TOPEKA, KAN. — On March 8, Hill’s Pet Nutrition introduced its latest prescription diet line to support pets diagnosed with cancer. The new Prescription Diet ONC Care offers both dry and wet complete-and-balanced formulas for cats and dogs.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, cancer is one of the leading causes of death among older pets, with one in four dogs and one in five cats diagnosed annually. To support these pets, Hill’s has launched its new prescription range, which seeks to address the unique nutritional needs of pets with cancer.

According to Hill’s, malnutrition poses a great risk to pets fighting cancer, making it difficult for pet owners to ensure their pet’s quality of life. Pets with cancer often lose lean muscle mass, experience digestive issues and lose their appetite, and therefore do not receive the right nutrients to support their health.

“Appetite is a critical determinant in a pet parents' perceived quality of life assessment for their pet with cancer,” said Chad Johannes, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM, Oncology), associate professor, Colorado State University. “Being proactive and maintaining pets with cancer in a positive nutritional plane over the course of their treatment can improve clinical outcomes as well as quality of life.”

Prescription Diet ONC Care helps encourage a healthy appetite in pets with a “taste-centric” product design and easy-to-chew kibble, promotes muscle mass maintenance with high-quality protein, and supports healthy digestion with ActivBiome+ support.

“Preventative health care is helping pets live longer and now we're able to diagnose cancers earlier,” said Jolle Kirpensteijn, DVM, Ph.D., DACVS, DECVS, chief veterinary officer at Hill's Pet Nutrition and member of the WSAVA Oncology Working Group. “With more and more pets receiving cancer diagnosis, it was imperative to use our scientific and nutrition expertise to create new clinical nutrition specifically to help support these heroic pets in their fight.

“This is the 75th anniversary of our first Prescription Diet product, and we are proud to introduce Prescription Diet ONC Care as our latest innovation to support pets and their owners during one of the most critical times in their lives,” he added.

Hill’s Prescription Diet ONC Care is currently available in North America and will roll out globally later this year and into 2024. The company expects the pet food range to be available in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in Q2 of 2023, Latin America in Q4 of 2023, Australia and New Zealand in Q1 of 2024, and Asia in Q3 of 2024. The pet food range is exclusively available via veterinary clinics and pet specialty stores, requiring a veterinary prescription. 

Read more about new pet food and treat products.