Best Dog Food For Allergies
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Best Dog Foods For Allergies
What’s the best dog food for allergies? If you’re asking this question, you’ve already noticed common allergy symptoms on your dogs, such as itchy or inflamed skin on your dog’s back, tail, or eyes. Other common allergy symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, sneezing, or constant scratching and licking.
While dogs can be allergic to a range of substances, it’s best to start with the ingredients in your dog’s food to narrow down the culprit. The best dog foods for allergies come in two main options: limited-ingredient diets and hypoallergenic foods.
As the name suggests, limited ingredient diets have fewer components, making it easier to identify the specific ingredient to which your pet could be allergic. They’re available over-the-counter, so you won’t need a veterinarian prescription for limited ingredient pet food.
On the other hand, hypoallergenic dog foods require a prescription from a vet. These foods comprise proteins that have been chemically broken down into their basic amino acid building blocks, making it difficult for your pet’s immune system to detect the original allergen. Your beloved pet is less likely to experience an allergic reaction to this type of dog food.
Let’s explore some of the best dog foods for allergies to buy in 2020.
10 Top-rated Dog Foods for Allergies
Best Grain-free Dog Food for Allergies: Canidae Grain Free PURE (Sea)
If your dog has a sensitive stomach, Canidae’s Grain Free PURE Sea is an excellent food option. This salmon-based diet food focuses on limited ingredients to lower the chances of allergic reactions in sensitive dogs and doesn’t contain wheat, corn, or soy.
Key features:
- Main ingredients: Salmon meal, Menhaden fish meal, sweet potatoes, and peas.
- No artificial additives
- 32% protein and 18% fat
- Fortified with Canidae’s HealthPlus mix of probiotics, antioxidants, and Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
- Best for dogs with grain sensitivity
Canidae Grain Free Pure is a premium dog food, with a nutrient profile appropriate for most dogs. It is composed of well-sourced, top-quality ingredients and limits its fish-based components to Menhaden fish and Salmon.
It also contains sweet potatoes and peas, high-quality carbohydrate sources that also provide fiber for efficient digestion. Besides using only two fish sources, this dog food also includes a limited range of vegetables, making it appropriate for dogs that suffer from meat allergies and sensitivities.
Best Limited Ingredient Dog Food for Allergies: Wellness Simple Limited Ingredients Diet
If you’re looking for limited-ingredient dry dog food, consider Wellness Simple Natural Limited Ingredient Diet. This dog food contains fewer ingredients, making it easily digestible for pets with food sensitivities, food intolerance, or allergies.
Key features:
- All-natural, limited ingredients with single-source protein
- Key ingredients: Salmon and Potato
- No soy, gluten, wheat, corn, or artificial additives
- Probiotics and prebiotics to promote healthy digestion
- Best for dogs with food sensitivities
This dry dog food is composed mainly of high-quality protein blended with the easily digestible carbohydrate, potato. It doesn’t contain any artificial additives or fillers, providing your pet with the complete nutrition it needs.
Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Dog Food also contains flaxseed. Like Salmon, flaxseeds are abundant in Omega-3 fatty acids, which will relieve your dog’s skin sensitivity and promote a healthy coat. It also contains chicory root, a natural prebiotic that supports healthy digestion.
Best Dog Food for Digestive Issues: Blue Buffalo Basics Duck & Potato
Consider Blue Buffalo Basics Duck & Potato dog food if you’re looking for high-quality digestive health dog food. This grain-free, limited-ingredient food helps ease your pet’s allergies using few, less complex ingredients.
Key features:
- Main ingredients: Deboned duck, tapioca starch, peas, potatoes, duck meal
- No poultry by-product meals, wheat, corn, soy, preservatives, or artificial flavors
- Blue Buffalo’s exclusive LifeSource Bits promote immunity and oxidative balance
- Ideal for adult dogs with digestive issues
With duck as the only source of animal protein, this Blue Buffalo dry dog food is ideal for dogs allergic to common proteins such as chicken, lamb, fish, or beef. The single-protein source of duck also makes it an excellent choice for an elimination diet.
