| Best for | Product |
|---|---|
| Best Overall | Hill’s Prescription Diet l/d Liver Care |
| Best Premium | Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Hepatic Dry Dog Food |
| Best Fresh | JustFoodForDogs Veterinary Diet PantryFresh Hepatic Support Fresh Dog Food |
Perhaps you have just been informed by your veterinarian that your dog has liver disease. Now what? Learning how to best help your dog live their best life with this health condition will require time and research. One of the adjustments that will be required will be diet.
Finding the most appropriate diet to help your dog manage liver disease may feel overwhelming. Fortunately, we have done the research and come up with a list of the best dog foods for liver disease. We’ve reviewed and ranked each product and stated their pros and cons as well.
Check Chewy Check Amazon- Designed specifically for liver disease in dogs
- Helps remove toxins from the blood
- Promote immunity
- Contains S+OXSHEILD that reduce calcium oxalate crystals
Check Chewy- Specifically designed to support liver recuperation
- Reduce inflammation and promote healing
- Aids in lower blood pressure and metal buildup
- Contains vegetable proteins
Check Chewy Check Amazon- This prescription dog food provides support for dogs with liver disease.
- It features restricted protein, low fat, controlled phosphorous, and restricted copper.
- Includes sweet potatoes and chicken breast
- Made with 100% human-grade ingredients: Sweet Potatoes, Long-Grain White Rice, Chicken Breast, Broccoli, Zucchini, Rice Starch, Sunflower Oil, Fish Oil, Cod Liver Oil, Nutrient Blend
A-Z-Animals’ Top Picks for Dog Food for Liver Disease
#1 Best Overall: Hill’s Prescription Liver Care Dog Food
In our review, the best overall dog food for liver disease is Hill’s Prescription Liver Care Dog Food. This recipe was created specifically for dogs with liver disease. It was formulated to support your dog’s liver health and protect vital liver function. It includes moderate levels of high-quality protein to reduce your dog’s liver workload. High levels of L-carnitine and L-arginine help maintain normal fat metabolism in the liver while zinc and copper are included in just the right amount to maintain liver health.
This product uses a recipe that helps remove toxins from the blood to allow digestion to flow effortlessly. It is also designed to promote immunity while regenerating vital tissues and providing adequate nutritional requirements. It contains a compound called S+OXSHEILD that helps to reduce calcium oxalate crystals in your dog’s urinary tract.
Vet approval is required for purchase.
The only notable drawback of this product is that some dogs may not like the taste. However, this product is exceptionally healthy for dogs with liver disease and is our top pick for the best dog food for liver disease.
Pros and Cons of Hill’s Prescription Liver Care Dog Food
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This recipe was created specifically to support dogs’ liver health and protect liver function. | Vet approval is required for purchase. |
| It includes moderate levels of high-quality protein to reduce the liver’s workload. | Some dogs may not like the taste of this product. |
| High levels of L-carnitine and L-arginine help maintain normal fat metabolism in the liver. | |
| Zinc and copper are included in just the right amount to maintain liver health. | |
| The recipe helps to remove toxins from the blood to support digestive processes. | |
| It promotes immunity, regenerates vital tissues, and provides adequate nutritional requirements. | |
| A compound called S+OXSHEILD that helps reduce calcium oxalate crystals in your dog’s urinary tract. |
- Designed specifically for liver disease in dogs
- Helps remove toxins from the blood
- Promote immunity
- Contains S+OXSHEILD that reduce calcium oxalate crystals
2. Best Premium: ROYAL CANIN Hepatic Dog Food
If you don’t mind spending a little more on dog food, then ROYAL CANIN Hepatic Dog Food is our recommended premium choice for you. ROYAL CANIN Hepatic Dog Food is produced using a recipe specifically designed to support liver recuperation, symptom management, and optimal nutrition.
This product boosts zinc, fiber, B-vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation and promote healing. It also has a reduced sodium and copper content which aids in lower blood pressure and metal buildup in your dog’s system. ROYAL CANIN Hepatic Dog Food also includes vegetable proteins. This was added for dogs with neurological issues resulting from liver disease.
You must have a veterinarian’s prescription to purchase this food.
Although this product is quite expensive, it’s made by Royal Canin, a company that’s known for its nutritional research and innovative pet food recipes. This makes it our pick on the best premium dog food for liver disease.
