Top 10 Best Dog Food for Allergies
It’s not always easy to get nutritious food for our pets. Today, we have to worry about all the ingredients that businesses use in their recipes, which can cause serious health problems for our dogs. Allergy-prone dogs have increased the global demand for specialized meals.
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Following the recommendations for the best alternatives, the most popular recipes use a few ingredients. Instead, these foods include only pure, uncomplicated ingredients that are essential for your pet’s nutrition.
What Is Hypoallergenic Dog Food?
Hypoallergenic dog food is dog food that’s made with a simple set of ingredients and a novel protein not typically found in most commercial dog foods. The ingredient list will usually be short and composed of foods pups are less likely to have encountered—with vegetables like potatoes and meats like duck, venison, or even kangaroo.
Food made from a short list of uncommon ingredients helps pet parents avoid their pup’s usual triggers. It can be enormously helpful, but you probably won’t have much luck pulling just any bag of “hypoallergenic” food off the shelf. In order to know which hypoallergenic dog food to buy, you first have to have a good understanding about what your pet is allergic to—or at least where you’d like to start testing.
What Are the Most Common Allergens in Dog Food?
When dogs eat something they’re allergic to, their immune system can respond with symptoms such as itchy skin, sneezing, and a sensitive stomach. If you think your dog is having an allergic reaction and you’ve ruled out other common causes, testing them for dog food allergies is a good first step. With some data in hand, your vet or a veterinary nutritionist can help you figure out how to make your dog feel better.
Food allergies and intolerances in dogs are most often genetic, passed down from parents to pups. Dogs with food allergies aren’t able to digest certain proteins (and the most common allergens are nearly all proteins). Once you know what proteins your dog is allergic to, you can choose a hypoallergenic dog food that excludes those proteins—putting an end to your pup’s symptoms.
When it comes to allergies, these are the most common problem foods for dogs:
- Corn
- Egg
- Chicken
- Beef
- Dairy
- Wheat
- Rabbit
- Fish
- Lamb
- Soy
- Pork
Figuring Out Your Dog’s Allergies
So how do you identify the allergens responsible for your dog’s symptoms? The gold standard is a veterinarian-conducted skin or blood allergy test—they can be life-changing tools for pups with severe cases. But they’re also usually pricey, which has led to a growing market of at-home dog allergy test kits, not all of which are reliable.
The most thorough and most affordable way to find out which foods your pet is allergic to is an elimination diet.
With an elimination diet, you’ll choose an ingredient in your pet’s food to cut out. Most pet parents choose to start with a protein, since that’s statistically more likely to be the culprit. For example, if your dog’s current diet includes chicken, you’ll switch to a hypoallergenic dog food that has no chicken and relies instead on another protein, like salmon or duck.
Then you’ll wait and watch for a period of six to eight weeks to see if your pet’s allergy symptoms go away. If they don’t, you’ll move on to the next ingredient on your list and repeat the same process. It can be both time-consuming and complicated, which is one reason it’s nice to involve your vet from the start; an experienced professional can help you avoid time-consuming mistakes and understand the data you’re getting.
Once you’ve determined your dog’s allergens, the next step is to choose a healthy diet free from problem foods. There are several routes to follow.
- Buy a veterinarian-prescribed food. These limited-ingredient foods are available from your vet or through a pet food store like Chewy. You’ll need to give the prescription, or your veterinarian’s contact information, to the store so they can verify the order and ask any necessary questions.
- Make your own dog food from scratch. If your pup has an outrageous number of allergies that make it hard to find commercial options, this is one way to control the ingredients your dog consumes. We’ve got some healthy dog food recipes and some great dog food recipe hacks to make cooking for your dog less of a chore—but it’s still important to do your homework and consult with your vet before you take your pup’s nutrition into your own hands.
- Purchase hypoallergenic commercial dog foods formulated with limited ingredients. We have a list of foods from the best brands below.
The Best Dog Food for Allergies
Buying your pup pet food that doesn’t trigger an immune response is one of the easiest ways to work around your dog’s food allergy. We’ve rounded up some of the best dog food that is hypoallergenic, including two budget-friendly formulas. These limited-ingredient diets (often abbreviated as LID) will help you keep track of what your dog is—and isn’t—eating.
Adult Dry Dog Food Solid Gold Wolf King Large Breed
- 12 lbs. and 24 lbs.
- Breed Dimensions: Large breeds
- Food Type: Dry
According to numerous consumers, this cuisine by Solid Gold is reasonably priced and delicious. What sticks out the most is that this firm employs over 20 superfoods to provide your dog with the most nutritious diet available.
It is exclusively for huge adult breeds, so smaller and younger dogs will have to look elsewhere. Although many dogs appear to enjoy it, there have been reports of pickier dogs refusing to eat it. So you may be spending money for your dog to be uninterested in their new, healthier food.
Cons
- Only large adult dogs are permitted.
- Some finicky dogs will refuse to eat it.
Pros
- Twenty superfoods
Adult Dog Food Blue Buffalo Basics Grain-Free
- Sizes: 4 pound, 22 pound
- Breed Dimensions: All breeds
- Food Type: Dry
Blue Buffalo created this limited-ingredient dog food formula. They use duck protein and augment the remainder with vegetables like peas, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin. No artificial colors, preservatives, or tastes are used.
There is also no maize, wheat, or soy in the kibble. While this meal is suitable for all life stages, the kibble is hard and big, making it unsuitable for younger pups. They are also more expensive than many of the other brands on our list.
