Product review - Hills Pet Nutrition
They don't come much bigger than Hills Pet Nutrition, who have
a presence worldwide and have been at the forefont of veterinary
prescription diets for many years.
In fact you need to know that Hills sponsor a lot of expensive
veterinary conferences and target vets very aggressively with their
promotions, which is why Hills get's prescribed so often when you
take your dog to the local veterinary surgery. They get good profit
margins!
The company was started by veterinary surgeon Dr Mark Morris.
According to the Hills website Dr. Mark Morris was an exceptional
vet. He believed that we should take pet healthcare as seriously
as our own. That's why he opened the very first vet clinic for family
pets. Before then, vets had mostly treated large farm animals and
working horses and dogs.
Mark Morris saw the link between poor nutrition and illness in
pets, so he developed a pet food that was superior to any other
on the market. The company started small, with Mark and his wife
making the food themselves for their patients.
 The
turning point for Dr.Morris came when he met a blind man called
Morris Frank. Frank's much-loved guide dog, Buddy was suffering
from kidney disease and he asked Dr. Morris if he could help him.
Dr Morris knew that because many of the commercial pet foods available
at the time were high in phosporus and protein to make them taste
better, feeding them could harm the kidneys. So, he set about developing
a food that was low in salt yet high in flavour and nutritional
value.
This food became Hill's Prescription Diet k/d™, which went
on to become the first commercially available Hill's pet food.
For some pet owners, Hills are in the same camp as Iams and Eukanuba
in that they conduct experiments on animals. This is not the place
to enter that debate, and there's plenty of info on the web about
it. Here we're just looking at the food and you as a customer have
to weigh up the pros and cons of buying food from a well established
manufacturer against the cost of a bag.
Prices for Hills
Some of the Hills range can be expensive so it's
worth shopping around. For a more complete list of what's available
we recommend shopping at Pet
Supermarket or GJW
Titmuss (who do good 2 bag deals)
Expect to pay around £40 / 12kg for Hills Nature's Best dog
food (equivalent to £50/15kg bag) and discounted at about
£30 / 12kg for Science Plan adult (equivalent to £37.50/15kg
bag).
For cat food expect to pay aound £13/2kg or £46/10kg
bag.
Hills Veterinary Foods
Before you buy veterinary foods from your vet, check out the price
online from the major online stores such as Pet
Supermarket or as they can often save you a lot of money
and generally you're getting the food carriege free.
Let's have a look at a few of their recipes and you can get an
idea for the sort of ingredients that Hills are using these days.
Bear in mind though that the Hills range is HUGE and you'll only
ever find a small selection on sale in your local pet shop.
THere are often discounts to be found
Hills Nature's Best
Price Check
Pet
Supermarket
GJW
Titmuss (for 2 bag deals)
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Nature's Best™ Canine Adult
Large / Giant
Ground maize, chicken and turkey meal, maize gluten meal,
animal fat, digest, brown rice, ground barley, oat groats,
vegetable oil, dried beet pulp, dehydrated carrots, dehydrated
peas, tomato pomace, spinach powder, citrus pulp, grape pomace,
potassium citrate, flaxseed, L-lysine hydrochloride, calcium
carbonate, salt, iron oxide, L-tryptophan, vitamins and trace
elements. Naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols, citric
acid and rosemary extract.
Typical Analysis: Moisture 8%, Protein 23%, Oils and Fats
14.3%, Fibre 2.3%, Ash 2.63%.
Nature's Best™ Canine Adult Mini/Medium
Ingredient(s):
Ground maize, chicken and turkey meal, maize gluten meal,
animal fat, digest, brown rice, ground barley, oat groats,
vegetable oil, dried beet pulp, dehydrated carrots, dehydrated
peas, tomato pomace, spinach powder, citrus pulp, grape pomace,
potassium citrate, flaxseed, L-lysine hydrochloride, calcium
carbonate, salt, iron oxide, L-tryptophan, vitamins and trace
elements. Naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols, citric
acid and rosemary extract.
Typical Analysis:
Moisture 8%, Protein 23.5%, Oils and Fats 13.8%, Fibre 2.3%,
Ash 2.21%.
Hills Natures Best Canine Puppy Food Large/Giant
with Chicken
Ingredient(s):
Ground Maize, Chicken and Turkey Meal, Maize Gluten Meal,
Brown Rice, Digest, Animal Fat, Dried Beet Pulp, Ground Barley,
Oat Groats, Fish Oil, Flaxseed, Dehydrated Carrots, Dehydrated
Peas, Tomato Pomace, Spinach Powder, Citrus Pulp, Grape Pomace,
Salt, Potassium Citrate, L-Carnitine Supplement, Potassium
Chloride, L-Lysine Hydrochloride, Iron Oxide, L-Tryptophan,
Vitamins and Trace Elements. Naturally Preserved with Mixed
Tocopherols, Citric Acid and Rosemary Extract.
Typical Analysis:
Moisture 8%, Protein 27.6%, Oils and Fats 12.9%, Fibre 2.8%,
Ash 3.09%.
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Hills Science Plan for Dogs
Price Check
Pet
Supermarket
GJW
Titmuss (for 2 bag deals)
Price Check
Pet
Supermarket
GJW
Titmuss (for 2 bag deals)
|
They say:
Hill's™ Science Plan™ offers a wide range of
products that are clinically proven to provide a precise balance
of antioxidants and high quality ingredients to meet your
pets' specific needs.
