Best Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D Alternatives: Winners
- Overall Best Alternative – Purina Pro Plan Turkey & Oatmeal Dry Dog Food
- Upgrade Pick – Purina Beyond Salmon, Egg & Pumpkin Dry Dog Food
- Budget Pick – Rachael Ray Nutrish Chicken & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food
- Best Homestyle Alternative – NomNomNow Beef Mash
- Best Alternative for Puppies – Holistic Select Lamb Meal & Oatmeal Dry Dog Food
Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. is a popular brand that offers prescription-based dog food diets.
However, the US Food and Drug Administration investigations show that Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D dog food contains potentially toxic amounts of vitamin D1.
It can lead to vitamin D toxicity and cause several health issues, including increased salivation and thirst, vomiting, weight loss, excessive drooling, and loss of appetite.
Purina Pro Plan Turkey & Oatmeal dog food is the best alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D.
It comes with nutrient-rich turkey and oatmeal and is clinically proven to promote healthy digestion.
It also offers prebiotic fiber to improve digestion and doesn’t contain soy, wheat, corn, and artificial flavors or colors.
Choosing dog food that doesn’t contain any toxic and harmful materials is important to ensure your furry friend’s health.
That’s why I have compiled a list of the best Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D dog food alternatives.
Keep reading to find out the most suitable and safest dog food that you can feed your pooch.
Related: Best Hill’s Prescription Diet U/D Dry Dog Food Alternatives
Overall Best Alternative – Purina Pro Plan Turkey & Oatmeal Dry Dog Food
Both Purina Pro Plan Turkey & Oat Meal and Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D foods are designed for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
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They can improve your dog’s stool quality and digestion with their specialized formulas, and it’s best suited for adult dogs.
However, the Purina Pro Plan Turkey & Oat Meal is better because it doesn’t contain any substance to a potentially toxic level and offers more protein content.
In addition, it offers antioxidants and sunflower oil that support your dog’s immune system and improve skin and coat, respectively.
It also contains omega-3 fatty acids to promote mobility and enhance joint health.
- Top 5 ingredients: Oatmeal, Turkey, Barley, Canola Meal, and Fish Meal
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein 26 percent min, crude fat 16 percent min, crude fiber 4 percent max, moisture 12 percent max
- Special Diet: Sensitive digestion with grain
- Lifestage: Adult
- Best for: Small, medium, and large breeds
Related: Hill’s Prescription Diet I/D Dog Food Alternatives
Upgrade Pick – Purina Beyond Salmon, Egg & Pumpkin Dry Dog Food
Purina Beyond Salmon Egg & Pumpkin and Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D diets are designed for adult dogs, but they offer different nutritional values.
Both are good protein sources, but Purina Beyond’s blend is not harmful to your furry friend, unlike Hill’s Z/D diet.
It’s best suited for adult dogs and contains salmon as its main ingredient. It also offers oatmeal and pumpkin along with essential minerals and vitamins.
This dog food doesn’t contain any artificial coloring and flavors, and it offers balanced and complete nutrition.
- Top 5 ingredients: Salmon, whole barley, rice, whole oatmeal, and chicken meal
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein 26 percent min, crude fat 16 percent min, crude fiber 4 percent max, moisture 12 percent max
- Special Diet: Sensitive digestion with grain
- Lifestage: Adult
- Best for: Small, medium, and large breeds
Budget Pick – Rachael Ray Nutrish Chicken & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food
Rachael Ray Nutrish Chicken & Brown Rice dog food comes with added vitamins and minerals just like Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D.
However, unlike the Z/D diet, it offers more crude protein content and contains vitamin D in a safe quantity.
It’s specially engineered for puppies of all breeds, promotes lean muscle mass, and supports healthy organs.
It also offers calcium for growing bones and DHA and EPA fatty acids to support vision development and brain support.
- Top 5 ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, whole corn, soybean meal, and brown rice
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein 28 percent min, crude fat 16 percent min, crude fiber 5 percent max, moisture 10 percent max
- Special Diet: Sensitive digestion with grain
- Lifestage: Puppy
- Best for: Small, medium, and large breeds
Best Homestyle Alternative – NomNomNow Beef Mash
NomNomNow is one of the most popular dog food manufacturers in the US.
The NomNomNow Beef Mash recipe is a completely safe blend that’s available in all AAFCO dog profiles2, unlike Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D.
It means you can use it for all dog breeds regardless of their stage in life.
NomNomNow manufactures this blend in a one-of-a-kind machine that keeps the food perfectly balanced and complete.
- Top 5 ingredients: Ground beef, eggs, russet potatoes, peas, and carrots
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein 8 percent min, crude fat 4 percent min, crude fiber 1 percent max, moisture 77 percent max
- Special Diet: Prevent chronic diseases
- Lifestage: All AAFCO dog food profiles are available3
- Best for: Small, medium, and large breeds
Best Alternative for Puppies – Holistic Select Lamb Meal & Oatmeal Dry Dog Food
Holistic Select Lamb Meal & Oatmeal food comes with a better nutritional value than Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D, and it’s best suited for puppies.
Both diets target your dog’s digestive health, but Holistic’s food doesn’t contain any substance to toxic levels.
It offers taurine, probiotics, glucosamine, and antioxidants to promote heart health.
Lamb meal and oatmeal are the main ingredients of this food that improve the digestive system, and its omega-3 fatty acids ensure a healthy coat and skin.
- Top 5 ingredients: Lamb meal, oatmeal, chicken meal, brown rice, and barley
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein 25 percent min, crude fat 16 percent min, crude fiber 4.5 percent max, moisture 10 percent max
- Special Diet: Sensitive digestion with grain
- Lifestage: Puppy
- Best for: Large and giant breeds
How to Transition Your Dog to a New Food
Dogs rely on a consistent diet, unlike humans, which means they can eat the same food daily.
Therefore, you should gradually switch to a new dog food over the course of seven days.
If your furry friend has sensitivities or food allergies, the transition can take even longer. Changing your dog’s diet rapidly can lead to an upset digestive tract.
So, start adding the new food in small amounts into your pooch’s daily meals. Then increase the amount of new dog food gradually.
To learn in detail about switching dog foods the right way, click here.
Note: It’s not recommended to change your dog’s diet without consulting with a vet.
Related: Hill’s Prescription Diet W/D Alternatives
The Overall Best Alternative to Hill’s Z/D
The Purina Pro Plan Turkey & Oatmeal dog food is the best alternative to Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D because of its nutritional value and health benefits.
It doesn’t contain soy, wheat, corn, and any artificial colorings or flavoring and suits adult dogs of all types of breeds.
You can buy Purina Pro Plan Turkey & Oatmeal dog food right now if you’re looking for the best Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D alternative.
