The Best Prescription Food and Treats On Chewy Today
Key Points
- The best overall option for dogs is Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora
- The best overall option for cats is Royal Canin’s SO Dry Cat Food
- We’ve included dietary options for various issues occurring in dogs and cats in our recommendations. The options below are among the most highly regarded on Chewy’s website, and all are veterinarian-formulated.
As we all know, it’s tough to watch our pets struggle. It’s truly important to get ahead of health issues or, at the very least, address them as soon as they show up because we can improve the quality of our animals’ lives by starting them on health-focused diets. I’ve owned a few old dogs, and I wish my family and I would’ve known about some of the products below.
My Newfoundland had a really difficult time getting up later in life, and I’ve always wondered if there was something we could’ve done to support her ability to stand up and walk comfortably. Mobility is the first thing to start slowing down in my experience, but all dogs and cats are prone to their own unique challenges.
Now, I’m trying to get ahead of health issues with my cat while he’s still young and spry (so spry that I can’t stop him from knocking over every glass of water I pour). So, what can you do to ensure you’re buying the best dog foods for longevity and great health into old age? How about cat foods that will ward off kidney issues?
The first thing you can do is explore the pet foods, treats, and chews on the market that can support your pet’s lasting health. Then you can talk with your vet to see what might work best for your specific animal’s needs.
I hope this list provides some relief for your furry friend! Let’s get started.
- Heartgard Plus Chew for Dogs
- Used in more than 2 billion dogs
- Prevents heartworms from developing
- Not for treatment, only prevention
- Take once a month to target heartworm larvae
- Tasty chew dogs enjoy
- NexGard Chew for Dogs
- Safe treatment to use with dogs to prevent ticks and fleas
- Contains afoxolaner, which is safe for dogs and deadly for parasites
- Intended for preventive use
- Only use for dogs (not cats)
- Consult with your vet before use
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A Note on “Prescription” Foods & Treats
Some options below require veterinary authorization through Chewy’s website. Authorization is simple. You only need to provide some of your veterinarian clinic’s information when you check out. Chewy will follow up with your vet.
We will note whether the options below require authorization of any kind.
That said, it’s also important to note that even though these share the same “prescription” titles as medications do, they aren’t always going to be as directly effective as a medication prescribed by your veterinarian would be.
Most of these food options should be used in addition to the informed advice of your vet as well as whatever medications they prescribe for your animal. Prescription pet food can be a great help, but it’s not always something that can treat or cure an illness all on its own.
1. Best Overall Option – Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora Supplements
The Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora Supplement has shown to be an effective dietary aid for dogs with various digestive issues. Intestinal imbalances lead to things like loose stool and diarrhea in dogs, both of which are difficult for your furry friend as well as yourself.
This supplement in powder form sprinkles onto the dog food you’re already using. It’s a probiotic supplement that reduces flatulence, provides antioxidants, and supports your dog’s immune function. Note that healthy dogs without digestive issues might become constipated if they use this supplement.
It’s also pre-packaged in a way that makes it easy to administer daily dosages. The product has over 2,400 great reviews on Chewy, making it the best-reviewed product in this category.
Many dogs facing health issues need to switch their food brand, and that change can often prompt loose stool, flatulence, and diarrhea. The FlortiFlora supplement is an excellent option to keep stool consistent when any dietary change is in order.
*No veterinarian authorization is needed.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Effective for breeds of all sizes | Not substitute for dog food |
| Affordable to use, costing just over $1 per day | May not be effective for all digestive imbalances |
| Easy to administer | Could cause constipation in otherwise healthy dogs |
Best Overall
2. Best for Feline Urinary Health – Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Urinary SO Dry Cat Food
Urinary issues can be debilitating for cats and they’re extremely painful. Dietary changes are the only options for recovery in a lot of cases, and Royal Canin has designed foods to target these issues specifically.
Royal Canin’s SO Dry Cat Food targets struvite stones and calcium oxalate stones, aiming to dissolve them or prevent them from occurring in the first place. The food targets stones from multiple angles, working to break down existing stones while creating an inhospitable environment for future stones to develop in the bladder.
One of the effects is also an increase in your cat’s urine. This flushes unnecessary minerals from the system which might otherwise crystallize into stones. This is not a supplement, but rather an actual substitute for your cat’s normal food.
