Dogs are more susceptible to allergies than we think. In fact, a big majority develops some kind of an allergy. It’s quite common in dogs. The most worrisome are food allergies.
Many pet owners have struggled with finding the right dog food for allergies. The thing is, you just have to try so many things or buy some food that you need a vet’s approval from.
That’s why I thought a list of the 5 best dog food for allergies should help some pet owners with allergic dogs. Hopefully, you will find a solution for those nasty skin allergies.
Quick Navigation
Best Dog Food For Allergies Comparison Table
| Product | Features | Check Out The Price |
|---|---|---|
  | - All Natural - High Protein - Grain-Free - Limited Ingredient | ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Dog Food |
  | - Salmon & Rice - High Protein - Prebiotics - Oat Meal | Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin |
  | - Lamb & Brown Rice - Limited Ingredient - Essential Nutrition - Real Meat | Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets |
  | - Veterinary Ingredients - Clinically Tested - Skin Allergies - Environmental Allergies | Hill's Prescription Diet Derm Complete |
  | - Highly Hydrolyzed - Chicken Flavor - Essential Fatty Acids - Food Allergies | Hill's Prescription Diet Skin/Food Sensitivities |
Best Overall
ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Dog Food
Highlighted Features
- All Natural
- High Protein
- Grain-Free
- Limited Ingredient
- Free-Range
When it comes to food for dogs with a sensitive stomach and skin, I would always recommend ZIWI Peak. Made from all-natural sources, a high-quality diet that improves the overall health of the dog. Most importantly, it maintains skin healthy and digestive health.
First of all, this is a limited ingredient diet. One way to solve allergies. Minimizing the diet so you figure out what’s causing the allergy. The dog food is available in 6 flavors, beef, chicken, lamb, venison, lamb, mackerel & lamb, and tripe & lamb.
That is not the only way ZIWI Peak offers a solution to allergies. The food is high protein. High-protein diets are less likely to trigger an allergic reaction from the immune system.
This is grain-free and it doesn’t contain any added carbohydrates to increase its nutritional value. Some products have added grain, potato, or peas that cause a bad reaction. ZIWI Peak contains only air-dried all-natural free-range beef.
Suitable for all ages. A perfect meal that has every dietary need your dog has. Aside from its anti-allergic properties, the food regulates healthy weight, heart health, and dental health as well.
Truly, the best dog food for allergies you can find. All around high-quality. I highly recommend this.
Pros
- All-natural, grass-fed, grain-free.
- Solves allergies with limited ingredient high protein diet.
- Supports joint and dental health.
Cons
- Really expensive.
Best Budget
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin
Highlighted Features
- Salmon & Rice
- High Protein
- Prebiotics
- Oat Meal
- Omega-6
Now, most of the dog food for allergic dogs can be quite expensive. The average dog food has many added fillers that take down the price. With this type of food that isn’t an option. That’s why I’m recommending Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach. A budget dog food for allergies.
An optimized formula with salmon, rice, and oatmeal. A rich nutritious diet that is easy on the digestive system. Enriched with high protein to regulate a healthy stomach.
High in protein, salmon is the main ingredient. This is really good for the dog’s overall health but most importantly it’s less likely to cause an allergic reaction. The oatmeal is just there to ease things up on the stomach. There are no added fillers like corn, wheat, and soy. No added colors or flavors.
It improves skin and coat health as well. This is mainly done with sunflower oil which is rich in Omega-6 fatty acids. This will decrease any skin rash reactions to the food.
There you go, that was the budget option, Purina Pro Plan. Of course, it can’t compare with the all-natural diets that you will find on this list but it’s an option for pet owners on a budget. Still, it’s a good quality option for allergic dogs.
Pros
- High protein, salmon & rice.
- Natural prebiotic fiber.
- Rich in Omega-6.
Cons
- Has oatmeal included as a filler.