This dog food derives strength-promoting carbohydrates from pumpkin, peas, and potatoes. It doesn’t contain grains with gluten, which are more likely to trigger allergic reactions in dogs.
This Blue Buffalo formula also contains LifeSource Bits, a mixture of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals selected by animal nutritionists and vets to promote your dog’s immunity, life stage requirements, and a healthy oxidative balance.
This dog food’s major setback is that it’s quite expensive, and many dog owners find it difficult to maintain beyond an elimination diet phase.
Taste of The Wild Prey Angus Beef Limited Ingredient Formula for Dogs
Taste of the Wild’s Angus Beef formula is another high-quality limited-ingredient dog food for allergies. Its restrictive ingredient list, combined with its full nutritional values, makes it suitable for a dog that isn’t overly active and struggles with severe food sensitivities or allergies.
Key features:
- Main ingredients: Pasture-raised Angus beef, lentils, sunflower oil, tomato pomace, and natural flavor
- Micronutrients and omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat
- No grains, GMOs, or artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
- 80 million CFU/lb. of proprietary probiotics for healthy digestion
- Best for adult dogs and puppies with dietary sensitivities
This Taste of Wild PREY formula features pasture-raised Angus beef among its first four ingredients. Angus beef is rich in protein, promoting the development of lean, strong muscles. It also contains potent probiotics, which aids in healthy digestion.
Additionally, this dog food contains sufficient vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and omega fatty acids, ensuring your pet gets all its nutrition from one source. With zero grains and non-GMO components, this dog food is perfect for dogs sensitive to grains.
Best Human-Grade Dog Food for Allergies: The Farmer's Dog Pet Food
If you want to treat your dog to a diet composed of minimal ingredients, the Farmer’s Dog has you covered. The Farmer’s Dog Pet Food is tasty human-grade dog food made from all-natural ingredients, reducing the likelihood of triggering an allergic reaction in your dog.
Key features:
- Available in three recipes: Beef, Turkey, and Pork
- Made from all-natural, fresh human-grade ingredients
- Contains USDA-approved proteins, vitamins, and minerals
- No preservatives
- Customized to your pet’s specific needs
If your dog has an allergy, you can expect this all-natural, custom-made, and carefully regulated dog formula to soothe its belly, allowing it to enjoy its meals again. Board-certified animal nutritionists formulate and approve each recipe to be complete and balanced according to AFFCO requirements.
Each ingredient is carefully selected to ensure your dog gets the exact nutrients it needs while keeping its belly full and comfortable. The elements include farm-fresh vegetables, USDA pork liver, USDA beef liver, sunflower seeds, and fish oil.
Thanks to the fish oil, this dog food is rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids that promote a healthy coat. The Farmer’s Dog Pet Food comes in pre-portioned packs based on your dog’s caloric needs, ensuring you don’t overfeed your dog and keep it slim and trim.
Best Dog Food for Large Breed Dogs: Solid Gold Wolf King Dog Food
Solid Gold Wolf King is a high-quality dog food with bison and ocean fish meal for animal proteins, avoiding the common animal protein sources more likely to cause allergic reactions.
Key features:
- Main ingredients: Protein-packed bison, ocean fish meal, brown rice, sweet potatoes, eggs
- Protected probiotics and fiber-rich prebiotics for healthy digestion
- No corn, wheat, or soy
- Best for large dog breeds; not recommended for smaller breeds
Large breed dogs have special dietary needs, and this dog food meets those needs. Bison is an excellent source of zinc and iron and a complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids your dog needs.
The other primary ingredient is ocean fish meal, a natural source of Omega-3 fatty acids that help maintain your dog’s healthy skin and coat. This Solid Gold formula also contains brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that gives your pup dietary fiber and various vitamins and minerals.
It also includes prebiotics, probiotics, and an exclusive blend of 20 superfoods that promote immune-system functions and healthy digestion.
Best Veterinary Diet Dog Food: Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein Moderate Calorie
Does your pup struggle with obesity, tummy issues, hair loss, or itching? Maybe your veterinarian has determined your dog requires long-term support for its skin and GI issues? Royal Canin has a remedy for you.
