Hill’s, formally Hill’s Pet Nutrition, is a major American pet-food company best known for scientifically formulated dog and cat foods, particularly its Hill’s Science Diet and Hill’s Prescription Diet product lines. The company positions itself around veterinary science, animal nutrition, research, and nutrition-based management of pet health. It is a subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive, which acquired Hill’s in 1976.

Hill’s identity has historically been closely associated with veterinary medicine and nutritional science, rather than simply selling food as a consumer packaged good.

Origins with Buddy the Guide Dog

The history of Hill’s begins with a dog named Buddy. In 1939, Morris Frank, a blind American man who traveled with his guide dog Buddy, sought help for Buddy, who was suffering from kidney failure. Frank approached veterinarian Dr. Mark L. Morris Sr. Morris believed that nutrition could play an important role in managing Buddy’s condition and developed a special food formulation with his wife, Louise, initially making it in their kitchen.

The food eventually became the foundation for what would become Hill’s Prescription Diet k/d, one of the earliest examples of a pet food designed specifically around a medical nutritional need. 1

This origin story established the principle that remains central to the company: food can be part of an animal’s healthcare. Rather than treating pet food simply as a source of calories, Hill’s developed around the idea that precisely formulated nutrition could support animals with particular health requirements.

Partnership and Research

In 1948, Dr. Morris entered into an agreement with Burton Hill of the Hill Packing Company in Topeka, Kansas, to manufacture and can his formulas. This partnership eventually developed into Hill’s Pet Nutrition. 2

Dr. Morris subsequently established a research laboratory in Topeka in 1951, reinforcing the company’s research-oriented approach. During this early period, Hill’s concentrated heavily on therapeutic pet nutrition—foods formulated around specific veterinary conditions—which led to the development of the Prescription Diet family.

Creation of Science Diet

A second major chapter began with Dr. Mark Morris Jr. While Prescription Diet was aimed primarily at animals with particular health needs, Morris Jr. recognized another opportunity: applying nutritional science to healthy animals. In 1968, Hill’s introduced Science Diet, a food line designed for healthy pets and different life stages and nutritional requirements.

This expansion transformed Hill’s from a primarily therapeutic/veterinary food company into a broader pet-nutrition brand. Today, the distinction is broadly:

• Science Diet: everyday nutrition for healthy pets
• Prescription Diet: specialized therapeutic nutrition for pets with particular health needs

Acquisition by Colgate-Palmolive

In 1976, Colgate-Palmolive acquired Hill’s Pet Nutrition. 3 This made Hill’s part of a much larger multinational consumer-products corporation. Importantly, Hill’s remained a specialized pet-nutrition business rather than becoming simply another Colgate consumer brand. Today, Hill’s operates as part of Colgate-Palmolive’s pet-nutrition business, described by the parent company as a leader in pet nutrition and veterinary recommendations. 3

Hill’s portfolio is primarily divided into two major families.

Hill’s Science Diet

Science Diet is the everyday-nutrition side of the brand, intended for generally healthy dogs and cats. Formulas are differentiated according to factors such as:

• Life stage
• Size
• Breed characteristics
• Weight management
• Skin and coat
• Digestive needs
• Indoor lifestyle
• Age
• Other nutritional requirements

For example, Hill’s offers puppy/kitten formulas as well as adult and senior products. The philosophy centers on providing appropriate scientifically formulated everyday nutrition for healthy pets.

Hill’s Prescription Diet

Hill’s Prescription Diet is designed as therapeutic nutrition for dogs and cats with specific medical or nutritional requirements. Examples of areas covered include:

• Kidney disease
• Urinary problems
• Digestive disorders
• Weight management
• Diabetes/glucose management
• Liver disease
• Heart health
• Joint problems
• Skin conditions
• Food sensitivities
• Recovery/urgent-care nutrition

Hill’s describes Prescription Diet as therapeutic nutrition developed with veterinarians and nutrition scientists for pets facing specific health conditions. Some of the best-known formulas include:

• k/d — kidney support
• c/d Multicare — urinary health
• i/d — digestive care
• j/d — joint/mobility support
• w/d — weight/metabolic management
• a/d — nutritional support during recovery
• Derm Complete — certain dermatological/food-related needs

The exact formulations and product availability vary by country.