Hill's™ Science Plan™ provides a precise balance
of 50 nutrients to keep your pet healthy at every stage of
its life. Meeting specific needs through superior nutrition
while avoiding excesses and deficiencies. All of our Science
Plan™ products contain a proven, powerful and exclusive
antioxidant formula to support a healthy immune system. A
healthy immune system is essential to keep pets in peak condition
throughout life.
Because we only use the highest quality ingredients, we are
able to deliver great tasting products your pet will love.
To provide variety, we also offer many of our products in
a choice of exciting flavours. At Hill's™ we're pet
owners too, which is why we appreciate the commitment you
make to your pet's health. That's why we won't compromise
on our promise to supply you with the finest food, using only
the highest quality ingredients.
Hills Science Plan Adult Dog Beef
with Beef (minimum 14 %): Ground maize, beef and pork greaves
meal, chicken and turkey meal, animal fat, digest, vegetable
oil, potassium citrate, flaxseed, calcium carbonate, salt,
L-lysine hydrochloride, potassium chloride, DL-methionine,
L-tryptophan, L-threonine, vitamins and trace elements. Naturally
preserved with mixed tocopherols, citric acid and rosemary
extract.
Hills Science Plan Adult Medium Chicken
Chicken (minimum chicken 14%): ground maize, wheat, poultry
meat meal, soybean meal, animal fat, digest, flaxseed, maize
gluten meal, pea bran meal, fish oil, vegetable oil, calcium
carbonate, L-carnitine, ground rice, taurine, salt, vitamins
and trace elements. Naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols
and citric acid.
Hills Science Plan Adult Dog Lamb & Rice
Lamb & Rice (minimum Lamb 26 %; minimum Rice 4 %): Ground
maize, lamb meal, soybean meal, animal fat, maize gluten meal,
ground rice, digest, vegetable oil, flaxseed, L-lysine hydrochloride,
salt, potassium chloride, DL-methionine, taurine, L-tryptophan,
vitamins and trace elements. Naturally preserved with mixed
tocopherols, citric acid and rosemary extract.
Hills Science Plan Adult Dog Sensitive Skin
Hill's™ Science Plan™ Canine Adult Sensitive
Skin with Chicken is formulated to help avoid dry, flaky and
itchy skin. With clinically proven antioxidants and omega-
3 & 6.
with Chicken (minimum Chicken 23%, Chicken and Turkey combined
31%): Ground rice, ground maize, chicken and turkey meal,
maize gluten meal, dried whole egg, vegetable oil, flaxseed,
digest, animal fat, potassium chloride, DL-methionine, salt,
L-lysine hydrochloride, L-tryptophan, vitamins and trace elements.
Naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols, citric acid and
rosemary extract.
Hill's™ Science Plan™ Canine Adult Oral
Care Chicken
Hill's™ Science Plan™ Canine Adult Oral Care
Chicken is clinically proven to reduce plaque and tartar.
With antioxidants and advanced oral care technology.
Chicken (minimum Chicken 30%, Chicken and Turkey combined
50%): Ground maize, chicken and turkey meal, ground rice,
cellulose powder, animal fat, digest, pea bran meal, dried
whole egg, vegetable oil, potassium chloride, flaxseed, L-lysine
hydrochloride, salt, dicalcium phosphate, taurine, L-tryptophan,
vitamins and trace elements. Naturally preserved with mixed
tocopherols, citric acid and rosemary extract.
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Hills Science Plan for Cats
Price Check
Pet
Supermarket |
They say:
Hill's™ Science Plan™ offers a wide range of
products that are clinically proven to provide a precise balance
of antioxidants and high quality ingredients to meet your
pets' specific needs.
Hill's™ Science Plan™ provides a precise balance
of 50 nutrients to keep your pet healthy at every stage of
its life. Meeting specific needs through superior nutrition
while avoiding excesses and deficiencies. All of our Science
Plan™ products contain a proven, powerful and exclusive
antioxidant formula to support a healthy immune system. A
healthy immune system is essential to keep pets in peak condition
throughout life.
Feline Adult Light
with Tuna (minimum 9%): Ground maize, chicken and turkey
meal, maize gluten meal, ground rice, cellulose, tuna meal,
dried beet pulp, pea bran meal, animal fat, digest, potassium
chloride, L-carnitine supplement, calcium sulphate, DL-methionine,
L-lysine hydrochloride, salt, taurine, L-tryptophan, vitamins
and trace elements. Naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols,
citric acid and rosemary extract.
Feline Adult Indoor Cat
Chicken (minimum Chicken 40%, Chicken and Turkey combined
53%): Chicken and turkey meal, ground maize, ground rice,
maize gluten meal, cellulose, digest, animal fat, vegetable
oil, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, L-carnitine supplement,
calcium sulphate, salt, DL-methionine, taurine, vitamins and
trace elements. Naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols,
citric acid and rosemary extract.
Feline Young Adult Sterilised Cat
(8%): Maize, poultry meat meal, maize gluten meal, tuna meal,
animal fat, digest, fish oil, flaxseed, potassium chloride,
salt, brewers rice, calcium carbonate.
Feline Adult Sensitive Skin
Chicken (minimum Chicken 37%, Chicken and Turkey combined
50%): Ground rice, chicken and turkey meal, ground maize,
maize gluten meal, animal fat, dried whole egg, vegetable
oil, digest, tuna meal, potassium chloride, DL-methionine,
salt, calcium carbonate, taurine, vitamins and trace elements.
Naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols, citric acid and
rosemary extract.
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