinarian to support the claim “veterinarian formulated”, or “veterinarian developed”, assuming that fact can be sufficiently documented.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com/ Mike Sagman

    chloer88,

    I’m sorry you feel pet foods should not be rated based upon their meat content.

    In your comment, you claimed, “We have seen too many dogs and cats suffer great consequences due to a diet of “meaty” foods.”

    Hm-m-m-m. Really?

    Disregarding pets already diagnosed with active disease (such as hepato-compromised animals), I’d be interested in seeing your list of canine and feline diseases proven to be caused by “meaty foods”.

    Would you be willing to post here a list of these diseases and back up your claims with a few peer-reviewed scientific studies?

  • Shawna

    Sorry, one more thing..

    What “suffering” are you seeing “due to a diet of “meaty” foods.”  Please don’t say kidney disease because I KNOW kd is not caused by protein.  I have a dog with congenital kd that has been on a high protein raw diet since weaning and will be 6 years old the end of June.  Still in EXCELLENT health with only polydipsia and polyuria as symptoms.

    A liver shunt I will give you but those aren’t really that common are they?

  • Shawna

    Chloer88 ~~ Humans haven’t been eating grains for all that long and they were certainly not the grains we see today.  I guarantee my great great grandparents did not eat genetically modified corn. 

    And as Toxed mentioned, when they did eat grains they did not eat them the way we eat them today due to the phytates, lectins and tryptin inhibitors.

    Here’s a little blurb from an article written by two doctors and a pharmacist.  This is based on human nutrition.  Imagine the consequences to an opportunistic carnivore or a true carnivore (since Science Diet and the like insist on feeding cats grains too)???. 

    The title of this article is called “Lectins — A Little Known Trouble Maker”

    “Because the lectins also circulate throughout the bloodstream they can bind to any tissue in the body ­— thyroid, pancreas, collagen in joints, etc. 2 This binding can disrupt the function of that tissue and cause white blood cells to attack the lectin-bound tissue, destroying it. This is an autoimmune response.  The lectins in wheat for example, are specifically known to be involved in rheumatoid arthritis.”  http://www.wellsphere.com/complementary-alternative-medicine-article/lectins-a-little-known-trouble-maker/754591

    We also have some peer reviewed data if you are interested.. :)

    By the way, what would you base dog food reviews on?

  • Toxed2loss

    If you run a search on when dogfood was invented you’ll find that it was invented in the mid 1800′s and went into production in 1890, before that, dogs ate table scraps, etc… They ate very little grain. Breed records show that they lived longer. In fact multiple cited discussions on other threads, on this site, document the adverse effects of grains on the canine system. Obesity, diabetese, pancreatitis, hypertension… There’s quite a list. Please take the time to check out the discussions on lectins and phytates on the Taste of the Wild and Brother’s threads. :-)

  • chloer88

    It is insane to rate dog food based on “meat” content. As a veterinary tech. the ratings on this site are ridiculous. We have seen too many dogs and cats suffer great consequences due to a diet of “meaty” foods. I think as a dentist you should research dogs a little more before giving such judgements. Dogs are not wolves, dogs have had corn and other grain in their diet for as long as they have walked besides humans.