Our Final Verdict
We give Raised Right Veterinary Support Diets an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.
Quality: 5/5
Variety: 4.6/5
Ingredients: 4.9/5
Value: 4.75/5
So, you’ve just gotten news that your dog has chronic kidney disease or pancreatitis. Now your vet is imploring you to switch them to a prescription diet, specifically, one of the high-priced kibble or canned foods they sell in-house. But something about feeding your sick dog highly processed food made with low-quality ingredients doesn’t sit right with you.
And that, I imagine, is why you’re here. Alternatives to low-quality prescription kidney and pancreatic diets are hard to find. Luckily, Raised Right offers tailored, veterinarian-formulated recipes for both conditions, made with high-quality, human-grade ingredients to help your dog thrive despite their disease.
But are they as good as advertised?
After months of making homemade meals for my senior dogs with kidney disease, I was ecstatic to try this alternative. Keep reading to find out what makes these high-quality prescription diets different and how they have helped my dogs.
At a Glance: The Veterinary Support Diets Recipes
About Raised Right
Raised Right is a human-grade, gently cooked pet food company that specializes in high-protein, low-carb, freshly prepared meals for cats and dogs.
Who Makes Raised Right and Where is it Produced?
Raised Right is a family-owned and operated company based out of Rye, New York. The Rudds started the company in 2007 as a small operation that has since expanded to serve the entire US.
All ingredients used in Raised Right’s products can be traced back to their source, with all meat coming from the USA, algae products from Nova Scotia, and some select spices coming from India.
Which Types of Pets is Raised Right Best Suited For?
Raised Right has a variety of fresh, human-grade recipes to choose from, including puppy, adult dog, and adult cat recipes. Most of their diets come in multiple flavors with limited ingredients, making it easy to find options for pets with sensitive stomachs or food allergies.
In addition to their standard line, Raised Right also produces four veterinary support diets, two recipes for kidney disease and two for pancreatitis. These recipes are formulated for adult dogs only.
Overview
Below, we’ll take a look at the key features of Raised Right’s Veterinary Support Diets and what makes this option different from traditional kidney and pancreatitis diets.
Ingredients
Each ingredient used in these veterinary diets is human-grade, fresh, and traceable.
Because these ingredients are cooked fresh and human grade, you can be sure they are gentler on your dog’s body than highly processed prescription diets, which often contain synthetic additives, low-quality, non-descript meat ingredients, and cheap fillers. Because of the high-quality nature of Raised Right diets, they can help your dog heal and maintain rather than causing more problems for a body already in trouble.
Using the unique ingredient tracing tool on the company’s website, you can find out where each piece of your dog’s meal came from. Their beef ingredients, for instance, are sourced from South Dakota, while their blueberries come from Washington.
Every one of these recipes focuses on quality protein, fat, and fiber to ensure your dog gets all the nutrients they need without taxing the body. The first ingredient in every recipe is meat, and each contains at least one organ meat ingredient for added nutrition.
The limited carbohydrates in these meals come from nutrient-dense superfoods like blueberries, zucchini, and carrots. Cod liver oil and olive oil provide the fats, while psyllium husk adds gut-healthy fiber. Instead of relying on synthetic calcium, these recipes utilize ground egg shells.
Aside from added B vitamins and zinc, these recipes are free from synthetic ingredients. This is important as synthetic vitamins and minerals can cause inflammation, especially in the kidneys, pancreas, and gut.
Preparation
Another important feature of these diets is that they are cooked at low temperatures. This process effectively kills bacteria and harmful pathogens without robbing the food of enzymes and nutrients that your dog needs.
Traditional prescription diets undergo high-heat processing that greatly reduces the nutrient content, denatures proteins and enzymes, and removes moisture. Because of this, these recipes must include added synthetic nutrients to make up for what was lost. Unfortunately, these fake alternatives are not as well utilized by the body and can cause inflammation and other side effects.
Likewise, the oxidation of natural fats is slowed when they are cooked for shorter periods over low heat, which helps to prevent them from going rancid too quickly. This means fewer toxins that your dog’s ailing body has to deal with and more good fats to support vibrant health.
Kidney Support Diets
Raised Right’s Kidney Support Diet was formulated with the help of Dr. Karen Becker and Dr. Barbara Royal, two experts in canine kidney disease.
While most traditional prescription kidney diets rely on outdated research that says high-protein diets are bad for kidneys, these vets formulated their recipes based on current research. According to modern studies, it’s not only the quantity of protein that matters, but also the quality of it.
Low-protein diets result in muscle loss and deteriorating health in other systems of the canine body. Alternatively, moderate to high-protein diets that contain only high-quality, minimally processed animal protein, support whole-body health without taxing the kidneys.
In addition to appropriate amounts of high-quality protein, Raised Right’s kidney diet also contains restricted phosphorus levels. Both the turkey and beef options have less than 0.5% phosphorus on a dry matter basis. By keeping phosphorous levels low, these diets reduce the kidney workload while helping your dog feel better.
