A serious diagnosis — and a food Luna wouldn't eat
Luna, Nick's dog, was suffering from severe diarrhoea. After several tests and with other conditions ruled out, she was suspected of having Protein-Losing Enteropathy — a serious condition in which protein is lost through the gut wall rather than being properly absorbed.
The vet recommended a low-fat hydrolysed protein diet to help manage the condition. But finding the right food proved harder than expected.
While the home-cooked meals helped stabilise Luna in the short term, Nick needed a complete, balanced food he could rely on long-term — one with low enough fat content to support PLE management.
Dogs with Protein-Losing Enteropathy often struggle to absorb fat through the gut, which can worsen inflammation and protein loss. A low-fat diet — typically under 10% — is a key part of managing the condition alongside hydrolysed protein, which the gut can absorb more easily without triggering further inflammation.
What is Protein-Losing Enteropathy (PLE)?
PLE is a condition in which protein leaks from the gut wall into the intestine and is lost rather than absorbed. This can lead to low blood protein levels, fluid accumulation, weight loss, and chronic diarrhoea.
Management typically involves a combination of low-fat nutrition, easily digestible hydrolysed protein, and in some cases medication. Finding a complete food that meets all these requirements — and that the dog actually enjoys eating — can be a significant challenge for owners.
Understanding Luna's needs
A hydrolysed recipe that ticked every box
After researching alternatives, Nick switched Luna to Ultimate+ Hydrolysed Weight Control & Joint Care with White Fish — a recipe formulated for weight management and joint support, but uniquely suited to Luna's PLE needs because of its low fat content and highly digestible hydrolysed protein.
The critical threshold for PLE management
Most hydrolysed foods Nick researched still had fat contents above 10%. Ultimate+ Weight Control & Joint Care sits below this threshold — making it one of very few complete hydrolysed recipes suitable for dogs with PLE.
Ultimate+ Hydrolysed Weight Control & Joint Care — White Fish
Hydrolysed white fish protein, low fat content, complete balanced nutrition — and a recipe Luna actually enjoys eating.
The recipe offers:
- Low fat content — under 10%, suitable for PLE management
- Hydrolysed white fish protein for easy gut absorption
- Complete, balanced nutrition — no need for supplements
- A palatability Luna accepted where the prescription option failed
Although the Ultimate+ Weight Control & Joint Care recipe was not chosen for its joint or weight management benefits, its unique nutritional profile — particularly the low fat content — made it the right fit for Luna's condition. This highlights how a single recipe can serve multiple purposes depending on the individual dog's needs.
Luna enjoying her food
One of the key hurdles for Nick was finding a hydrolysed food Luna would actually eat. The video below tells its own story.
Luna eating her Ultimate+ Weight Control & Joint Care — no persuasion needed.
Stable condition — no medication required
Since switching to Ultimate+ Weight Control & Joint Care, Nick reports that Luna's PLE has remained stable. No additional medication has been required, and the improvements have been consistent.
The difference, side by side
"We are very happy we've found a product that Luna likes and that controls her condition so she is happier and healthier."
"I think you have an opportunity to target and assist dogs with PLE issues with your product."
"We are delighted to hear how our Ultimate+ Hydrolysed Weight Control & Joint Care has helped stabilise Luna's condition. We will indeed look closely into the role this food has played in supporting dogs with PLE, working alongside our nutritional and veterinary experts to explore this further."
A challenging condition — now under control
Luna's story is a powerful reminder that the right food can do more than support general health. For dogs with complex conditions like PLE, the specific nutritional profile of a recipe — particularly fat content and protein digestibility — can make the difference between stability and ongoing struggle.
Nick's experience also highlights an important insight: a recipe formulated for one purpose can sometimes be exactly right for another. The low-fat profile of Ultimate+ Weight Control & Joint Care, designed to support weight management, turned out to be the key property Luna needed.
If your dog has been diagnosed with PLE or is struggling with a condition that requires a low-fat hydrolysed diet, we would encourage you to explore our full hydrolysed range and speak to your vet about whether this recipe could help.
