Many diabetic pets also have other medical needs that require specialized diet management.  This is a brief summary of the major characteristics of most of Hill's Prescription diets for dogs.  More information can be obtained by your veterinarian or by contacting Hill's. This information was obtained from the January 1998 edition of the Hill's Key to Clinical Nutrition. View a similar chart for Cats. 

 

Formula	Major Characteristics	Used For	Contraindications
a/d	Increased protein Decreased carbohydrate Extremely digestible Increased vitamins, minerals, fatty acids	Growth and repair of body tissues after injury, infection, or many diseases that have left the body depleted.	Avoiding fluid retention, Preventing build-up of nitrogenous  by-products, phosphorus, sodium, When the pet will not tolerate a high fat diet.
c/d	Mildly reduced protein Reduced calcium and phosphorus Mildly reduced sodium	Prevent struvite crystals and urolithiasis	Growth, reproduction, Use of urine acidifiers Non-struvite urine crystals
d/d	Reduced,  highly digestible, novel protein Carbohydrates highly digestible from rice Highly digestible	Food allergy or intolerance	Growth and reproduction
h/d	Greatly reduced sodium Reduced chloride, protein, phosphorus Increased B-vitamins	Moderate to advanced heart failure Liver and renal diseases where salt and fluid retention are the main problem	Growth and reproduction When sodium is depleted (from vomiting, diarrhea)
i/d	Highly digestible protein, fat, and carbohydrate Fiber added	Gastrointestinal conditions, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, non-hyperlipedemic pancreatitis, colitis	None
k/d	Reduced phosphorus, protein, sodium, Increased calories and B-vitamins	Renal failure Mild to moderate heart failure Hepatic disease where high fat intake is tolerated	Growth and reproduction
p/d	Increased fat and energy Decreased fiber	Recovery from surgery or acute or chronic debilitating conditions	renal, liver, or heart disease
r/d	Reduced fat Greatly reduced energy Greatly increased fiber	Adult obesity Hyperlipidemia	Growth and reproduction Moderate to advanced heart failure Renal failure and hepatic disease Debilitation Hypermetabolism Dehydration Underweight
s/d	Greatly reduced protein Reduced calcium, phosphorus, magnesium	struvite stone and crystal dissolution	Growth and reproduction and Lots of other conditions - requires careful evaluation
t/d	Moderately increased fiber Reduced protein, calcium, phosphorus	gingivitis, plaque, stain, tartar, oral odor that is not from metabolic causes	Severe periodontal disease Growth and reproduction
u/d	Greatly reduced protein Reduced minerals and copper	Urate, oxalate and cystine urolithiasis Advanced renal failure Hepatic copper toxicosis	Growth and reproduction Struvite urolithiasis hypoalbuminemia History of pancreatitis Hyperlipidemia
w/d	Moderately reduced energy Reduced fat, minerals Increased fiber	Obesity prevention Diabetes mellitus Colitis, constipation, hyperlipidemia, pancreatitis, struvite urolithiasis in obese prone patients	Growth and reproduction Use of urine acidifiers Debilitation Underweght

Diet Education Page
         

Updated October 2000
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