Added powdered egg shells and lots of fiber also help to reduce phosphorous and nitrogen levels in the body by binding them in the gut. This reduces the burden to the kidneys and the signs of nausea and lack of appetite that often come with kidney disease.
Lastly, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids in the form of blueberries, ginger, cod liver oil, olive oil, and more, help reduce inflammation to reduce kidney damage.
Pancreatic Support Diets
Dr. Karen Becker and Dr. Barbara Royal also helped to formulate Raised Right’s Pancreatic Support Diet.
Like the kidney diet, this one is based on a more modern and scientific approach to chronic pancreatitis. Unlike traditional prescription options that focus on reduced fat above all else, these diets are centered around quality fat and anti-inflammatory ingredients.
The cod liver oil and olive oil add a healthy dose of fresh fats that bring the right balance of omegas to support healing. Combined with high-quality protein ingredients like beef liver and turkey heart, these diets deliver the right mix of nutrients for long-term pancreas support.
These recipes also contain a number of ingredients meant to balance the gut and reduce the toxin load the pancreas has to deal with. Ginger and psyllium husk powder help reduce inflammation in the intestines while promoting a healthy gut microbiome that can better break down food and neutralize toxins.
Lastly, just like the kidney diet, this one is packed with antioxidants to reduce inflammation in the pancreas and throughout the body.
Purchase Options
Raised Right diets are available at a variety of pet boutiques, holistic veterinary offices, groomers, and other pet-centric stores throughout the US. You can also order directly from the company through their website.
If you choose this route, you have the option to purchase 4, 8, or 16 bags at a time. If you opt for the 16-bag option you not only get free shipping, but you also subscribe to automatic shipments. These shipments can be set to once per week, every two weeks, every three weeks—all the way up to once every 28 weeks.
No matter which box size you choose, you’ll be able to mix and match your veterinary support recipes however you want.
Reviews of the 4 Veterinary Support Diets
1. Kidney Support Turkey Adult Dog Recipe
| Main Ingredients | Turkey Heart, Turkey Thigh, Blueberries, Carrots, Zucchini |
| Calories | 28 kcal / oz |
| Protein | 35% |
| Fat | 17% |
| Fiber | 26% |
| Phosphorus | 0.44% |
*Percents based on dry matter
Like all Raised Right recipes, the Kidney Support Turkey Adult Dog Recipe is made using fresh, human-grade animal protein, nutrient-dense, low-starch plant ingredients, and quality superfoods.
What makes this recipe a great choice for dogs with kidney disease is the unique way these ingredients come together to create the perfect nutrient profile for supporting CKD.
For one, the protein levels are high enough to meet all your dog’s amino acid needs without putting excess strain on the kidneys. Turkey thigh is high in protein and fat while remaining lower in phosphorus than other turkey cuts. And turkey heart provides valuable nutrients without adding too much phosphorus to the mix.
The protein content is balanced by a moderate fat content to ensure your dog gets the calories necessary to maintain weight and the important omega-3 fatty acids to slow kidney damage.
2. Kidney Support Beef Adult Dog Recipe
| Main Ingredients | Beef Heart, Beef Liver, Carrots, Blueberries, Zucchini |
| Calories | 40 kcal / oz |
| Protein | 29% |
| Fat | 29% |
| Fiber | 21% |
| Phosphorus | 0.5% |
*Percents based on dry matter
Similar to the turkey recipe, this kidney-support diet contains fresh, quality, human-grade meat and minimal starch.
The beef heart and liver both provide a range of nutrients and amino acids plus plenty of protein in a form that is easy to digest and utilize. These two organ meats are higher in phosphorus than other cuts, but the total phosphorus content is still within the recommended amounts for dogs with kidney disease.
To help ease that phosphorus load, this recipe includes powdered eggshell, which acts as a phosphorus binder and calcium source. Psyllium powder also helps to reduce the kidney workload by neutralizing toxins in the gut and supporting a healthy microbiome.
The higher fat content of this recipe makes it a great option for younger dogs with kidney problems. Of course, when fed in proper proportions, either one of these recipes will benefit adult CKD dogs, no matter their age or activity levels.
3. Pancreatic Support Turkey Adult Dog Recipe
| Main Ingredients | Turkey Thigh, Turkey Heart, Carrots, Turkey Liver, Zucchini |
| Calories | 26 kcal / oz |
| Protein | 45% |
| Fat Min | 14% |
| Fat Max | 23% |
| Fiber | 27% |
*Percents based on dry matter
Compared to the kidney diets, Raised Right’s Turkey Pancreatic Support Recipe has a higher protein content and lower fat content.
An emphasis on high-quality meat cuts, including turkey thighs and nutrient-dense turkey heart and liver, provides all the amino acids and much of the nutrition your dog needs. Meanwhile, selective fats, including cod liver oil and olive oil, provide plenty of energy while supporting pancreas health rather than taxing the organ.
A high 27% fiber coming from psyllium husk powder and fibrous veggies, helps support a healthy gut to reduce the workload of the pancreas.
Like the kidney diets, this recipe also contains added B vitamins. These compounds help reduce feelings of nausea and upset stomach that often plague dogs with pancreatitis. In that way, they help increase appetite to maintain an optimal weight.