Pros and Cons of ROYAL CANIN Hepatic Dog Food
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This premium dog food is formulated to support liver recuperation, symptom management, and optimal nutrition. | A veterinarian’s prescription is required to purchase this food. |
| This recipe boosts zinc, fiber, B-vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids to help reduce inflammation and promote healing. | It is quite expensive. |
| Its reduced sodium and copper content aids in lowering blood pressure and metal buildup in your dog’s system. | |
| It also includes vegetable proteins for dogs with neurological issues resulting from liver disease. |
- Specifically designed to support liver recuperation
- Reduce inflammation and promote healing
- Aids in lower blood pressure and metal buildup
- Contains vegetable proteins
3. Best Fresh: JustFoodForDogs Veterinary Diet PantryFresh Hepatic Support Fresh Dog Food
JustFoodForDogs Veterinary Diet PantryFresh Hepatic Support Fresh Dog Food is made with 100% human-grade ingredients. This soft dog food comes in 12.5-ounce pouches that are shelf-stable, so they don’t require refrigeration until you open them.
This prescription dog food is formulated to support dogs with liver disease. It features restricted protein, low fat, controlled phosphorous, and restricted copper. The ingredient list is short, easy to understand, and sounds every bit as delicious as it is nutritious: sweet potatoes, long-grain white rice, chicken breast, broccoli, zucchini, rice starch, sunflower oil, fish oil, cod liver oil, nutrient blend.
Like the other foods in our review, this one requires a veterinarian’s prescription for purchase.
It is quite expensive. But we like that it includes human-grade ingredients and is formulated to support the nutritional needs of dogs with liver disease.
Pros and Cons of JustFoodForDogs Veterinary Diet PantryFresh Hepatic Support Fresh Dog Food
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This shelf-stable soft dog food is made with 100% human-grade ingredients. | It’s expensive. |
| It’s specially formulated to support dogs with liver disease. | It requires a veterinarian’s prescription for purchase. |
| It includes restricted protein, low fat, controlled phosphorous, and restricted copper. | |
| The complete ingredient list is Sweet Potatoes, Long-Grain White Rice, Chicken Breast, Broccoli, Zucchini, Rice Starch, Sunflower Oil, Fish Oil, Cod Liver Oil, Nutrient Blend. |
- This prescription dog food provides support for dogs with liver disease.
- It features restricted protein, low fat, controlled phosphorous, and restricted copper.
- Includes sweet potatoes and chicken breast
- Made with 100% human-grade ingredients: Sweet Potatoes, Long-Grain White Rice, Chicken Breast, Broccoli, Zucchini, Rice Starch, Sunflower Oil, Fish Oil, Cod Liver Oil, Nutrient Blend
Choosing the Best Dog Food for Liver Disease: What to Look For
When choosing the best dog food for liver disease, there are two factors you need to consider: price and the type of diet. Here is how to consider the best dog food across each factor.
Price
Before deciding on what food to buy for your dog with liver disease, it is important to have a budget. This can help guide you and your veterinarian on what food is best for your budget while providing the necessary therapy for your dog.
Type of Diet
It’s important to work diligently with your veterinarian to find the best diet needed by your dog to restore their bodies to full health. Diets can either be prescription dry dog food, prescription wet dog food, homemade dog food, or a combination diet. You should have proper information on each type of diet before deciding with your veterinarian on which diet to feed your dog.
What Makes Dog Food for Dogs with Liver Disease Different?
The nutritional science behind a well-formulated diet for dogs with liver disease is complex. Diets for dogs with liver disease are formulated to help repair and regenerate the liver while preventing further liver damage. The protein content of these diets is lower than regular dog food, but the quality and digestibility of the protein is higher. They also contain precise quantities of a myriad of nutrients, including sodium and potassium.
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| Best for | Product |
|---|---|
| Best Overall | Hill’s Prescription Diet l/d Liver Care |
| Best Premium | Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Hepatic Dry Dog Food |
| Best Fresh | JustFoodForDogs Veterinary Diet PantryFresh Hepatic Support Fresh Dog Food |
The Best Dog Food for Liver Disease: Reviewed FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What causes liver disease in dogs?
Liver disease in dogs can come from bacterial and fungal infections. Other causes of liver diseases in dogs include plants and herbs such as certain mushrooms and blue-green algae.
What do you feed a dog with liver disease?
In general, dogs with liver disease do well on a low-protein, high-fat diet. Good proteins to feed include a little fish, eggs, poultry, and salmon, while proteins to avoid include red meats, since they are high in phosphorus.
How do you treat liver disease in dogs?
Treatment for dogs with liver disease usually involves dietary changes, use of supplements such as milk thistle, antibiotics for liver disease of bacterial causes, and surgery for dogs with tumors or cysts.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.