Cons
- Expensive
- Puppies may not be suited.
Pros
- reputable brand
- Duck flesh provides protein.
- Ingredients are simple and restricted.
Best Value: Nutro Diet Food with Few Ingredients
- Weight: 22 lbs.
- Breed Dimensions: All breeds
- Food Type: Dry
Many pet owners are frustrated by the time it takes to discover the finest dog meals for allergies for the money. With Nutro limited ingredient dog food, you can stick to your budget while knowing you’re giving your dog healthy nutrients.
This is another dry formula using venison meal, dried potatoes, and lentils as the first three ingredients. For a modest cost, you may efficiently remove any potential allergy triggers.
They also add natural tastes, vitamins, and minerals to their recipes to make them delightful and well-balanced. They are also devoid of grains. All of the ingredients are non-GMO and organic. Because they use venison, certain finicky dogs may take longer to acclimate.
Cons
- Other tastes may be preferred by some dogs.
Pros
- Fewer than 10 ingredients
- Affordable
- Grain-free
- Organic and non-GMO
Best for Puppies: Sensitive Skin & Stomach Purina Pro Plan
- Sizes: 4 pounds, 16 lbs, and 24 lbs.
- Size of Breed: All breeds, pups
- Food Type: Dry
Purina is one of the most well-known dog food companies in the United States. There are many of recipes to pick from, including sensitive skin and stomach kibble for puppies. Their protein is derived from genuine salmon, and they utilize barley and rice to aid digestion.
There is no maize, wheat, soy, artificial colorings, flavors, or preservatives used. While the ingredients list is short, some dogs develop hot spots from the barley and rice, so double-check the recipe before purchasing if your dog is particularly sensitive to anything in the kibble.
Cons
- Pricey
- Itching may occur in certain dogs.
Pros
- The first component is real salmon.
- The most dependable dog food brand
- There are plenty of recipes to pick from.
- Designed specifically for puppies
Merrick’s Low-Ingredient Diet Canine Food
- Sizes: 4 pounds, 12 lbs, and 22 lbs.
- Breed Dimensions: All breeds
- Food Type: Dry
Merrick is a good option if you want to feed your pets something tasty without triggering their allergies. This dry meal is created with genuine lamb and sweet potatoes and has a short ingredient list. All of their food is also produced in the United States.
Some of the food, however, is imported from China. The dish does not have a significant odor, but it has a high fat content. According to some accounts, consumers with huge breeds go through food too quickly and must purchase numerous bags at a time since they go through it so quickly.
Cons
- Some Chinese components were used.
- Fat content is high.
- Quickly go through little food packs
Pros
- Genuine lamb protein source
- Made in the United States
- There is no odor.
Wellness Simple Dry Dog Food with Limited Ingredients
- Sizes: 26 pound, 40 pound
- Breed Dimensions: All breeds
- Food Type: Dry
Wellness’s limited-ingredient dog food is one of six distinct formulations in their product range. While this food is only for adult dogs, it is made with a few simple ingredients and contains over 29% protein in each meal.
This particular brand is more pricey. They are, however, the first firm on the list to sell this special diet food in 40-pound sacks. Most dogs also have little problems shifting throughout the 5 to 7-day timeframe.
Cons
- Expensive
- Not suitable for puppies
Pros
- Pure ingredients
- High protein content
- Six dishes
- Transition phase is brief.
Natural Balance LID Diets with Limited Ingredients
- Sizes: 4 pounds, 12 lbs, and 24 lbs.
- Breed Dimensions: All breeds
- Food Type: Dry
Natural Balance is another firm that provides allergy-friendly dog food. Their recipes use few ingredients and real meat and veggies to provide healthy but delightful meals for your dogs.
The protein is derived from a single source, and the antioxidants help to maintain a healthy immune system. Brown rice is also beneficial to digestion. While most dogs enjoy it, it has a strong odor that may cause some canines to refuse to eat it. In any case, this is a good option at a reasonable price.
Cons
- Strong odor
Pros
- Reasonable cost
- Ingredients are few.
- a single source of protein
- Suitable for all breed sizes
Canidae Grain-Free PURE Recipe with Limited Ingredients
- Sizes: 4 pounds, 12 lbs, and 24 lbs.
- Breed Dimensions: All breeds
- Food Type: Dry
This firm uses over eight actual food components in their food while staying grain, soy, wheat, and corn-free. This kibble is reasonably priced and a fantastic choice for anybody on a tight budget.
Unfortunately, their formula is just for adults. Some dogs find it difficult to acclimatize because of the amount of fish used to produce the food. In any case, some dogs enjoy this meal, and it has made life easier for hundreds of pets with allergies.
Cons
- Only adult dogs are permitted.
- pronounced seafood taste
Pros
- There are eight genuine food ingredients.
- Reasonably priced
- Free of grains, soy, wheat, and corn
Dry Dog Food Hill’s Prescription Diet Skin/Food Sensitivity
- 8 lbs., 17.6 lbs., and 25 lbs.
- Breed Dimensions: All breeds
- Food Type: Dry
Those who own sensitive dogs understand how inconvenient it is to transport their pets back and forth from the clinic due to food allergies. This is one of the most highly recommended brands by veterinarians and was established by veterinarians.
This meal will require a prescription. The first component is corn starch, which isn’t necessarily a good thing for dogs with allergies. Furthermore, even with less clean components, this is one of the most costly solutions on the list.
Cons
- Prescription is required.
- Corn starch is the first component.
- Extremely costly
Pros
- Vets rely on this brand.
