[Alexander A]

I agree with Pitluv that it’s standard procedure for A Vet to recommend a product they sell. They stock & sell it in the first place because foods like Science Diet have peer reviewed feeding trials and studies behind them proving that they work for their intended purpose. My dog had to be on SD’s k/d formula for a while, which my Vet sold, and he also recommended the Sensitive Stomach for chronic diarrhea from a kidney/prostate infection, which we were able to get OTC. They were both very good foods that helped manage a severe medical condition. I really don’t see anything surprising about why any Vet would want to prescribe it.

[Alexander A]

I know most people turn up their noses at it, but Pedigree has worked wonders for my older dog who had so many health issues going on at the same time, one contributed to the worsening of another, until he was diagnosed with kidney disease about three months ago. He had chronic (i.e., daily) diarrhea, abdominal pain, and was urinating blood at one point. After the diagnosis of kidney disease, he was on Hill’s k/d canned and a specially tailored home made diet for renal patients. It was expensive, time consuming, and honestly, even on boiled chicken and rice he had issues with soft, frequent bowel movements 🙁

At the recommendation of our Vet, we substituted the k/d for dry Pedigree Lamb & Rice.

Moose’s problems started around December of 2015. From that point until late January of 2017, he hadn’t had a single normal bowel movement. He was going quite often, but the first day we mixed in Pedigree with some home cooked, he went the entire day without having a poo accident in the house. When he finally did go, his stool was normal, hard and formed, passed without any pain.

He’s been to the Vet since starting out on it, and his BUN & blood creatinine levels drastically improved.

The Lamb & Rice food is 21% protein/10% fat/0.8% phosphorous. I know the ingredient list isn’t fancy, but the food is made from American sources and has an excellent balance of nutrients. I’ve since switched my other dogs to it. The 10 year old with allergies and very bad problems with reverse sneezing has seen a DRASTIC reduction in breathing issues. Her tear stains are not gone but visibly lessened, and an old ear infection that never responded to antibiotics has cleared up. Needless to say, I’m very happy with the quality of this brand, even though it’s something I wouldn’t ordinarily have tried.

[Alexander A]

He goes once daily, very hard and small. He was drinking copiously & urinating up a storm, and that’s stopped too.

[Alexander A]

My 8yr old Jack Russell terrier was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in December. He’d been having intermittent diarrhea/loose stools for 10 months and was prescribed three different antibiotics during that time. His condition, just from the frequent & loose stools, deteriorated over the summer to such an extent that I considered having him euthanized. When he started urinating blood, I took him to a different Vet who made the diagnosis and put him on Science Diet k/d canned food, which was too expensive to be permanent.

He improved on that food, though, and I started cooking for him using Dr. Pitcarin’s Complete Guide To Natural Health For Dogs & Cats. He has some good recipes in there but only two or three for kidney disease. He was urinating less (he was going copiously & frequently) on the combination of canned/home made, but he was rail thin and nothing we could do kept weight on him. His stools were less frequent but still very soft.

When we ran out of the prescription food, I asked the Vet if we could substitute for one of Science Diet’s OTC low protein formulas. He told me there was no need and recommended Pedigree Lamb & Rice instead.

So we started him on Pedigree very slowly, mixing a handful of kibble with rice and boiled liver on Saturday morning about a month ago.

I am sorry for rambling on like this, but the difference was just unbelievable from that first bowl. When I walked him later on, he was frolicking in the snow, jumping over snowdrifts, and being happy to be outside. His personality was back full force; rolling on the couch, showing interest in toys, and that night, after two small meals of the Pedigree, he had his first normal bowel movement in a year.

A month later, and his last blood test showed SIGNIFICANT improvements in his BUN and blood creatinine levels. He has gained enough weight that he has “substance” again, not just a rack of bones with a bit of fat on them. He has muscle mass and energy. His potassium levels are normal. He had been chronically dehydrated before, even to an extent on the canned k/d.

So, yeah. This is my very long winded way of saying if you are looking for a low protein, fat, and moderately low phosphorous food, IMHO, Pedigree is a VERY good option.

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