Clevengers Corner Veterinary Care

Feeding your dog or cat seems like an easy chore, but if your pet is suffering from kidney disease, allergies or even cancer, his nutritional needs require special attention. Most veterinarians keep an inventory of therapeutic or “prescription” diets on hand to help manage chronically sick pets. In spite of the benefits provided by these diets, the weak economy and rising prices have many owners thinking twice about staying on the more expensive diets. In 1940, Dr. Mark Morris, a veterinarian in New Jersey, was treating one of his patients, “Buddy”, for kidney failure. “Buddy” was one of the first “seeing eye” guide dogs in the United States. Dr. Morris found that he could improve Buddy’s quality of life by providing him with a diet that helped ease the work of his kidneys. He named this new diet “k/d” for kidney diet and he quickly became inundated with requests from veterinarians for his special food.Dr. Morris continued to study how the right foods can benefit patients suffering from a variety of diseases. His visionary work sparked a multi-million dollar industry dedicated to providing optimal nutrition for chronically ill pets. Today, many pet food companies commit extensive resources towards research and production of therapeutic diets.These special diets differ from routine pet foods by the reduction, addition, or manipulation of key nutrients. For example, k/d has much lower phosphorus and protein levels than normal pet diets. This balance helps reduce the workload of the kidneys and actually slows the progression of the disease. For pet stricken with cancer, high levels of quality fat and protein with lower carbohydrate levels can help starve cancer cells and prolong the pet’s life.Special therapeutic diets are also available for pets with allergies, urinary bladder stones, digestive issues, heart conditions, liver problems and even arthritic pets.But, all of this scientific research and expertise does come with a cost. Therapeutic diets often appear to be unusually expensive when compared to regular diets. As an example, a 30 lb bag of a prescription diet for dogs suffering from allergies can cost more than $90. For a typical 60 lb dog, this bag of food should last around 45 days, meaning that the daily food cost is $2 per day. Some owners are tempted to take matters into their own hands and create homemade diets for their pets. According to the Small Animal Clinical Nutrition text, homemade recipes are often available for a variety of pet illnesses. However, once the cost of ingredients is added, along with time spent in preparation and extra trips to the grocery, these homemade diets are often just as pricey as the commercially prepared food. Without veterinary guidance, these attempts at cost savings often end up hurting the pet. One study also estimated that more than 90% of homemade diets for sick pets are not nutritionally adequate.So, how can owners keep their pet’s diets from emptying their wallets? First, talk with your veterinarian about your pet’s overall health condition. Some pets are put on certain therapeutic diets for a limited time only. If your pet is overweight, battling bladder stones, or even suffering from digestive upset, it is likely that you only need to feed the special diet for a limited time. Next, if your pet does need his prescription food for a longer time, order in larger size bags. The initial cost is certainly higher, but large bags cost less per pound.Also, ask your veterinarian if a less expensive brand is available. Many formulas are available from several different manufacturers.Finally, if your veterinarian offers the service, consider having the diet shipped directly to your home. This option could save you time and gas money.Thank you to the Veterinary News Network for contributing material for this week’s column.

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