Prescription Pet Food in North Hills, Raleigh, NC, From Your Local Vet

Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - North Hills is a vet in North Hills, Raleigh, that prescribes therapeutic diets for dogs and cats. A prescription diet is food made to help treat or manage a health problem, such as an upset stomach, bladder stones, kidney disease, food allergies or weight gain. It needs a vet's approval because the wrong diet can harm a pet with a different condition.

Diet is often a big part of treatment, and sometimes it is the whole treatment.

Call (984) 983-4900 or book online. Walk-ins are welcome.

Which problems can a prescription diet help?

At Petfolk North Hills, the vet may suggest a prescription diet for:

• Stomach and gut problems, like vomiting, diarrhea or pancreatitis. Across Petfolk, 84% of prescription diets we send home are gastrointestinal (GI) diets for sensitive stomachs (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026).

• Recovery, after illness or surgery, when a pet needs calories in small amounts. About 1 in 10 prescription-diet orders across Petfolk (11%) is a recovery diet.

• Urinary health, to dissolve or prevent certain bladder stones and crystals.

• Kidney disease, to ease the load on aging kidneys.

• Food allergies, with a special protein the body doesn't react to.

• Weight loss, with fewer calories and more fiber so pets feel full.

Why can't I use a store-bought food instead?

Prescription diets are made to stricter targets than regular food. A urinary diet, for example, controls minerals and urine acidity to dissolve stones. A food-allergy diet uses proteins broken down so small the immune system ignores them. Store foods labeled "sensitive" or "urinary support" are not the same. Using a prescription diet without an exam can also hide a problem or cause a new one.

How do I switch my pet to a new diet?

Unless the vet says to switch right away:

1. Days 1 to 2: mix about one quarter new food with three quarters old food.

2. Days 3 to 4: half and half.

3. Days 5 to 6: three quarters new food.

4. Day 7: all new food.

For a food allergy trial, the new diet must be the only thing your pet eats for 8 to 12 weeks, with no treats, table food or flavored medicine unless the vet approves them. One slip can reset the trial.

How much does prescription pet food cost?

Cost depends on the diet, the size of the bag or case, and how much your pet eats. Petfolk North Hills will tell you the price before you buy. You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. The final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit. Ask the team which diets are kept at the clinic and how to reorder.

Follow-up matters

Many pets on prescription diets need a recheck. A pet with bladder stones may need a urine test or x-ray to see whether the stones are dissolving. Kidney patients need blood work. Weight-loss pets need weigh-ins. Every Petfolk clinic uses Fear Free handling, so these quick checks stay low-stress. The clinic page for Petfolk North Hills notes that a diet change or new supplement can affect other health conditions, so talk with the vet before changing foods.

When a diet problem needs help fast

A male cat straining in the litter box with little or no urine may have a blocked bladder and needs a vet right away. If your pet vomits repeatedly, won't eat for more than a day, or seems weak, book a same-day visit. If your pet collapses or has a swollen, painful belly, go to a 24-hour emergency hospital such as BluePearl Pet Hospital on Paragon Park Road in Raleigh.

See also vomiting and diarrhea treatment in North Hills and the pet pharmacy in North Hills.

Ask about a diet

Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - North Hills is at 631 E Six Forks Rd, Suite 101, Raleigh, NC 27609. Call (984) 983-4900 or book online.

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