Hill’s Prescription Diet W/D diet plan is a good option if your dog needs to lose some weight.
But many people avoid this food because of its high price and “particular” taste, which not many dogs like.
In addition, Hill’s W/D is also included in the FDA list[1] of dog foods that contain toxic levels of vitamin D.
The Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet W+M is the best alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet W/D food because it doesn’t contain any ingredients to toxic levels.
Better yet, it comes at a reasonable price and also offers a great taste that your pups will love.
Choosing a safe and non-toxic food for your dog is critical to ensuring your furry friend’s health and well-being.
That’s where the following list of the best alternatives to Hill’s Prescription Diet W/D dog foods comes into place.
Read the following products carefully to make sure that you choose the most suitable and delicious food for your dog.
Alternatives List
- Best Overall – Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Dry Dog Diet
- Best Fresh Dog Food – Nomnomnow Turkey Fare
- Best Low-Meat Option – Royal Canin Veterinary Weight Control Dry Dog Food
- Best Budget Pick – Purina Pro Plan Veterinary EN Gastroenteric Dry Dog Food
- Best Wet Dog Food – Hill’s Science Vegetable & Chicken Stew Canned Dog Food
Alternative 1: Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Dry Dog Diet
Both the Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary food and Hill’s Prescription Diet W/D Dog promote lean muscle mass.
But the Blue Buffalo formula also treats problems related to joints and it’s most suitable for adult dogs of all types of breeds.
This dog food contains a higher level of fiber that keeps your pup feeling fuller for a longer period of time to promote weight loss by eating less often.
It also comes with EPA omega-3 fatty acids that ensure coat and skin health.
The Blue Buffalo formula is a prescribed only food that doesn’t contain any grains.
It means you can use it to feed your dog even if it has a sensitive tummy.
Its delicious taste and overall nutritional value, along with the benefits it brings to the table, make it the best alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet W/D dog food.
- Top 5 ingredients: Chicken meal, deboned salmon, powdered cellulose, pea protein, and peas
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein 30 percent min, crude fat 12 percent min, crude fiber 17 percent max, moisture 10 percent max
- Special Diet: Grain-free veterinary diet for weight control
- Lifestage: Adult
- Best for: Toy, extra small, small, medium, large, and giant breeds
Alternative 2: Nomnomnow Turkey Fare
The Hill’s W/D diet is suitable for only adult dogs, whereas Nomnomnow[2] offers Turkey Fare blends for all AAFCO dog profiles. It means you can use it for all breeds, sizes, and ages of dogs.
Nomnomnow is one of the most popular dog food manufacturers and uses human-grade quality ingredients.
The company uses scientific research and veterinarian-inspired recipes to create the right balance of different ingredients to ensure your pup has a complete diet.
The Turkey Fare not only ensures health but also prevents chronic diseases and promotes muscle mass and strength.
- Top 5 ingredients: Ground turkey, eggs, brown rice, spinach, and carrots
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein 10 percent min, crude fat 5 percent min, crude fiber 1 percent max, moisture 72 percent max
- Special Diet: Prevent chronic diseases
- Lifestage: All AAFCO dog food profiles[3] are available
- Best for: Large, medium, and small breeds
Alternative 3: Royal Canin Veterinary Weight Control Dry Dog Food
The Royal Canin Veterinary Weight Control dog food comes with a controlled calorie and fat content.
It offers DHA and EPA fatty acids, unlike Hill’s Prescription W/D dog food. But both have a formulation that is suitable for adult dogs of all breeds.
The Royal Canin’s specialized blend of fiber allows your dog to feel fuller between meals by regulating energy intake and appetite.
This alternative to Hill’s Science has a targeted nutrition formula that ensures healthy digestion, and it also comes with an affordable price tag.
One thing that concerns me is that the top 2 ingredients of this recipe are corn. But it was formulated in concert with vets so if your dog doc recommends this Royal Canin’s Weight Control food, it’s probably a good choice.
Keep in mind that this particular dog food requires veterinarian approval to purchase.
- Top 5 ingredients: Corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, powdered cellulose, and barley
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein 26 percent min, crude fat 9 percent min, crude fiber 9 percent max, moisture 10 percent max
- Special Diet: High-protein and pea-free veterinary diet with grain for weight control
- Lifestage: Adult
- Best for: Large and giant breeds
Alternative 4: Purina Pro Plan Veterinary EN Gastroenteric Dry Dog Food
The best feature of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary EN Gastroenteric dry food is its incredible taste, which is better than Hill’s W/D. You can use this product to feed your adult dogs of all breeds.
This Hill’s alternative features coconut and MCT vegetable oil to ensure a healthy gastrointestinal tract.
The optimal nutrient absorption of this dog food promotes total digestibility, and it also offers healthy antioxidants and prebiotic fiber.
This dog food also requires veterinarian approval to purchase.
- Top 5 ingredients: Brewers rice, whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, animal fat, and chicken meal
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein 23 percent min, crude fat 10.5 percent min, crude fiber 2 percent max, moisture 12 percent max
- Special Diet: Pea-free veterinary diet with grain for dogs with sensitive digestion
- Lifestage: Adult
- Best for: Toy, extra small, small, medium, large, and giant breeds
Alternative 5: Hill’s Science Vegetable & Chicken Stew Canned Dog Food
Last on the list is Hill’s Science Vegetable & Chicken Stew dog food which is a highly specialized formula just like Hill’s W/D.
The main difference between the two is their nutritional value, where the former offers way less fat content than the latter.
You can use Hill’s Science Vegetable & Chicken Stew diet to feed your adult dogs of all breeds. The company claims that 70 percent of dogs will lose weight within ten weeks when fed this product[4].
It doesn’t contain any artificial preservatives or flavors and offers a 100 percent precisely balanced blend to maintain your pup’s weight.
- Top 5 ingredients: Chicken broth, carrots, pork liver, powdered cellulose, and green peas
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein 4 percent min, crude fat 1.5 percent min, crude fiber 4 percent max, moisture 84 percent max
- Special Diet: Weight control with grain
- Lifestage: Adult
- Best for: Large, medium, and small breeds
How To Transition Your Dog To A New Food
Dogs can eat the same food each day for a long period of time. If you need to change your pet’s diet, it’s recommended to do it gradually (follow our guide on how to change your dog’s food safely).
That’s because changing your dog’s food abruptly can lead to some health problems like an upset stomach and loss of appetite.
Add the new diet in a small amount to your dog’s current food. Then gradually increase the new food’s quantity over the course of seven days.
If your pup has an upset or sensitive stomach, the transition period can be even longer.
Note: It’s not recommended to change your dog’s diet without consulting with a vet.
Best Alternative to Hill’s W/D
The Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet W+M is the best equivalent to Hill’s Prescription Diet W/D food.
That’s because it offers a better nutritional value to support weight management, and it also doesn’t contain toxic levels of vitamin D, unlike Hill’s W/D.
You can buy the Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet W+M right now if your furry friend needs to lose some weight.
Resources
- https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/hills-pet-nutrition-voluntarily-recalls-select-canned-dog-food-excessive-vitamin-d
- https://www.nomnomnow.com/dog-food-recipes#:~:text=vitamin%20B12%20supplement.-,TURKEY%20FARE,-TURKEY
- https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/frequently-asked-questions/aafco-nutrient-profiles/
- https://www.hillspet.com/about-us/nutritional-philosophy/innovations/weight