Many owners are faced with the problem of choosing therapeutic food for dogs and cats. Given the range presented in veterinary stores, it is quite difficult to make a choice. It’s difficult to choose a really suitable, high-quality feed, as each manufacturer advertises and promotes its brand. Therefore, choosing food for your pet, it is recommended to read reviews on the forums of experienced breeders and veterinarians. In this article, we will consider ready-made medicinal feeds of the American company Hills. A review of the composition and recommendations from the owners will be given below.
What it is
Hills cat and dog food is super premium. Products are manufactured in the Netherlands and the USA. Available in the form of canned food and dry food. Food can be used as the main diet or for medicinal purposes. Initially, products were conceived as diet foods. The balance of useful trace elements, the optimal composition, the ratio of vitamins and minerals were selected by leading experts and feed was recommended as a special diet for animals with health problems.
Manufacturer
The Hills Pet Nutrition Company was established in 1939. It was led by a veterinarian Mark Morris, who was convinced that the well-being of pets was directly dependent on their diet. Initially, food was produced only for dogs, but at the end of the 1960s the first cat food was developed.
Throughout its existence, the company has been working on product quality, constantly creating new types, ranges and improving composition formulas. Food for dogs and cats under this brand has many positive reviews. Hills feeds are known worldwide and are shipped to most countries. The feed plants are located in the United States and the Netherlands.
Types of feed
All products can be divided into two main types:
- Daily food for dogs and cats.
- Therapeutic nutrition developed for animals with a need for a special diet: due to illness or during recovery.
Products are divided into dry and wet feed. Release form:
- Dry food, packaged in bags of various volumes.
- Canned food in metal cans.
- Spiders with pieces of meat.
Why do you need therapeutic feed
Therapeutic nutrition is developed for animals with any disease. There is no universal therapeutic feed. Each individual option is designed to feed animals suffering from a particular disease. It should be noted that such feeds do not replace the classical treatment, since they do not have, except for herbal extracts, in the composition of medical preparations.
They are needed only to help with treatment. As a rule, the amount of a substance that loads a diseased organ is absent or reduced in their composition.
Hills Medical Cat Food Line
Despite the fact that industrial feeds are produced by many manufacturers, not all brands have special treatment lines. Hills products designed for feeding sick dogs and cats have gained the trust of many pet owners and veterinarians. The Hills Prescription diet line includes over ten varieties of feed. Any of them can only be prescribed by a veterinarian, in accordance with the diagnosed pathology. The duration of feeding is also consistent with the specialist.
It is worth noting that veterinary feed is intended for animals during treatment. Their composition is different from everyday products, therefore such a menu can harm healthy pets: the animal will not receive the necessary vitamins and minerals, or it will receive too many of them. Below is a review and reviews of Hills cat food.
Urological Disease and Kidney Dysfunction
- SD - used in parallel with treatment and for the prevention of urinary tract diseases;
- KD - is prescribed for nephrological pathologies and renal failure;
- CD - used during the treatment of cystitis and urolithiasis;
- GD - prescribed for pets in whom chronic renal failure is combined with heart disease.
On the Web you can find positive reviews from veterinarians about Hills cat food, presented in this line. Specialists often prescribe a therapeutic diet with the presence of Hills feed, considering them the most optimal for animals with urological problems.
Gastrointestinal and liver diseases
- LD - used for liver failure and other liver diseases;
- WD - has a wide spectrum of action, is used for constipation, diabetes, inflammation of the intestines and colitis;
- ID - is prescribed for diseases of the digestive system.
Overweight
- MD - is prescribed for obese pets, as well as animals with excess blood glucose;
- RD - prescribed to eliminate excess weight;
- Metabolic + Urinary - serves as a prophylaxis of urolithiasis in combination with maintaining normal weight;
- Metabolic - used to normalize weight and speed up metabolism
Other types of medicinal feed
- YD - is prescribed during the treatment of thyroid pathologies;
- JD - recommended for the development of joint diseases;
- TD - used in the treatment of diseases of the oral cavity;
- ZD - designed for pets prone to allergies;
- AD - is designed for quick recovery of animals after surgery, serious illness and weight loss.
Specialized feed
For animals with special needs, Hills produces specialized food. It refers to everyday food, but it is ideal if the animal is prone to allergies, has fluffy hair, or has been castrated.
For sterilized cats and neutered cats
After castration or sterilization, animals should be transferred to special feeding. After such operations, cats require less fat and protein. Hill's Young Adult Neutered - dry food, meat pieces and mousse with several flavors meets these criteria. Judging by the reviews, the Hills food for sterilized cats and neutered cats is considered one of the best.
Hypoallergenic products
If allergic reactions occur, experts recommend a special diet for the duration of treatment. For pets prone to such reactions, Hills releases the Nature's Best hypoallergenic line, from which allergens are completely eliminated.
For sedentary cats
Hill's Science Plan Indoor Cat Adult is a food designed for cats that spend most of their time indoors. Such pets are prone to weight gain, therefore, the diet has a reduced amount of carbohydrates and fats, as well as mineral supplements that positively affect the urinary tract.
