If your dog has been on Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d for a while, there may come a time when you decide to consider other alternatives. In this article, you will find information on other diets that can substitute Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d, as well as their nutritional profiles.
The alternative to Hill’s prescription diet I/D dog food may be in the form of yet another prescription diet, or an over-the-counter diet. Other prescription diets you may use in place of Hill’s Prescription Diet I/D include the Purina Pro Plan, the Royal Canin and the Blue Buffalo veterinary diets.
A suitable over the counter alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet id may be in the Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D. Another suitable alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i d dog owners may use is in Natural Balance L.I.D.
If you want to stick with the Hill’s brand, you may find an alternative to Hills Prescription Diet i/d in Hill’s Science Diet (Sensitive Stomach).
Ultimately, the most important thing is to ask yourself, what is comparable to ID dog food (specifically Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d dog food)? In other words, what dog food is comparable to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d?
Alternative To Hill’s Prescription Diet I/D
So those should be the guiding questions in your search for an alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d.
Remember, you may not get a perfect substitute i/d food. That is just as it would also be hard to get a perfect substitute for Hill’s Prescription Diet wd.
But the alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i d dog for pancreatitis you settle for should at least be nutritionally adequate and safe.
As we said earlier, the alternative to Hill’s prescription i/d food may be in the form of another prescription diet. Or an over-the-counter diet.
Other Dog Prescription Diet Alternatives
Other good prescription diet alternatives (to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d) include the Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diet and the Royal Canin Veterinary Diet.
Another suitable alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet digestive care food is in the Blue Buffalo Veterinary Diet.
Some of these may be ideal if you are seeking a cheaper alternative to Hills id dog food.
Others may be ideal if you are seeking somewhat more nutritious alternatives to Hill’s i/d dog food.
Others still may be ideal if you want a more easily available substitute for Hill’s Prescription Diet.
What you need to understand is that each Hills Prescription Diet alternative here will still require a vet’s prescription to purchase.
Nonetheless, going by (among other things) the various substitute Hills Prescription Diet id Reddit threads’ comments, these are reasonably good alternatives to Hills Prescription Diet Digestive Care i/d.
Nonetheless, just as there may be no perfect alternative to Hills Prescription Diet i d cat owners can use, so can it prove hard to get a perfect alternative to the one for dogs.
Such nuances will always be clear when, for instance, you go through an alternatives to Hill’s Digestive Care i/d.
For instance, a search for a perfect Acana alternative to Hills I/D? Dog Food Chat may prove futile.
Therefore none of the diets we are about to look at can be termed as a 100% perfect alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d.
But some of them may actually be better than the Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d in certain respects.
The Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diet As An Alternative to Hill‘s Prescription Diet I/D
The first alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d we will be looking at is Purina Pro.
Just like Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d, Purina Pro usually requires a vet’s prescription to buy.
If you want a (somewhat) lower protein alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d, then this one may work well. It has 23% protein, in comparison to 26.8% protein in Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d dry food.
It can also function as a lower fat alternative: thanks to its 10% fat content, in comparison to 13.9% in Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d dry food.
On the other hand, the fiber in it is only marginally lower (at 2%) in comparison to 2.1% in Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d dry food.
Thus, it may not work well if you prefer a low fat high fiber alternative. And the search for such an alternative is common, just as we have many folks who need alternative to Hills w/d, low fat and high fiber options.
There are even folks who would dare to consider it as an alternative to Hills Prescription Diet h/d dried dog food.
In fact, when you ask, anybody have a good alternative to Hill’s Prescription d/d food, you may be pointed in the direction of Purina Pro.
Of course, the formula in Purina Pro veterinary diet is not exactly as the formula for Hill’s Prescription Diet I/D.
Nonetheless, in terms of the nutrients in it, its helpfulness for dogs with digestive issues and its deliciousness, Purina Pro may be suitable for use in the place of Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d.
Nutritional Profile Of The Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diet
As mentioned earlier, the protein content in Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diet is 23%. On the other hand, fat and fiber content is at 10.5% and 2% respectively.
In terms of minerals, it does have calcium at 0.95%, zinc at 200 ppm and manganese at 70 ppm. Phosphorous is at 0.75%.