Best Runner-Up
Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets
Highlighted Features
- Lamb & Brown Rice
- Limited Ingredient
- Essential Nutrition
- Real Meat
- Gluten-Free
My second-best recommendation would be the Limited Ingredient Diets from Natural Balance. This is a brand that offers high-quality diets with natural and safe formulas. Especially good for finding the right diet combo for a dog with food allergies.
A limited ingredient dog food is one of the best ways to figure out what is causing the allergic reaction. Most of the time, it’s the fillers like soy and peas that are causing the allergies. The Natural Balance limited ingredient diets offer the essential nutrition needs without adding carbohydrate fillers.
This product is available with many different formulas. I listed the lamb & brown rice formula here. You can find the other formulas as well. Lamb and brown rice is the best formula for allergies in my opinion.
The food is enriched with vitamins and minerals crucial for good health. It contains Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin D3, and Vitamin B12 supplements. There is also taurine which provides better heart health. Essential amino acids for better mobility as well.
There you go, that was the runner-up. I would recommend this to anyone figuring out what is causing allergic reactions to the dog. My advice would be to try out small amounts of each formula and see what it works.
Pros
- Provides all dietary needs with two ingredients.
- Rich in vitamins and minerals.
- Maintains healthy skin and coat.
Cons
- Not exactly all-natural.
Best Dog Food For Skin Allergies
Hill’s Prescription Diet Derm Complete
Highlighted Features
- Veterinary Ingredients
- Clinically Tested
- Skin Allergies
- Environmental Allergies
- Food Allergies
Now, we have something really special, a veterinary exclusive diet, the Hill’s Prescription Diet Derm Complete. By far, the best dog food for dogs with severe skin allergies caused by food and environment.
Made out of select ingredients chosen by veterinarians and nutritionists. This type of food you usually get with a prescription but Hill’s offers an online product. It’s made with proteins that are split into their basic amino acids. Because of this, the immune system won’t react to an allergic reaction.
This product is clinically tested and approved. It guarantees visual changes in the skin after 21 days. Perfect for dogs with skin allergies.
Not only that this dog food protects the dog from any allergic reaction to the food but it also protects it from the environment. It forms a barrier around the skin that protects from irritants.
Dog food is specifically designed to stop and prevent skin allergies. It has all the dietary needs dogs have. It also reduces scratching while sleeping.
That was the best dog food for skin allergies. An impressive product. I would put this on top of the list but it’s for a targeted audience. Because it’s so expensive, I only recommend it to pet owners that have dogs with really severe allergies, not only from food but from the environment as well.
Pros
- Veterinary ingredients to stop skin allergies.
- Protects the skin.
- Shows results after 21 days.
Cons
- Really expensive.
Best Hypoallergenic Dog Food
Hill’s Prescription Diet Skin/Food Sensitivities
Highlighted Features
- Highly Hydrolyzed
- Chicken Flavor
- Essential Fatty Acids
- Food Allergies
- Skin Allergies
For the last item on this list, we have the best highly hydrolyzed dog food. Once again we have a Hill’s Prescription Diet, the Skin/Food Sensitivities. Hydrolyzed food is often sold with veterinarian approval, and this is the brand that offers that online.
Again, formulated by veterinarians and nutritionists. With chicken flavor. The food is made with highly hydrolyzed animal protein and single purified carbohydrate sources. This is exceptionally good for food allergies. The most effective way to avoid common food allergens.
Perfect for avoiding those nasty skin allergies. Designed to prevent any adverse effects from food and to maintain healthy skin and coat. It contains essential fatty acids that create a barrier around the skin to protect it from irritants.
A safe formula, clinically tested. A rich diet that provides every nutrition requirement the dog has. It also improves the overall health of the dog. Quite tasty as well, dogs love it.
That was the best hypoallergenic dog food, it comes highly recommended, especially if you are looking for something formulated by veterinarians. If limited ingredient diets didn’t work out for you, you should go with this one.
Pros
- Highly hydrolyzed animal protein.
- Purified carbohydrate sources.
- Protects from skin and food allergies.
Cons
- Very expensive.
