The 9 Best Dog Foods For Allergies

Buyer's Guide: Selecting the Best Allergy-Friendly Dog Foods

One thing to keep in mind when purchasing dog food for food allergies is that it is nearly always labeled in two ways: limited ingredient diet (LID) or hypoallergenic. If you are unsure, it is usually advisable to check with your veterinarian and ask for an advice.

LID meals often have fewer ingredients and are less likely to cause a response in your dog. These are also much easier to obtain, while other hypoallergenic meals may require a prescription.

What Are the Causes of Dog Food Allergies?

Food allergies in dogs are most commonly caused by chicken, meat, dairy, and eggs. Many individuals believe that the protein source isn’t a concern, however they may be mistaken.

Those who actually want to know particular triggers should first rule out all environmental triggers before seeing a veterinarian about probable dietary triggers. You’d be amazed how many pet owners don’t believe chicken is to blame for their pets’ health problems.

What Are the Symptoms of Dog Allergies?

If you believe your dog has food allergies, there are a few indicators you should look out for. These are some examples:

• Symptoms of dog allergies
• Hives
• Rashes on the skin
• Itching
• Paws that bite
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Obsessive Licking
• Gas
• Diarrhea
• splotchy coat

Food Intolerance vs. Food Allergy

An allergy is not the same as an intolerance. Your dog’s immune system weakens as a result of food allergies. These issues can be serious, even life-threatening. Food intolerance, on the other hand, is controlled by the digestive system. An allergy will not produce the same sort of reaction. Because you can exclude one specific item, intolerances are easier to treat.

The Advantages of a Hypoallergenic Diet

Hypoallergenic dog diets work best for dogs who have several allergies or intolerances. Poodles, Chihuahuas, and Pomeranians are more prone to these difficulties, and hypoallergenic diets can help alleviate many of the symptoms, such as itching and bloating.

Some dogs require hypoallergenic diets in order to avoid anaphylactic shock. Dogs that consume these foods can continue to enjoy a nice and healthy diet without experiencing any of the discomfort associated with standard kibble diets.

Conclusion

If you came across this post while worrying about your pet’s food allergies, BestForPets (bestforpets.org) hopes our list of today’s best dog foods for allergies helped you make an informed decision. While you may come across certain brands and items that we haven’t examined, it’s good to know what to look for in these products.

According to our investigation of these reviews, Nom Nom Dog Food is the best overall dog food for allergies, Nutro LID food is the greatest value, and Blue Buffalo Basics dog food is the premium pick. You may bring home a kibble that your dog will enjoy the flavor of and feel better eating now that you’ve read about some of the healthiest options available.

Reviews

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.

Pros

• Fewer than 10 ingredients
• Affordable
• Grain-free
• Organic and non-GMO

Cons

• Other tastes may be preferred by some dogs.

 

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.

Pros

• reputable brand
• Duck flesh provides protein.
• Ingredients are simple and restricted.

Cons

• Expensive
• Puppies may not be suited.

 

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.

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

Cons

• Pricey
• Itching may occur in certain dogs.

 

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.

Pros

• Reasonable cost
• Ingredients are few.
• a single source of protein
• Suitable for all breed sizes

Cons

• Strong 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.

Pros

• Pure ingredients
• High protein content
• Six dishes
• Transition phase is brief.

Cons

• Expensive
• Not suitable for puppies

 

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.

Pros

• There are eight genuine food ingredients.
• Reasonably priced
• Free of grains, soy, wheat, and corn

Cons

• Only adult dogs are permitted.
• pronounced seafood taste

 

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.

Pros

• Genuine lamb protein source
• Made in the United States
• There is no odor.

Cons

• Some Chinese components were used.
• Fat content is high.
• Quickly go through little food packs

 

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.

Pros

• Vets rely on this brand.

Cons

• Prescription is required.
• Corn starch is the first component.
• Extremely costly

 

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.

Pros

• Twenty superfoods

Cons

• Only large adult dogs are permitted.
• Some finicky dogs will refuse to eat it.