Dr.Hills L/D canned food?
 

Hi everyone, I did a quick search and didn't find many results regarding this type of food. I was wondering if anyone else was feeding their yorkie Dr.Hills L/D canned food? The vet recommended this type of food for my puppy and hes been eating it for almost 1 month now.

Any information would be appreciated! Thank you!

Hills L/D is almost exclusively used for dogs with liver problems. What wrong with your pup?

Canned L/D is fine if your pup tolerates the higher fat content (some don't).

My Calvin has been on it over a year now because he had a liver shunt. He had the surgery but his numbers are still high so the vet is keeping him on the l/d...he seems to be doing fine on it...i'm not particularly thrilled about feeding it but if it helps him then that's what I'll feed him...Calvin is actually on the l/d kibble...

Ellie May: My dog cannot have anything with high protein either, at one point the vet thought he had a liver shunt. However after switching to Dr. Hills L/D food my dog has been 100% normal and he is totally fine again. However like morkiecalvin mentioned I did a blood test and the results came back with really high numbers.

I've read that this food still contains a lot of grain and isn't good for dogs in some sense? I was reading that some other brands of foods such as "Natural Balance" has some lower protein options which could perhaps mimic or have similar results to the Dr.Hills L/D but this is grain free. Has anyone tried this?

morkiecalvin: I never knew they had kibbles, I shall try that. I've only been feeding him strictly canned Dr.Hills L/D so far. I'm trying to find something that is healthier and grain free hopefully.

I asked my vet about NB & he told me that he wouldn't change it. It would be easier b/c thats what I feed Bella. Anyway Calvin is also on lactulose & a supplement. He goes back to the vet in march for his bloodwork so we will see what happens then.

Yes it does come in kibble. It's easier for me to get him to eat the kibble b/c he didn't like the canned.

Oh strange, my little boy loves the canned food perhaps it has a stronger taste?
Is there any particular reason why your vet suggested not using NB? I haven't tried it yet, however tisol gave me a few sample bags to try.

What kindof supplement and lactulose do you give Calvin? perhaps I should ask my vet as well.

Thanks again!

Many Yorkies have medical issues that prevent them from eating high protein. It isn't just high protein vs. low protein though. Certain liver problems that are often seen in Yorkies make it so that they can't process things properly. Food and drugs can produce "toxins" (substances that the liver has a hard time filtering). Protein is a major source of these toxins. Some types are worse than others. Foods like L/D that are made for liver problems are low in proteins that produce toxins and instead contain proteins that are safer for these pups. Red meat, for instance, produces a lot of ammonia (a toxin). The liver can't filter it like the liver of a healthy dog. So then they get sick from their meal. This is why foods like NB generally aren't okay if a pup has symptoms but is symptom free on a food made for liver problems. These prescription foods can also be high or low in certain vitamins or minerals that these pups need more or less of.

All that said, if a Yorkie is having symptoms and bloodwork indicates a liver problem, a specialist is needed. Some of these pups (depending on what is wrong) require surgery for the best chance at a long and happy life.

Ellie May: Thanks for the long and informational response. I suggested a bile acid test to my vet as well already, but he suggests that I do a ultrasound instead.

I would definitely do a bile acid test before ultrasound! That should be your starting point. Your dog has probably has some MVD, besides the shunt, so he will need to be medically managed for the rest of his life. I would just go to your specialist who did the surgery and see what kind of suggestions they would recommend. After the surgery, did they not give you any kind of a follow up testing schedule that would need to done?

If you're seeing a general practicing vet for this, just save yourself the time any money and go straight to your specialist/surgeon.

Calvin had the ultrasound before his surgery & then six months after surgery he had more bloodwork done. The vet is thinking he has inoperable microshunts so that is why he wants him on the l/d & he is also taking the lactulose & zentonil plus.

I was following the other thread you posted about your dog having the drooling problem. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...ml#post3743822 I would not stop going forward w the testing. W the neuro symptoms and the abnormal blood tests, plus the improvement on the diet, I would suspect the vet is right that something is going on here. I hope they can get to the bottom of what is going on w your little one. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are making out.

Tinkerbell is on Hill's L/D, canned and dry, Lactulose and Denamarin (Liver protectant), both before and after her surgery.

The canned L/D contains chicken fat and the dry L/D contains pork fat (most obvious difference).

Plant proteins are easier on the liver than meat proteins, basically.

Hill's Prescription Diets were formulated specifically for certain diseases after years of research. They may not use the finest ingredients, but they generally do the job for what they are intended.

Hill's L/D is recommended by the vets at the University of Tennesee, where reseach has been done on Liver shunts for the past 26 years.

My advice is to schedule an appointment with an ACVIM diplomat in internal medicine to have your dog properly assessed for a liver issue. I would do this before I did any other testing, including Bile Acids Testing so that the internist can interpret the results An ultrasound can pick up a shunt in some cases but IMO should only be done by a Board Certified radiologist with experience. This would be my course of action if this were my dog.

Info is power
 

Please join the Liver Shunt Support Group, on Yahoo. It is a wonderful group with great information and resources for liver issues. They can help you with diagnostic choices as well medical management. The other food you could try is Royal Canin L/S. Our Yorkie recently had LS surgery and I found knowledge is so important in dealing with this. Be very careful with dog treats...less than 8 percent protein. Bile Acid Tests can suggest a liver problem, a sonogram may show a Liver Shunt...sometimes other tests are needed for a diagnosis to be made. Research and find a practice that deals with LS and MVD. Good luck!