The vitamins in it include vitamin A and Vitamin E.
And it does have moisture, at 12% and ash at 7.5%.
On account of its nutritional profile, there may even be folks who get the temptation to consider it as a Hills cd dog food alternative.
Some people may go to the extent of viewing it as a dog food comparable to Hill’s Prescription Diet z/d.
But with fat at 10%, this obviously may not be a suitable alternative to Hills id low fat dog food.
Thus Purina Pro does have its limitations.
It can nonetheless serve quite well as a Mrx Hills Canine i d food alternative in certain cases.
The Royal Canin Veterinary Diet As An Alternative To Hill‘s Prescription Diet I/D
The second alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d we shall be looking at is Royal Canin.
It has lower protein and lower fat than Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d. The protein in it is at 20%, in comparison to 26.8% in Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d dry food.
Fat in Royal Canin is at 8.5%, in comparison to 13.9% in Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d dry food.
On the other hand, it has more fiber – at 3.6% in comparison to 2.1% in Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d dry food.
This particular food is in the form of dry kibble.
And besides being an alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d, it may also somewhat function as a Hills wd dog food alternative.
One could even think of using it in place of Mrx Hills Canine t/d food.
In terms of protein content, it compares reasonably well to Hill’s d/d. Thus if you were wondering, what dog food is similar to Hills d d, you may find it in Royal Canin.
But because of its dry nature, there are those who would hesitate to proclaim it as a perfect Mrx Hills Canine i/d substitute.
Its formula is not exactly the same as that for the Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d of course. So it is not a 100% substitute for Hills Prescription Diet i/d.
It is important to reiterate, just as there is nothing like a perfect Hills i/d cat food alternative, so is there no perfect Hill’s i/d dog food alternative.
Or just as you can’t get wet cat food similar to Hills Science Diet in all ways, so would it be unreasonable to expect to find a perfect Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d substitute.
What we have are suitable alternatives – which, in fact, may be better than Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d in some ways.
Nutritional Profile Of The Royal Canin Veterinary Diet
As mentioned earlier, protein in the Royal Canin veterinary diet is at 20%.
Royal Canin has fiber at 3.6% and fat at 8.5%.
It does have antioxidants, and even prebiotics.
Its nutritional profile actually makes it a suitable Hill’s wd dog food alternative candidate. But there are of course other considerations in that context.
The Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet As An Alternative to Hill‘s Prescription Diet I/D
The third alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d we shall be looking at is the Blue Buffalo.
If you prefer an alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d that still has lots of protein, Blue Buffalo may be ideal. That is because its protein content, at 24% compares well to the 26.8% in Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d.
In terms of fat, it also compares well with Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d dry food. That is because in Blue Buffalo, the fat is at 12%, in comparison to 13% in Hill’s Prescription Diet I/d.
Where the two differ significantly is in terms of fiber. In Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d dry food, fiber is at 2.1%, whereas in Blue Buffalo, fiber is at 5%.
Some ingredients that certain people may be uncomfortable with in Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d are, thankfully, not there in Blue Buffalo. Those are the likes of corn and chicken by-products.
It helps too, that whereas Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d may have some artificial flavoring, Blue Buffalo doesn’t have the same.
Consequently, through the Blue Buffalo diet, it may be possible to avoid some of the Hills Prescription Diet id side effects people talk about.
Some of the Hills Prescription Diet i/d side effects in question are on account of things like artificial flavoring and chicken byproducts. Those are not there in Blue Buffalo. Its usage therefore may make it possible to avoid the Hills id dog food side effects.
To understand why that point is important, just try to research on why is Hills id prescription diet controversial in some quarters? You will find that it is due to certain ingredients in it.
For the most part, makers of Blue Buffalo seem to have avoided the use of such ingredients.
Nutritional Profile Of The Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet
The protein content in the Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet is 24%.
In terms of fat, Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet has 12% whereas fiber is at 5%.
Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet has both omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids at appreciable levels.
Moisture in the Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet is at 10%, whereas phosphorous and calcium are at 0.5% and 0.7% respectively.