This dry dog food is a delicious, highly digestible, complete, and balanced hydrolyzed protein formula for dogs susceptible to weight gain. This recipe regulates calories while providing your dog with hydrolyzed protein.
Key features:
- Main ingredients: Brewers rice, chicken fat, hydrolyzed soy protein, dried plain beet pulp, natural flavors
- Moderate calorie content for healthy weight
- Promotes high energy needs
- Best for all adult dogs, and small or medium breed puppies
This dog food reduces skin and gastrointestinal reactions that often result from common protein sensitivities. Its moderate content will help your low-activity dog maintain a healthy weight.
It also contains essential nutrients that reinforce the skin barrier and promote healthy skin in pets with sensitive skin.
Earthborn Venture Smoked Turkey and Butternut Squash
Earthborn Venture Smoked Turkey and Butternut Squash provides complete nutrition for adult dogs. This limited-ingredient formula contains no grains or gluten and is rich in taurine and methionine to promote heart health.
Key features:
- Main ingredients: Turkey, turkey meal, tapioca, butternut squash, and pumpkin
- No grains, gluten, GMOs, or artificial preservatives
- Best for adult dogs; not recommended for puppies
This dry dog food derives the majority of its animal protein from fresh turkey and turkey meal. Turkey is a lean protein that is an excellent source of zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorous, and B vitamins. This formula comprises 34% protein, about 43% carbs, and 14% fat, resulting in approximately a 42% fat-to-protein ratio.
The butternut squash in this dog food is rich in antioxidants and provides essential nutrients and fiber to support your dog’s digestive system.
Hill's Science Diet Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food for Sensitive Stomach and Skin
If your dog regularly gets upset stomachs, has diarrhea or loose stools often, or struggles to digest common dog foods, this formula can provide significant relief.
Key features:
- Main ingredients: Lamb meal, chicken fat, brewers rice, whole grain sorghum, chicken liver flavor, flaxseed, and whole-grain wheat
- Easily digestible for maximum nutrient absorption and easier stool pick-up
- Prebiotic fiber to stimulate gut bacteria and promote microbiome balance
- Vitamin E and Omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin
- Best for adult dogs with a sensitive stomach and skin
If your dog doesn’t have stomach issues, but its coat and skin exhibit excessive irritation or dull fur, this dog food can help. It contains Omega-6 fatty acids that help restore skin health and relieve itchiness.
Nutritionists have tested this formula to ensure it promotes easy digestion and is balanced to provide your dog with the right number of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants.
Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Chicken and Veggies Recipe Dog Food
Formulated by celebrity chef Rachael Ray and produced by Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, this recipe meets adult dogs’ nutritional needs of all sizes. It contains no by-products or artificial ingredients.
Key features:
- Main ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, soybean meal, dried peas, whole ground corn, dried plain beet pulp, chicken fat, pea starch, and brown rice
- No wheat, gluten, fillers, or artificial components
- Natural prebiotics for healthy digestion
- Best for adult dogs on a diet or low-activity dogs
If your dog is on a diet or is not as active as others, this low-calorie dog food is a perfect option. It contains real farm-raised chicken and chicken meal, making it a protein-rich recipe. Besides promoting the protein content, dried peas are also a great source of calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
These minerals promote heart health and prevent high blood pressure in aging canines. The chicken fat not only provides your dog with sufficient Omega-6 fatty acids, but it also gives the food an irresistible flavor.
Final Thoughts
Constant itching, hair loss, clumping or greasy fur, digestive issues, and dietary sensitivities can make your dog miserable. With the right wet dog food, raw dog food, or dry dog food, you can effectively relieve your canine’s suffering. We hope this list of the best dog food for allergies helps you find the best food for your canine companion.
For more information about dog allergies, check out:
https://petcentral.chewy.com/dog-allergies-causes-symptoms-and-treatment/
https://petcentral.chewy.com/dog-food-allergies-symptoms-and-treatment/