For pets with sensitive skin
Hills Science Plan Feline Adult Sensitive Skin is prescribed for pets with skin and coat problems. The special composition of the food relieves inflammation, eliminates itching and supplies the blood with substances necessary to improve the condition of the skin and the shine of the coat.
For animals with long hair
Hills Science Plan Feline Adult Hairball Control is a diet designed for longhair cats. During washing, they swallow dead hairs, which then stick together in the stomach and form bezoars. Fiber is added to the composition of the diet, which facilitates the removal of wool from the gastrointestinal tract in a natural way.
For dental care
Hill's Science Plan Adult Oral Care. This food helps prevent tartar and removes plaque. The teeth are cleaned with special granules that do not crumble when the animal eats. A small percentage of calcium and proteins interfere with the entry of elements into the oral cavity, due to which the fangs become coated. Judging by the reviews of owners and veterinarians, Hills cat food significantly reduces the formation of stone on the animal’s teeth.
For pets with sensitive digestion
Hill's Science Plan Adult Sensitive Stomach - A diet containing fiber. It is needed to maintain normal intestinal microflora. In addition, fiber improves peristalsis. Eggs and rice, which are part of the composition, have a positive effect on the absorption of food and help completely digest the food eaten.
For overweight cats
Hill's Science Plan Perfect Weight Adult is a diet for cats prone to gain extra pounds. This food helps to maintain normal weight and eliminates excess body fat. The composition is designed in such a way that the pet quickly eats up by eating a small portion. Also in this feed, the percentage of fiber is increased and the level of fat is reduced. L-carnitine, which is part of the composition, activates the metabolism.
Medical dry dog food
Before you study the review of the composition and recommendations about dog food "Hills", you should familiarize yourself with the types of packaging.
Dry medicinal feeds are available in three varieties:
Judging by the reviews of the owners and veterinarians about Hill's feeds, large packages should be purchased only if the dog is large in size or in the presence of chronic diseases in the pet. In the acute course of the disease, therapeutic food is prescribed temporarily, so there is no point in buying a large pack.
Hills dog food line overview
Dogs, like cats, often need special nutrition. As mentioned above, the company began its journey precisely with the development of dog food. On the shelves you can find a large assortment of medical nutrition that helps with various pathologies. Below are reviews and reviews of the composition of feed "Hills" for dogs:
- Metabolic Canine - food for dogs with extra pounds. Owners say that such a therapeutic diet helps to reduce the weight of the pet in two months. The manufacturer claims that the special composition of such food prevents the animals from re-gaining mass after switching to normal nutrition.
- Labeling r / d - food is designed to reduce and maintain the weight of dogs with a tendency to diabetes. The diet is low-fat and is considered low-calorie. This diet contains a large amount of fiber, which normalizes blood sugar and helps optimize the intestines. L-lysine and L-carnitine help burn fat, not muscle tissue. Has many positive reviews from owners of animals overweight.
- Marking w / d (chicken) - food for overweight pets intended for fastidious dogs with problems with hormones, constipation and colitis. The diet allows you to gently remove struvite stones, from which almost all overweight dogs suffer.
- Labeling d / d (salmon, rice) and d / d (duck, rice) - food for dogs with skin diseases, digestive disorders and suffering from food allergies. In d / d feeds, the percentage of fatty acids is increased, which has a positive effect on skin health and immunity.
- Labeling k / d - food for dogs with kidney disease. This diet allows the animal to lead a normal lifestyle, even with a chronic form of pathology. The composition includes antioxidants that improve the well-being of the pet. Medical feed significantly reduces the symptoms of renal failure. Such a diet is also prescribed with complex therapy, if against the background of kidney pathology, heart failure has occurred or vice versa.
- Labeling i / d - restorative diet food for dogs. This food helps to improve the condition of the dog with enteritis, gastritis, digestive upset, colitis, dysbiosis, after surgical interventions, with pancreatitis, loss of strength and exhaustion, inversion or bloating of the intestines, and feeding of weak offspring. Food can be prescribed for diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes. Contraindicated for feeding animals in which sodium is retained.
- Marking j / d - food for pets suffering from arthritis. In the reviews and description of the composition of the Hills food for dogs, an increased content of fatty amino acids is indicated. This increases the production of their own joint fluids, reducing pain attacks during exertion. The Hills prescription diet j / d dry food reviews talk about the positive effects of the diet on the dog’s well-being during the first three weeks of feeding.
- Labeling i / d Low Fat - nutrition intended for the treatment and prevention of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The food contains probiotics to help restore intestinal microflora. In addition, the diet contains ginger, which reduces irritation and swelling of the mucous membranes.
- Labeling c / d Multicare - therapeutic food for dogs suffering from urolithiasis. Diet helps dissolve struvite formations. Such food can be used as a prophylactic in case of a threat, initial stage or re-formation of uroliths. There are contraindications: ammonium or cystine type of urolithiasis, pregnancy, lactation, taking medications that oxidize urine, is strictly contraindicated in cats.