4. Pancreatic Support Beef Adult Dog Recipe
| Main Ingredients | Beef, Pumpkin, Beef Liver, Carrots, Zucchini |
| Calories | 30 kcal / oz |
| Protein | 33% |
| Fat Min | 21% |
| Fat Max | 29% |
| Fiber | 25% |
*Percents based on dry matter
Compared to the turkey recipe, this pancreatic support option contains less protein and a bit more fat. Luckily, because this fat comes from fresh, quality ingredients, including cod oil, olive oil, and human-grade beef, you know it will do more good than harm.
In fact, the balance of omegas in the fat found in this recipe can help reduce inflammation in the pancreas and reduce signs of illness. This combined with quality protein, can help your dog thrive and act more like they used to.
Beef provides lean muscle and some fat while beef heart and liver both bring plenty of scant nutrients and all the amino acids your dog needs.
Like the other recipes here, this one contains plenty of fiber to support gut health. Nutrient-dense, high-antioxidant superfoods like blueberries, ginger, and cranberries help reduce inflammation in the pancreas and beyond for a healthier body and happier dog.
Our Experience With Raised Right Veterinary Support Diets
Last summer, my fourteen-year-old Dalmatian mix, Ragz, was diagnosed with stage 1 kidney disease after routine blood work. Not even two months later, my fifteen-year-old Chihuahua, Papyrus, got blood work done that revealed elevated kidney levels.
While only Ragz technically required diet intervention, I quickly switched both dogs onto a kidney support diet. I am familiar enough with traditional prescription diets to know better than to go down that road. Instead, I did my research and created a balanced homemade diet for my dogs.
While it has been working very well and I have noticed a huge improvement in their health, it is A LOT of work.
That’s why I was so excited when I got the opportunity to test Raised Right’s Veterinary Support Diets. Dr. Karen Becker is one of the resources I relied heavily on when putting together my homemade diet, so I knew this commercial option—which she helped formulate—would be better than what I managed to create myself.
As soon as I received the meals, I let my dogs put them to a taste test. Both kidney and pancreatic disease can cause nausea and lack of appetite in dogs, so highly palatable food is a necessity.
Luckily, both my dogs dug right in and happily gulped down their samples without pause.
After that, I started transitioning them from their homemade diet to Raised Right’s Kidney Support Diets. After about three days, they were both fully switched to the new diet and testing could begin.
NOTE: While I was able to feed the kidney diet as intended, I was only able to test the pancreatic diet as a supplement to my homemade diet on Papyrus and not on Ragz due to the higher phosphorus levels. But in terms of taste, consistency, quality, and ingredients, these diets are very similar.
What We Liked
Both my dogs have tolerated these diets well. Their kidney disease signs have remained undetectable (as they were on my homemade diet) and they have happily eaten every meal with gusto.
Neither experienced any digestive problems from the switch and have tolerated the food very well.
From my end, I love how easy this food is to feed. I simply thaw it and add it to their bowls. No more worrying about adding a dozen supplements or prepping a bunch of ingredients each weekend. Raised Right offers all the benefits of a well-researched, home-prepared diet without the work—which is absolutely awesome!
The food also smells good (a little like spearmint), which is something I rarely say about dog food. And I love that you can see the whole-food ingredients inside.
Where We Saw Room for Improvement
I know my dogs don’t have any complaints, but I did find one downside to this diet. And that’s the fiber level.
As I mentioned in the key features section above, fiber is a good thing for dogs with kidney and pancreatic issues. It helps support the gut microbiome, absorb toxins before they enter the bloodstream, and can reduce nitrogen and phosphorous levels.
And these diets have tons of that good fiber! The average dog food is 5% fiber while these diets hover around 25%.
The downside to high-fiber diets is twofold. For one, they make for a lot more poop than a low-fiber diet (and yes, this was a noticeable side effect). But more importantly, that fiber can’t be used as energy, which means you’ll likely have to feed more to maintain proper weight.
I had to feed about 20% more food by volume of this diet than my homemade diet to keep my dogs from dropping weight. This isn’t a big deal except that more food means more money. And these high-quality, freshly prepared meals aren’t cheap.
That said, I still believe they are worth the higher price.
Not only are they higher quality and more likely to help your dog with CKD or chronic pancreatitis thrive than other commercial diets, but they are super easy to feed. If you don’t have the time or knowledge to craft a homemade kidney or pancreatic support diet for your dog, then Raised Right really is the best option, even with the added financial investment.
Conclusion
The only thing worse than finding out your dog has chronic kidney or pancreatic disease is the helpless feeling that follows. Luckily, Raised Right provides the ability to actively and effectively help your dog thrive despite their diagnosis thanks to their Veterinary Support Diets.
Each of these recipes was formulated by veterinarians with quality ingredients and prepared fresh at low temperatures. They are packed with nutrient-dense, human-grade meat and organ meat, low-starch, antioxidant-rich superfoods, and omega-3 fatty acids-rich fish oils to fight inflammation, slow oxidative damage, and reduce the disease signs so your dog can feel better and live longer.