One of the things that makes Hill’s different from ordinary pet-food brands is the relationship between its therapeutic products and veterinary care. Prescription Diet products are designed around specific health conditions rather than simply being premium food. Hill’s recommends consulting a veterinarian to determine whether a particular therapeutic formula is appropriate for an animal. 4

This creates an important distinction:

• Science Diet: generally healthy pets, everyday nutrition
• Prescription Diet: pets with particular health/nutritional needs, therapeutic nutrition, veterinary involvement

Despite the word “food,” Hill’s Prescription Diet occupies a space between conventional pet food and clinical nutritional management. Hill’s currently describes Prescription Diet as a veterinary-recommended therapeutic nutrition brand. 6

Science is central to Hill’s branding. The company employs veterinarians, nutritionists, food scientists and other specialists to develop its formulas. Its research activities include work on areas such as digestion, metabolism, microbiome health, aging, weight management and disease-specific nutrition. 5

A major facility is the Hill’s Pet Nutrition Center in Topeka, Kansas. Hill’s states that its Pet Nutrition Center includes more than 900 dogs and cats involved in product-development activities such as ingredient evaluation, quality control and taste testing.

The company’s philosophy follows the path: Research → nutritional formulation → feeding evaluation → veterinary/scientific evidence → commercial food, rather than relying solely on consumer trends.

Hill’s central philosophy can be summarized in several ideas:

1. Nutrition can influence health: Based on the origin story where diet helped manage disease.
2. Different pets have different nutritional needs: A puppy, adult dog, senior dog, indoor cat, and cat with kidney disease should not necessarily receive identical nutrition.
3. Nutrition should be science-based: Emphasis on research, nutritional formulation and veterinary expertise.
4. Food should still be palatable: Taste and acceptance testing are conducted as part of product development.
5. Nutrition can complement veterinary medicine: Therapeutic food is intended to be part of managing particular nutritional and medical needs, not a replacement for treatment.

Hill’s is not limited to the United States. Its products are sold internationally, with regional websites and product portfolios covering markets across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and other regions. The company’s historical documentation notes the continuing expansion of both Science Diet and Prescription Diet through subsequent decades. 7 8

While specific local market data for Singapore is not detailed in the source text, Hill’s maintains a global presence as a veterinary nutrition brand. For instance, the company operates localized websites in various countries, including Thailand and South Korea, reflecting its international reach. 9

Hill’s participates in programs intended to improve animal welfare. One prominent example is Hill’s Food, Shelter & Love, a program supporting animal shelters and shelter pets. Colgate-Palmolive states that since its establishment in 2002, the program has helped support more than 16 million shelter-pet adoptions across North America.

Hill’s extends its brand purpose beyond selling pet food into areas such as:

• Animal welfare
• Shelter support
• Pet adoption
• Nutrition education
• Veterinary education
• Responsible pet ownership

Hill’s is a specialist brand operating inside a much larger corporation. Colgate-Palmolive is best known to consumers for oral-care, personal-care, home-care and other consumer products. Hill’s gives the corporation a significant presence in pet nutrition. Colgate-Palmolive acquired Hill’s in 1976 and continues to identify Hill’s as one of its major businesses.

The Hill’s brand architecture can be visualized as:

HILL’S PET NUTRITION
│
├── Science Diet
│ ├── Puppy / Kitten
│ ├── Adult
│ ├── Senior
│ ├── Weight management
│ ├── Sensitive needs
│ └── Other everyday nutrition
│
└── Prescription Diet
├── Kidney
├── Urinary
├── Digestive
├── Joint
├── Skin
├── Weight / metabolic
├── Liver
├── Recovery
└── Other therapeutic nutrition

The exact product architecture differs somewhat between countries.

1. History of Hill’s Pet Nutrition & Its Heritage of Caring for Pets
2. บริษัทของเรา
3. Hill’s Prescription Diet: Therapeutic Nutrition for dogs and cats | Hill’s Pet US
4. Historia de Hill’s Pet Nutrition
5. History of Hill’s Pet Nutrition
6. ฮิลส์ เพรสคริพชั่น ไดเอท: อาหารประกอบการรักษาโรค
7. History of Hill’s Pet Nutrition: Our Journey In Pet Care | Hill’s Pet
8. History of Hill’s Pet Nutrition: Our Journey In Pet Care | Hill’s Pet Nutrition
9. Prescription Diet 반려견용 사료 – 치료용 영양식 | Hill’s Pet