A period of transition is needed, however, because cats are often sensitive to sudden changes in their established diets. Talk to your vet about whether this is a good preventative option for otherwise healthy cats. While this product is more expensive than traditional cat food, something to relieve your cat’s pain and suffering is invaluable.
*Veterinarian authorization is needed for this product.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Dissolves bladder stones | High cost |
| Lowers future risk of stones | May require a transition period |
| Supports general urinary health | May not be an option for otherwise healthy cats |
| Effective for most breeds |
Best for Feline Urinary Health
3. Best for Worm Prevention – Heartgard Plus Chews for Dogs
A heartworm is a parasitic roundworm that spreads via mosquito bites, contaminated soil, or other forms of ingestion. Dogs are the natural host. This puts our furry friends at high risk for infection, and untreated cases can be fatal.
Heartgard Plus Chews for Dogs have been safely used over 2 billion times by dogs, and they’re intended to prevent heartworms from developing. This product is not sufficient for treatment for dogs that already have heartworms. In those cases, veterinary intervention is required.
Instead, Heartgard chews are a once-monthly prevention treat that targets heartworm larvae before they grow into mature adults. It takes heartworm larvae a number of months to advance to a dangerous point in dogs, so a once-monthly chew is sufficient to target and eliminate any larvae that your dog has taken on board.
Many similar heartworm prevention options come in pill form, so these chews are a more enjoyable alternative for dogs. Further, Heartgard Plus Chews targets roundworms and hookworms as well.
You’ll note that this product is expensive and only contains 12 chews. Broken down, the treatment is roughly $10 per month over the course of a year, there are enough chews for one twelve-month period.
*This product requires veterinarian approval and a heartworm test result.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Shown to target heartworm larvae over the course of 30 days | Does not treat heartworms |
| Safe for dogs 6 weeks and older | Chew might be too tough for some dogs |
| Options for all sizes of dogs | Potential negative side effects such as lethargy, diarrhea, excessive salivation, and more |
| (linked product is designed for dogs of 51-100 pounds) | High price, although one box is enough for one full year of treatment |
| Effective for roundworms, heartworms, and hookworms | |
| Easy once-monthly option |
Best for Worm Prevention
- Used in more than 2 billion dogs
- Prevents heartworms from developing
- Not for treatment, only prevention
- Take once a month to target heartworm larvae
- Tasty chew dogs enjoy
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4. Best for Canine Urinary Health – Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Urinary SO Dry Dog Food
Dogs, just like cats, are subjected to very difficult urinary problems. The presence of struvite stones and calcium oxalate stones can be very painful and troublesome for pets and owners alike.
Royal Canin’s Veterinary Diet SO Dry Dog Food is an option that could dissolve existing stones and make your dog’s bladder inhospitable for new stones. The formula targets both calcium oxalate stones and struvite stones respectively and increases urination to reduce the concentration of minerals in your dog’s bladder.
Talk to your veterinarian about using this product to target existing stones and discuss the possibility of using it in the long term to safeguard your dog’s urinary health.
The recipe is intended for dogs of all sizes, and it includes a complete and balanced diet that can substitute for the food your dog is already eating. Keep in mind, however, that a transitional period may be needed. Swapping foods without any transition time can be difficult on a dog’s digestive system.
*This product requires veterinarian approval.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Dissolves stones | Higher cost than normal dog foods |
| Fights against the creation of future stones | Contains grains |
| Reduces mineral concentration in urine | Requires transition period |
| Complete and balanced diet (substitutes normal dog food) |
Our Top Pick
5. Best for Flea and Tick Prevention – NexGard Chewables for Dogs
Dogs are highly vulnerable to ticks and tick-borne diseases. Unlike humans, canines have nooks and crannies that are hard to check, easy for ticks to find, and provide and extremely hospitable environments for them to thrive. Moist, warm, and hidden are the hallmarks of great environments for ticks.
It’s important to check dogs for ticks after time outside, but it’s not always simple to find them. For example, ticks can lodge themselves under dogs’ eyelids and go unnoticed.
Alongside routine inspections, the best way to prevent ticks and tickborne illnesses is with a treatment that attacks critters via your dog’s blood. NexGard’s once-monthly chews contain afoxolaner, a substance that your dog absorbs into the blood.