In comparison to other Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d alternatives we have looked at, Blue Buffalo still has some advantages.
For instance, it is a higher protein alternative to Royal Canin gastrointestinal dog food.
In most other regards, it is a dog food comparable to Royal Canin gastrointestinal low fat diet.
But then again its fat content is at 10% (in comparison to 8.5% in Royal Canin). As such, it can’t really work as a Royal Canin gastrointestinal low fat alternative.
Thus, Blue Buffalo isn’t really a suitable alternative to Royal Canin gastrointestinal low fat dog food.
In most regards though, it works well as an alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d.
Over The Counter Alternatives to Hill‘s Prescription Diet I/D
So far, what we have been looking at are other prescription diets that can serve as alternatives to the Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d.
But what if one is seeking to move away from prescription diets altogether?
For instance, what if one can’t afford prescription dog food any longer, and the dog seems to have been healed of whatever necessitated prescription food in the first place?
That is the point at which one starts looking for an alternative to prescription dog food.
And that is often in the form of an over the counter diet.
Here, we will be looking at three over the counter alternatives to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d. Those are Blue Buffalo Basis L.I.D, Natural Balance L.I.D and Hill’s Science Diet (Sensitive Stomach).
Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D As An Alternative To Hill‘s Prescription Diet I/D
The Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D (Limited Ingredient Diet) is similar to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d in a number of ways. That is save for the fact that you don’t need a prescription to buy Blue Buffalo L.I.D.
In terms of protein, Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D is at 20%, whereas its fiber content is at 6%. That compares quite well to 26.8% and 2.1% respectively in Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d.
It doesn’t have ingredients that are likely to be harmful to dogs with pancreatitis or other digestive problems.
In fact, there are those who may find this diet’s salmon fish and potato base better than what is in Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d.
Of course, its formula is different from what is in Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d. Therefore it is not a 100% perfect substitute for it.
This is similar to what we said earlier, with regard to there being no truly perfect Hills id cat food alternative. What exist are workable/suitable substitutes.
That then, is also how Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D may not be an exact replica of Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d. But it is certainly a suitable alternative.
It can come in handy if, for instance, you are in a new area and you don’t know where to buy Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d in the locality.
Or if you only have limited funds, and you can’t figure out the cheapest place to buy Hills Prescription Diet, Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D may serve you well.
But it is important to ensure that you get your vet’s blessings, before switching your dog from Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d to Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D.
Nutritional Profile Of Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D
Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D protein content is 20%. Fat and fiber are at 12% and 6% respectively.
In Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D, there is calcium and phosphorous, at 0.9% and 0.7% respectively.
Other key elements in Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D are omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, alongside vitamins such as vitamin C and vitamin A.
Moisture in Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D is at 10%.
Natural Balance L.I.D As An Alternative To Hill‘s Prescription Diet I/D
According to the makers of Natural Balance L.I.D, it is one of those commercial dog foods that are ‘as natural/basic as possible’.
This is because the makers have endeavored to have as few artificial ingredients as possible.
Specifically, the sorts of ingredients that can be troublesome for a dog with digestive problems are not there in Natural Balance L.I.D.
Natural Balance L.I.D is also quite delicious, and its formulation ensures that it is not a messy dog food.
Nutritional Profile Of Natural Balance L.I.D
The protein in Natural Balance L.I.D is at 24%, whereas fat is at 12%.
There is fiber in Natural Balance L.I.D, at 4.5%, and moisture at 10%.
Omega 3, Omega 6, calcium and phosphorous are other key nutrients in Natural Balance L.I.D.
Hills Science Diet (Sensitive Stomach) As An Alternative To Hill‘s Science Diet I/D
If you want to shift from Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d to something else without abandoning the ‘Hills’ brand altogether, then this is a good choice to consider.
What is the difference between Hill’s Science Diet and Prescription diet to start with?
The answer is that the Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d is available only with vet’s prescription. On the other hand, you can buy the Hill’s Science (Sensitive Stomach) over the counter, without prescription.
Still, there are many vets who recommend Hill’s Science diet, even without necessarily issuing prescriptions for it.
In fact, in certain ways, it can prove hard to find dog food comparable to Science Diet.
