A prescription dog food diet may be just what the vet ordered if your pet's health is poor or he's been ill recently, or he has a stubborn allergy. The prescription diet replaces your dog's normal food and will help to nurse him back to full health.
At some point in his lifetime your Cocker Spaniel may become ill and need medication and a little tender loving care.
In many cases, your vet may treat your dog's illness by using drugs, but there are many instances where his condition may be treated simply by moving your pet onto a special diet to make sure he receives the correct nutrition and medication his body needs to restore him to good health.
Prescription dog food (sometimes known as veterinary dog food) is often a little more expensive than normal dog food but this expense is well worth paying to see the improvement in your dog's health.
Although prescription foods are widely available in good quality pet stores, I strongly recommend you visit your vet for an accurate diagnosis before changing your Cocker Spaniel's diet.
All dogs are different and have different levels of resistance to health problems, which is why it's so important that your vet makes the diagnosis, not the owner!
Once your vet has confirmed the problem and recommended a particular prescription diet, you may want to shop around for the best price as these foods are often overpriced and can be found cheaper elsewhere.
Prescription food for dogs is available in both dry and wet forms and can be formulated for:
If your vet suggests a prescription dog food for your Cocker Spaniel, portions must be carefully controlled. Follow your vet's instructions to the letter and according to your pet's weight.
If your Cocker is prone to weight gain (aren't they all?) keep the treats to a minimum and don't give him any table scraps.
Unfortunately, prescription food isn't always as tasty as normal dog food which sometimes makes it a challenge to get our dogs to eat it. Perseverance is the key here!
If your dog suffers from diabetes your Cocker Spaniel may need to follow a special diet for the rest of his life.
However, not all prescription foods are meant to be fed to pets for their lifetime.
Some are only prescribed for a short time, for example, to help your dog recover from an illness by including certain foods to help build up his strength, others can be prescribed for years, depending upon the problem.
Your vet will always advise you on what kind of prescription dog food to feed your pet and for how long.
If you prefer to feed your pet homemade dog food, this may still be possible.
Speak to your vet, he will give you the best advice and may perhaps offer you recipes to help you duplicate your dog's special diet.
If you feed your Cocker Spaniel on good quality human grade food and exercise him regularly you may never need to put him on a prescription diet.
However, dog's do become ill and a specially formulated prescription diet will meet all your dog's nutritional needs.
It can also help to treat most health problems in dogs of all ages and at some point in his life, a prescription dog food may just be the ticket to get your Cocker Spaniel back to his normal self!
Photo Credits: Prescription Dog Food
1. John Amato at Flickr.com
2. Barnaby Kerr at Flickr.com - https://www.flickr.com/photos/34878285@N06/5123769432