Best Dog Food for Allergies: Top 5 Options

Dogs, like humans, are susceptible to health issues. And like humans, allergies are extremely common — from food allergies to skin allergies. If your furry friend has one or more of these common complaints, investing in the best dog food for allergies is one way to alleviate the symptoms. There are so many dog foods on the market, so which are best for allergies?

How Dog Food Can Help Pets with Allergies

The right dog food can help pets with a variety of allergies. This comes down to the process of making the food and what ingredients are in it.

1. Identifying Food Allergies

There are a few ingredients that dogs are commonly allergic to. These include:

• Beef
• Chicken
• Dairy
• Wheat
• Soy

By identifying these allergens, you can now manage and avoid them. Buy food that doesn’t include the specific allergen that affects your dog. Your veterinarian can help with that and identify a list of what causes an allergic reaction.

2. Hypoallergenic Dog Food

Dog food that has fewer ingredients may be appropriate for your dog.

• Limited-ingredient foods often use novel proteins like duck and venison that dogs aren’t commonly exposed to.
• You can also go with hydrolyzed protein diets because it means that these proteins have been broken down into smaller molecules, making it less likely to trigger allergic reactions.

3. Grain-Free Diets

You can also decide to go with grain-free diets. Some dogs are allergic to grains like wheat or corn and so grain-free diets eliminate these ingredients. You can choose alternative sources of carbohydrates like sweet potatoes or peas, which are less likely to cause allergic reactions.

4. Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Dog foods that are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, they can help reduce inflammation and support healthy skin. This will, in turn, alleviate symptoms caused by allergies like itching or redness. These fatty acids also promote a healthy coat and skin.

5. Probiotics and Prebiotics

Just like with humans, probiotics and prebiotics are good for gut health. If you want to strengthen a dog’s immune system, they support digestive health and ensure that your dog isn’t as sensitive when they eat food. These supplements also can help boost your dog’s overall immune response.

6. Avoiding Artificial Additives

Preservatives and dies can trigger allergic reactions in dogs. That’s why you should choose natural, additive dog food, which reduces the exposure to potential allergens. Just like with human food, high-quality ingredients make a difference because they’re less likely to contain allergens and irritants.

7. Customized and Veterinary Diets

There are many dog food companies out there that customize diets to the specific dog. There are also dog food companies that will tailor dog food to a dog specific allergies and health needs. These diets are prescribed by veterinarians or pet nutritionists in our design to address those specific dietary restrictions.

8. Rotational Diets

Sometimes it can be beneficial to rotate diets. If you regularly change the protein source and key ingredients, it can prevent the development of food allergies. This is because it minimizes the prolonged exposure to a single protein or carbohydrate source. It also ensures your dog receives a balanced intake of nutrients. This strengthens their immune system and also reduces the risk of allergic reactions.

9. Homemade Diets

Making meals for your dog is another way to help with severe allergies because owners have full control over the ingredients. Homemade food can also be beneficial to dogs that have various sensitivities or medical conditions. The only caveat to this is that you should consult with a veterinarian to see what food and diets are the best for your dog.

10. Nutritional Supplements

Nutritional supplements may not be dog food, but they can certainly help dogs with allergies. Supplements like fish oil, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, can reduce skin inflammation and improve the condition of a dog’s coat. There are other supplements like colostrum or quercetin that are known to boost the immune systems and reduce allergies of dogs.

Most Common Food Allergy Symptoms

When dogs are allergic to something in their food, they will most likely react in a way that is noticeable. Here are some ways a dog could react to food allergies.

• Chronic ear infections
• Redness or itchiness in the feet or in between their toes
• Patchy hair loss along the neck or trunk
• Itchiness in the ears (they will chronically scratch their ears or shake their head)
• Redness of the skin in the inner ear
• Skin infections that are constant or never go away (usually they will contain bacteria or yeast)
• Ear Hematomas
• Chronic Pododermatitis

Best Dog Food for Allergies

Some dog food brands are better than others. And then there are some dog food brands that are perfect for dogs with allergies. Let’s take a look at the best dog food for allergies.

1. The Farmer’s Dog

The Farmer’s Dog touts itself as a dog food company that uses natural ingredients. The company was founded after one of the co-founders’ dogs suffered from severe digestive issues.

• High-Quality Ingredients: The Farmer’s Dog uses human-grade ingredients in their recipes. This means your dog won’t be eating harmful additives, by-products and preservatives.
• Personalized Meal Plans: Every one of The Farmer’s Dog meal plans is customized to fit your dog’s age, breed, size and specific dietary needs. It also sends you pre-portioned meals so that your dog receives proper serving sizes.
• Fantastic Health Benefits: There are so many benefits of eating fresh, human-grade food. Those include fresher breath, a healthier, reduced skin issues and smaller, cleaner poops.

2. Nom Nom

Nom Nom collaborates with veterinary nutritionists so that their food is fresh, nutritious and healthy for all dogs. There are also many other reasons why Nom Nom is a great dog food company for dogs with allergies.