- Marking w / d Multicare - used for the prevention and treatment of urolithiasis.
- Labeling l / d - special food for dogs with liver disease. Such a diet has an easily digestible composition, which reduces the load on the liver. The diet is prescribed for portosystemic shunts, encephalopathy. The product is contraindicated for puppies up to six months, pregnant and lactating females, with hyperlipidemia and pancreatitis.
It should be noted that almost all Hills medicinal feeds are available in dry or canned form. Wet nutrition is most often prescribed for weakened, young animals, as well as dogs suffering from damage to the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.
Features of the composition
Below we review the reviews and review of the composition of the Hills food for cats and dogs. Depending on the purpose of the food and its taste, it may include the following components:
- 35% chicken or turkey flour (meat only).
- Vegetable protein (corn gluten).
- Corn and rice.
- Fish and animal fats, vegetable oil.
- Soya.
- Flour of rabbit, lamb, tuna.
- Dairy.
- Dried beet pulp.
- Mineral and vitamin complexes, cellulose, beta-carotene.
- Amino acids.
- Natural preservatives (rosemary and the like).
In reviews of the Hill's food for cats and dogs, one can find dissatisfaction with the owners of the high content of vegetable protein. But this explains the democratic price of products. It is worth noting that in general, buyers are satisfied with the power from this manufacturer.
Medical line
Such nutrition has a fundamentally different formula, its main purpose is to stimulate the speedy recovery of the animal. This diet has a large number of positive reviews.
Overview and description of the composition of Hills dog and cat food recommended for kidney dysfunction:
- Fragmented rice
- 21% of chicken or turkey flour, which is 14% less than in healthy animals.
- Wheat and pea protein.
- Fish and animal fat.
- Whole egg and protein hydrolyzate.
- Corn gluten, ground into flour.
- Cellulose.
- Complexes of microelements and vitamins.
- Soybean oil.
- Beet pulp.
- L-carnitine and taurine.
Analysis of the composition and reviews of Science plan feeds for cats and dogs allow us to conclude that in general, nutrition has a high-quality composition and belongs to the super-premium segment.
The advantages of feed "Hills"
All Hills feeds for cats and dogs have obvious benefits:
- High quality components.
- The composition of the product includes all the substances necessary for the full functioning of the life.
- The Ideal Balance line is based on natural meat components.
- Each package contains detailed information about the composition of the product.
- A large assortment allows you to choose food depending on the characteristics of the pet or the existing disease.
- Hills products can be found in almost all pet stores.
- Affordable price.
Minuses
Despite many advantages, the Hills feed line has several disadvantages:
- A large percentage of vegetable protein, which is not very good for predators.
- The presence of carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed by the digestive system.
- The possibility of allergic reactions.
- Canned food and spiders are inferior in quality to dry food.
Age criteria
The need of each animal for proteins, fats, trace elements and vitamins depends on its age. The Hills feed reviews indicate that the company produces feeds with this in mind. At an early age, pets develop and actively consume energy, and therefore they need a large percentage of protein, which is the building material of the body. Adult animals need a source of energy, and older pets need food with a reduced percentage of fat due to decreased activity.
Varieties of feed by age:
- From three months to one year. A special series for puppies and kittens is sold under the Hills brand. In such feeds, the content of calcium and protein is increased to strengthen the growing bones. The line includes feeds with different tastes. You can pick up both dry food for Hills kittens with chicken or lamb, and air mousse.
- From 1 year to 6 years. Nutrition for adult cats and dogs. In addition to medicinal products, an extensive list of flavors is offered. Therefore, choosing food for your pet will not be particularly difficult. All feeds have a pronounced taste and attractive smell and are suitable even for the most fastidious animals with poor appetite.
- From 7 years and older. Older animals need special, dietary food. In this period, age-related changes begin. That is why food for aging animals contains a minimum percentage of fats and carbohydrates. Such a diet is quickly absorbed and helps the pet to maintain activity and mobility.
The combination of therapeutic nutrition and daily feed
In reviews of Hills food for cats and dogs, you can often find recommendations on the combination of conventional nutrition with therapeutic food. This can only be done if the attending physician approves this mixing. If the diet is prescribed temporarily, for a short period, and the animal eats medicinal food well, there is no particular need in combination with daily food.
Hills Feed Reviews
At specialized forums you can find many positive reviews about the medical nutrition of the Hills brand. The whole diet has a high-quality composition and affordable cost. This has attracted the attention of many pet owners. There are those to whom the company's products did not fit. But the body of each animal is individual - it is worth considering
Hill s veterinarian reviews for cats and dogs are also positive. Specialists call this product one of the best in its price segment.
Conclusion
It must be remembered that each animal is individually. Therefore, it happens that even the best quality food may not work. When choosing, you should rely on the well-being of the animal and its state of health. Hill's Pet Nutrition has tried to take into account all the possible needs of the animals when developing nutrition. That is why the Hills feed reviews are mostly positive, and the diet is popular and sought after by many pet owners.