Finding hypoallergenic dog food can be difficult because there are so many different brands and types of dog food available. Additionally, it is pricey since ingredients that are frequently included in hypoallergenic formulas—such as bison, venison, and duck—cost more. In this post, we examine the possibilities, ranging from the best hypoallergenic dog diets at a reasonable price to the best premium formulations on the market. Let’s start with the fundamentals regarding food allergies in dogs.
Hypoallergenic Dog Food: What Is It?
A basic combination of components and a unique protein not generally included in most commercial dog diets are used to make hypoallergenic dog food. Usually, the ingredient list is brief and made up of items that puppies are unlikely to have eaten before, such as potatoes and meats like duck, venison, or even kangaroo.
Pet parents can steer clear of their dog’s common triggers by feeding them food made from a small number of unusual ingredients. Although it can be quite beneficial, you usually won’t have much luck picking up any bag of food labeled as “hypoallergenic” off the shelf. You must first have a thorough idea of what your dog is allergic to, or at least where you’d like to start testing, in order to know which hypoallergenic dog food to purchase.
What Allergens Are Found Most Frequently in Dog Food?
Dogs’ immune systems may react by exhibiting symptoms including itchy skin, sneezing, and a sensitive stomach when they consume an allergen. Testing your dog for dog food allergies is a recommended first step if you believe they are experiencing an allergic reaction and you’ve ruled out other prevalent causes. Your veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist can assist you in determining how to improve your dog’s health if you have some information in hand.
Dog food intolerances and allergies are typically inherited genetically from parents to offspring. Food allergies prevent some proteins from being digested by dogs (and the most common allergens are nearly all proteins). When you choose a hypoallergenic dog food that doesn’t include the proteins your dog is allergic to, you can put a stop to your dog’s symptoms.
The following foods are the most frequently problematic ones for dogs with allergies:
- Beef \sDairy \sWheat \sCorn \sEgg \sChicken \sLamb
- Soy \sPork
- Rabbit \sFish
The Best Dog Food for Allergies
One of the simplest methods to get around your dog’s food allergy is to purchase pet food that doesn’t cause an allergic reaction. Two affordable formulas are among the best hypoallergenic dog foods that we’ve compiled. These limited-ingredient diets, also referred to as LIDs, will make it easier for you to monitor what your dog eats and doesn’t eat.
Skin/Food Sensitivity Prescription Diet from Hill’s
One meal that your vet can suggest to start treating your dog’s food allergies is Hill’s d/d formula. It’s a basic, hypoallergenic dog food that will assist in restoring your dog’s health. You can choose from deer, salmon, or duck in the grain- and soy-free d/d recipes, and each uses a single protein source. Some of those recipes also have moist variations that you can locate.
Recipes for Open Farm’s Dry Dog Food (Verified Review)
For puppies with food sensitivities, the Open Farm line of kibbles provides a wide variety of options. It’s simple to stay away from your dog’s allergens because to the variety of novel-protein meals available in both grain-inclusive and grain-free forms, including salmon, venison, lamb, and whitefish. We really appreciate the company’s transparent sourcing, which allows you to enter the lot code of your box to see exactly where each item is sourced. Our test dogs gave the kibble four paws up, even one who was a notoriously finicky eater. Get 20% off your first auto-ship order with the promo code ROVER20.
Grain-free Natural Hypoallergenic Recipe from Blue Buffalo
Its single source of animal protein—in this case, salmon—along with its simple-to-digest carbohydrate sources make this Blue Buffalo Basics dog food a terrific choice for hypoallergenic dog food. It contains a mix of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which support good skin, as well as antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, which support immune system health. This salmon and potato recipe is made with premium ingredients that are easy on your dog’s digestive system and contain no chicken, meat, corn, wheat, soy, dairy, or eggs.
Ollie Dog Food Subscription (Verified Review)
Pet owners looking for fresh dog chow with few ingredients might choose Ollie. Their recipes are devoid of common allergens like corn, soy, or wheat and contain only one animal protein (we tried the chicken, but they also offer beef, turkey, and lamb for dogs who have chicken sensitivity). A veterinary nutritionist creates the foods. A balance of vitamins, minerals, and fibre for digestion is revealed by the whole ingredient list on their website. Before they test out a meal, you may even tell them about your dog’s allergies in their onboarding quiz.
Wellness Hypoallergenic dog food from Simple LID
The Wellness Simple food line (available in both wet and kibble formats) incorporates whole single proteins and meat meals (meat meal is a low-cost, high-protein product made by boiling all the water out of the meat) in addition to other high-quality, easily identifiable components. The end result is a medium-priced, high-quality dog food that is hypoallergenic. Salmon, duck, lamb, turkey, and other meats are available.
Dog food from Purina Beyond Simply LID for Adults with Allergies
Nine natural components, including chicken as the first ingredient, were used in the creation of Purina’s limited-ingredient dog food recipe. This food is a reasonably priced hypoallergenic dog food and contains no wheat, soy, or corn.
Rachel Ray’s Just 6 Nutrish Hypoallergenic Food
This cuisine with little ingredients won’t strain your wallet. You inquire as to what the six components are. Brown rice, crushed rice, beet pulp, chicken fat, and natural pork flavoring are all used in lamb meal. Meat meal is a cheap, grain-free, limited-ingredient, hypoallergenic diet because it contains concentrated protein from the meat.