It’s safe for the dog, but deadly to ticks. Ticks and parasites like fleas die when they ingest afoxolaner through your dog’s blood. That way, your dog is protected even if they do happen to stick their nose into a tick-infested area.
These chews are not a viable treatment for issues like Lyme disease, however. They are only meant to be used as a preventative tool. Note that this product is only for use in dogs, not cats.
NexGard tick-prevention chews have not shown to have any negative drug interactions, but it’s recommended to consult with a veterinarian before use.
*No veterinarian authorization is needed.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Kills ticks and other parasites for 30 days | May cause side effects such as lethargy, itching, diarrhea, lack of appetite |
| No known interactions with medications | Does not treat issues such as Lyme disease |
| Safe for dogs 8 weeks old and older, and those weighing more than 4 pounds | Not designed to buy in bulk, older chews may become hard and difficult for dogs to eat |
Best Flea and Tick Prevention
- Safe treatment to use with dogs to prevent ticks and fleas
- Contains afoxolaner, which is safe for dogs and deadly for parasites
- Intended for preventive use
- Only use for dogs (not cats)
- Consult with your vet before use
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6. Best for Feline Kidney Health – Hill’s Prescription Diet Kidney Care Dry Cat Food
Older cats are liable to experience kidney damage, and this makes it harder for them to process toxins and eliminate potentially harmful elements from the blood. If nothing is done, this progressive issue will lead your cat to lose its appetite, lose muscle, and become susceptible to a host of ailments.
Hill’s Prescription Diet Kidney Care Dry Cat Food is an option that supports kidney and heart function, as well as promotes the ability of your cat to build muscle. For cats already experiencing loss of appetite, this recipe is designed to enhance feelings of hunger to promote a healthy weight.
Further, the diet is loaded with essential amino acids intended to promote muscle growth. It’s a complete and balanced diet that’s low in sodium and can eventually replace your cat’s normal food.
While this recipe is more expensive than non-prescription pet food, it is clinically tested to lengthen and improve the lives of cats.
*This product requires a veterinarian’s recommendation
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Supports heart and kidney function | Not a treatment for kidney or heart issues |
| Builds lean muscle | Includes grain |
| May improve quality of life & extend the lifespan | |
| May prevent kidney issues |
Best for Feline Kidney Health
7. Best Dog Treats – Hill’s Prescription Diet Original Crunchy Dog Treats
Dogs facing health issues are often restricted when it comes to treats. Many of the treats dogs go crazy for aren’t necessarily healthy, so our dogs miss out on something they love and they’re not sure why.
These Hill’s Prescription Diet Original Crunchy Treats are great for dogs undergoing other veterinary diets or experiencing sensitive gut issues. They’re good for dental hygiene, low in sodium, and high in fiber.
Still, there are certain issues that prevent dogs from eating these health-oriented treats. It’s for that reason that a veterinarian recommendation is needed to order. They’re specifically designed as an affordable option for dogs eating c/d, k/d, l/d, and h/d diets.
*Veterinarian approval is required for this product.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Healthy for dogs on most veterinarian diets | Not healthy for dogs on all diets |
| Supports dental hygiene | |
| Available for all breed sizes | |
| Affordable |
Best Dog Treats
What to Look for in Prescription Foods & Treats
Prescription medications and treats, even if they’re accessible without a recommendation, should be discussed with your veterinarian. If your animal is experiencing a particular issue and one of the options above seems like it could be a great fit, your next call should be to the vet.
Dogs and cats have sensitive systems, and changing their food can have a huge impact on their overall well-being. That goes for positive and negative impacts, so it’s important to be careful when you make any kind of shift in diet.
If you’re looking for options to run by your vet, make sure the food or treat in question is designed specifically for the issue your animal is facing. Then, take a peek at the reviews and see if other owners have had issues that seem significant to you. Finally, inquire with your veterinarian to see if it would be a healthy fit.
Different Types of Prescription Foods & Treats
It’s very important to note that the foods above and all other prescription diets are designed for specific issues in specific animals.
It’s not safe to give canine heartworm chews to a feline, for example. The same goes for kibble, supplements, powders, treats, and whatever else your pet could ingest. These products are tested time and again to check for species-specific safety.
Dogs and cats metabolize and process different substances at different rates, and that means something safe for one could be toxic to others.
