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A special section to Today's Veterinary Practice | May/June 82 PREVENTION Prescribing VTD with known kcal/kg density along with exact feeding plans can be used to help prevent excess weight gain in at-risk pets. are moderate in fat, calcium, and phosphorus. OTC diets often have more variable nutrient profiles and higher calcium:phosphorus ratios (TABLE 2) . VTD may also contain anti-inflammatory nutrients, as inflammation is a component of many disease states. Formulated with omega-3 fatty acids, 3 antioxidants, 4 and other special nutrients, these diets attempt to modulate inflammation in GI, dermatologic, orthopedic, and urologic disease states. Digestibility of VTD has also been reported to be higher than that of OTC diets, and according to ELISA testing, VTD are not contaminated with soy or with a protein source not listed on the label. 5–7 When choosing diets to recommend for their patients, practitioners can access the complete nutrient profiles of VTD more easily than for many OTC diets. Caloric density in kcals/kg, kcals/cup, and kcals/can 3 is available on websites and product guides; beginning in 2017, this information is required on all pet food labels. Caloric density is important in determining accurate feeding plans for pets at risk for becoming overweight/obese. Information regarding the use of VTD is also available from manufacturers and Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN), who routinely use VTD. THE PRICING DIFFERENCE VTD are often perceived as expensive compared to OTC diets. TABLE 3 shows average costs of therapeutic and OTC diets, based on information obtained via the Internet. Compared with human food packaging, pet food bag and can sizes vary greatly. This variability makes it difficult to Average Cost of Select VTD and OTC Diets DIE T COST (USD/100 KCAL) CANINE FELINE GI VTD 0.19 0.27 Hydrolyzed VTD 0.21 0.38 OTC Grocery Brands 0.08 0.08 OTC Pet Store 0.31 0.40 TABLE 3 shutterstock.com/Apiwich Pudsmran PREVENTING OBESITY Caloric density is important in determining accurate feeding plans for pets at risk for becoming overweight/obese.