Dog Food For Allergies – Buying Guide
Chances are your dog developed an allergy to later on in life. So, you are probably used to normal dog food, and you don’t have any idea about hypoallergenic food. Well, follow this guide to find out more about dog food for allergies.
What Is Dog Food For Allergies
First of all, yes, there is a difference between normal dog food and dog food for allergies. The normal dog food you find in stores usually has highly processed meat in it. That only makes for 50 percent of the ingredients. Because meat is so expensive, they add some carbohydrate fillers to increase the nutritional value.
Those fillers are what usually set off an allergic reaction. It’s not that the immune system won’t react badly to a certain type of meat but the most common allergens come from those fillers.
Dog food for allergies usually comes in two types. There are limited ingredient diets and hypoallergenic dog food.
Limited Ingredient Diet
Since those fillers like soy, wheat, and corn carry the most common allergens, avoiding them will prevent common allergies. One way to do that is by using a limited ingredient diet.
This dog food provides the essential nutritional requirements for a dog using limited ingredients. Usually, it’s a certain type of meat and rice formula. The meat provides essential animal proteins and the rice regulates the digestive system. Sometimes, some vitamins and minerals are added to maintain good health overall.
So, that’s one solution to dog food allergic reactions. If there are essential fatty acids, then there will protection from environmental irritants as well.
By avoiding common allergens, you prevent your dog from developing allergies to those types of food. If the dog develops an allergy to the meat, you can just select a diet with a different type of meat.
Hypoallergenic Dog Food
Instead of using a limited ingredient diet, you can select something that includes fillers but they are not dangerous at all. Hypoallergenic dog food is made out of essential proteins that are split into basic amino acids. This makes the allergens invisible to the immune system.
That’s why these types of food contain fillers but they are completely harmless. This is mostly used for dogs with severe allergies. Usually, as a last resort. Pinpointing the source of the allergies is quite hard with dogs. So, hypoallergenic dog food is the only solution.
Hypoallergenic dog food is usually bought with approval from a veterinarian. Fortunately, you can find some products like this online. These are formulated by veterinarians and nutritionists.
Healthy Digestion
Besides the protection from allergies, you should always look for food that supports healthy digestion. The thing is, foods that will upset a dog’s stomach are more likely to cause a reaction. So, you should keep your dog’s digestive system healthy and balanced.
As already mentioned, dog food that has rice or some other ingredient to regulate digestion is best. The best way to stop allergies is to prevent them from ever happening.
Vitamins & Minerals
Whether you are going for a L.I.D or hypoallergenic food, look for something with vitamin supplements. Chances are the ingredients used won’t have everything the dog needs in nutritional values. Vitamin and mineral supplements solve this problem.
These are not crucial because you can just add them later on. Vitamins and minerals are just used to support overall good health.
Price
Now, as you could see, none of this dog food is cheap. In fact, dog food for allergies can get quite expensive. The reason being, most people buy normal dog food until there is an allergic reaction.
Dog food for allergies also costs more to produce, so that’s that. So, my advice is to still be careful with your budget. Don’t stock up because you may go back to normal food. Go for that really expensive top-notch stuff only when there are severe allergies.
Related FAQs to Best Dog Food Good For Allergies
What Food Is Best For Dogs With Itchy Skin
High-protein fish-based limited ingredient dog food is best for dogs with itchy skin. This is high in protein and high in fat. The protein helps with allergic reactions from food and the fat protects the skin from environmental allergies. Hypoallergenic food can also help.
What Is The Most Common Ingredient In Dog Food That Causes Allergies
The most common allergens in dog food come from soy or corn. Food from animal sources can also cause allergens but the meat is easy to substitute, the fillers are not.
Does Freezing Dry Dog Food Keep It Fresh
Unfortunately, freezing dry dog food and then thawing it may cause mold to develop. It is best to keep it in its original packaging, place it in an airtight container, and keep the container in a cool, dry place. Only attempt to freeze it when you plan to open it for more than a month.
To keep it as fresh as possible, try to only finish 1 month’s worth of dry food before buying it again.
