{"id":2922,"date":"2018-11-26T08:00:06","date_gmt":"2018-11-26T13:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ovrs.com\/blog\/?p=2922"},"modified":"2018-11-19T15:37:32","modified_gmt":"2018-11-19T20:37:32","slug":"therapeutic-diets-for-pets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ovrs.com\/blog\/therapeutic-diets-for-pets\/","title":{"rendered":"Therapeutic Diets for Pets: Using the Power of Nutrition to Heal"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"therapeuticThere is no denying that the food we eat has an impact on our health, energy, and overall wellbeing. It is, therefore, no surprise that we have found the same to be true for our animal companions. Where once the family Fido was given leftover scraps, or inexpensive commercial kibble, we now find that quality nutrition is important in determining quality of life and longevity. <\/span><\/p>\n

Prescription diets, or now more often referred to as therapeutic diets, for pets have come a long way since their introduction a few decades ago. But, what does a therapeutic diet offer, versus a <\/span>commercial diet<\/span><\/a>, and how can it actually benefit your pet?<\/span><\/p>\n

Oakland Veterinary Referral Services<\/span><\/a> is here to give you some food for thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Therapeutic Diets 101<\/span><\/h2>\n

A pet therapeutic diet is one that is formulated to meet the specific needs of your pet. In most cases, these diets are designed to combat and\/or prevent diseases that are common to cats and dogs. These diets are clinically studied to weigh certain vitamins, minerals, protein, fats, carbohydrates, and other nutritional components to determine their effect on the disease process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prescription Therapeutic Diets vs Commercial Pet Food <\/span><\/h2>\n

Sometimes pet owners come to their veterinarians and ask why they can\u2019t just buy XYZ diet because it has similar claims in improving health. After all, both are touted to improve kidney function, for example. There is a big difference, actually.<\/span><\/p>\n

True therapeutic foods are those scientifically developed and tested to produce the diet. This is done through analysis of cell structures and ingredients, versus loosely performed clinical trials done by pet food companies, that generally focus solely on taste and digestibility. <\/span><\/p>\n

Therapeutic diets are therefore more expensive because they contain better quality ingredients and can support their claims specific to the dietary formula. Quality control is also much better than in your average commercial diet found in the pet food aisle. <\/span><\/p>\n

Common Diseases that Can Be Helped Through Nutrition<\/span><\/h2>\n

Balanced nutrition is vital to all pets, but there are some conditions and diseases that can be helped through veterinary diets. Some of these include:<\/span><\/p>\n