• High-Quality Ingredients: Nom Nom uses fresh, human grade ingredients. There are no additives or artificial preservatives added, too. All of this makes sure that your dog gets a nutritional balance with all of their meals.
• Personalization: Each of Nom Nom’s meal plans is tailored to fit your dog’s age, breed, size, weight and health needs. There are also specific dietary options.
• Transparency and Sustainability: Nom Nom also provides detailed information about where the ingredients are sourced and uses sustainable packaging.

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3. Just Food For Dogs

Just Food For Dogs is a great brand to buy when your dog is suffering from allergies. They have specific meals you can buy for various health issues, too. Just Food For Dogs has various thumbs-ups that are key.

• High-Quality Ingredients: Just Food For Dogs uses fresh ingredients for all of their meals — whether they are fresh, frozen meals or homemade DIY meals.
• Nutritional Balance: All meals are always nutritious and contain the balanced nutrients your dogs need to live a happy and healthy life. These nutrients lead to excellent health benefits, too.
• Transparency and Science-Based: Just Food For Dogs lists the sources of where they get their food, providing transparency to the consumer. They are also in tune to scientific evidence and they rely on pet nutritionists to get the ingredients right on their meals.

4. Canidae Grain Free

Canidae Grain Free uses high quality ingredients with a grain-free formulation. This is why it’s a great option for dogs with grain allergies.

• High-Quality Ingredients: Canidae Grain Free provides dogs with high-quality protein, as well as ensuring there are no fillers, preservatives, or artificial additives.
• Grain Free Formula: The grain-free formula reduces the risk of digestive issues and skin problems. Instead, they use alternative carbohydrate sources like lentils, peas, or sweet potatoes.
• Balanced Nutrition: All meals contain probiotics, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which provides dogs with better digestive health and better skin and coat health. All meals also provide dogs with a complete and balanced nutrition.

5. Royal Canin Veterinary Diet (RX)

Royal Canin uses high-quality ingredients, but they are also famous for creating high-grade veterinary diets, as well. This is a life-changer because you can now pick out dog food that is specific to your dog’s allergies or health issues.

• ​​High-Quality Ingredients: Royal Canin uses fresh, high quality ingredients in all of their meals — and contains no additives or preservatives.
• Breed-Specific Formulas: Royal Canin offers formulas that are not only breed-specific, but also considers a variety of factors such as size, age and common health issues.
• Positive Health Impact: Many dogs experience positive health impacts including more energy, lesser digestive issues, shinier coats, and healthier skin.
• Veterinary Diets: Royal Canin has a wide range of prescription veterinary diets for any dog suffering from specific medical conditions including heart issues, allergies, renal failure, gastrointestinal issues, and even weight loss.

Becoming Educated and Aware

It’s important to be educated about your dog’s allergies and health. Make sure you understand the labels on dog food — if they use high quality ingredients and transparent labeling, chances are it’s a good choice for your dog. Don’t be afraid of trial and error, because it may take a few tries before you find the right food for your pup. And of course, consult with your vet.

Here’s a quick list of how you can be better educated and aware about pet nutrition and dog foods.

• Understanding Ingredients: Be knowledgeable about common allergies that are found in dog food and how to minimize the risk of triggering these allergic reactions. Also, you should read labels so that you can avoid any harmful allergens to your dog.
• Quality Over Cost: Be aware of the differences between high quality and low quality dog food. Just simply looking at the ingredients can be a life changer. Look out for dog food to have fewer fillers and more nutrients.
• Tailoring to Specific Needs: Choose dog food companies that will customize their meals to their specific age, breed, weight, and health issues they may have.
• Staying Informed: You should always stay informed about new developments in pet nutrition because that could give you insights into the various allergies the dogs May receive. By being well informed, it will make it easier to have meaningful discussions with your veterinarian and be able to make good decisions about your dog’s diet and overall health.
• Prevention and Proactiveness: Lastly, by being proactive and your dog’s health and diet, you can understand the science of food allergies and how to interview early. you can potentially prevent more severe health issues down the road. Also, you should always monitor your dog’s response to their diet, so you can make necessary adjustments.

Bottom Line

And there you have it, these are the best dog food brands for allergies. Managing a dog’s allergies can be tough work. It requires a proactive approach so they lead a happy and healthy life. When you identify food allergens, with the help of pet nutritionists, you can choose specific diets. These diets will help your dog greatly.

Tailoring your dog’s diet to their specific needs by choosing dog food brands that are specific to their dietary needs and to their allergies is important. This will be a life changer for your dog because their quality of life will increase. Your lovable pup won’t be in pain anymore and they can lead a happy and healthy life.

When your dog is being transported, healthy food and plenty of water is extremely important. The dog-loving transporters on CitizenShipper have experience with feeding and storing fresh food while on the road. If you need to transport a dog, look no further than our #1-rated dog transportation marketplace.

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Disclaimer: CitizenShipper is a partner of The Farmer’s Dog and may earn commissions by referring customers.