Nutritional Plan
Many pets with congestive heart failure benefit from foods low in sodium. These foods reduce the workload of the heart by reducing fluid accumulation in the body. Foods with reduced sodium are useful for managing early heart failure. Such foods include Hill’s® Prescription Diet® Canine h/d® or g/d® as well as Feline g/d®. Clean fresh water should be available at all times.

Transitioning Food
Unless recommended otherwise by your veterinarian, gradually introduce any new food over a seven-day period. Mix the new food with your pet’s former food, gradually increasing its proportion until only the new food is fed.  If your pet is one of the few that doesn’t readily accept a new food, try warming the canned food to body temperature, hand feeding for the first few days, or mixing the dry food with warm water (wait ten minutes before serving). However, do not add water to your cat’s food. Feed only the recommended food. Do not feed additional salt or any snacks that may contain sodium. Be patient but firm with your pet. This is important because the success or failure of treatment depends to a large degree on strict adherence to the new food.