Sometimes, when you pose the question on what dog food is comparable to Hills Science Diet, you draw blanks.
Ultimately, there are two key things that qualify Hills Science Diet as an alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d. Those are its nutritious nature and its safer ingredients profile.
Very few Hill’s Science Diet alternatives meet that profile.
It helps too that Hills Science Diet id has been around for quite a while. So it has the trust that comes with time.
Thus, it can be hard to get a dog food similar to Science Diet id in all respects. That is just as it is hard to find a cat food similar to Hills Science Diet in all respects.
All in all though, Hill’s Science is a reasonably good alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d.
Nutritional Profile Of The Hill‘s Science Diet (Sensitive Stomach)
In Hill’s Science Diet (Sensitive Stomach), protein is at 25.9%. Fiber is quite low, at 1.3%. And fat is somewhat high – at 16%.
It is rich in phosphorous, calcium, Omega 3 and Omega 6, among other nutrients.
Which Other Foods Are Suitable For Dogs With Sensitive Stomachs?
Bland chicken and white rice meals tend to work quite well, for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
Canned pumpkin is also known to be a worthwhile food for dogs with sensitive stomachs. So is lamb or beef, without seasoning.
Yellow peas may work well in some cases, as may turkey breasts.
Alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d
How Useful Are Probiotics For Dogs With Sensitive Stomachs?
Probiotics can be very useful for dogs with sensitive stomachs. That is because they promote the growth of helpful bacteria in the dogs’ guts. Sometimes, that by itself is enough to solve the ‘sensitive stomach’ challenge.
Thus things like yogurt (the plain variety) can be very good for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
How Do I Introduce My Dog To A New Diet?
Firstly, if you are switching from one prescription diet to another, it is important to consult a vet.
Similarly, if you are switching from a prescription diet to an over the counter diet, you should consult a vet.
The actual switch from one diet to another should be gradual.
So you start by giving the dog the old diet, with a little of the new diet food mixed in.
Then gradually, you reduce the old diet food component, in favor of more of the new diet food.
Eventually, you eliminate the old diet food, and switch the dog to the new diet food completely.
If you make the switch too suddenly, the dog may become ill. Therefore you need to be patient, and use a gradual approach.
Alternative To Hill‘s Prescription Diet I/Id – Frequently Asked Questions
With regard to the alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d options we have been discussing, there are several questions that tend to arise.
We will look at some of those, and the answers to them.
Does Hill‘s Prescription Diet I/D Have Side Effects?
Different dogs may react differently to the ingredients in the food that makes up the Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d. Where there are adverse reactions, some may term them as the diet’s ‘side effects’.
And when you are switching a dog from some previous diet to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d, there may be some initial stomach upsets. One may misinterpret this as a ‘side effect’.
For most dogs though, Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d doesn’t cause severe adverse reactions.
Is Hill‘s Prescription Diet I/D Suitable For Long Term Use?
Yes, Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d is suitable for long term use.
It is formulated in a manner that ensures dogs on it get all the nutrients they require.
Therefore you can keep a dog on the Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d without worrying that the dog is missing out on anything.
Is A Prescription Necessary For Hills Diet I/D?
If you want to buy the Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d, then yes, you need to have a vet’s prescription.
Normally, when you take a dog with digestive issues to a vet, it is the vet who recommends the Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d – after assessment.
This may specifically be due to issues like pancreatitis.
Final Verdict – Alternative To Hill’s Prescription Diet I/D
There are several suitable alternatives to Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d. Some are in the form of other prescription diets, whereas others are over the counter diets.
Examples of Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d alternatives include the Purina Pro Plan, Royal Canin and Blue Buffalo Natural veterinary diets.
Over the counter alternatives to Hill’s Prescription Diet I/d foods may include Blue Buffalo L.I.D, Natural Balance L.I.D and Hill’s Science (Sensitive Stomach) diets. You may also want to take a look at JSAP research papers.
Before switching your dog from a prescription diet (like Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d) to anything else, it is essential to consult a vet.
Then make the switch from Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d to whichever other diet you are adopting gradual.
Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️
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