Best Food for Dogs with Allergies

If your furbaby is suffering from itchy, red skin, unusual poops, eating a lot of grass or stomach issues it could be that they have an allergy of some kind. Consulting a dog allergies guide could help you to identify this. It is possible that this common symptom is accompanied by other issues, such as diarrhea, vomiting and even ear problems. 

Allergies do need to be confirmed by a veterinarian, as often it is more likely a food intolerance than an actual allergy. Treatment is generally the same, which includes choosing the best dog food for allergies and slowly introducing it. 

Dog food for allergies is usually highly digestible, often grain free and is supercharged with lots of good protein for optimal health.

Common Causes of Allergies in Dogs

Your furbaby can suffer from a range of different allergies. If you have hay fever or cannot eat a certain food, you will know why not to leave your dog’s allergies undiagnosed.

Flea allergies

The most common skin disease in dogs, a flea bite allergy is a reaction to flea saliva on their skin. 

Symptoms include severely itchy skin which can cause secondary infections, hair loss and scabbing. 

Food allergies

These aren’t entirely common, amounting to 10% of allergies in dogs. Your dog will more likely present with a food intolerance than an allergy. 

It is often the protein found in beef, dairy, soy, wheat, eggs and chicken that your dog will be allergic to and can present as a skin condition or a gastrointestinal complaint. 

Environmental factors

Often caused by dust, pollen or mould, this kind of allergic reaction is often seasonal. Yes, dogs can have hay fever too.

Understanding how to deal with your dog’s environmental allergies can improve its quality of life, as itching and respiratory issues can be uncomfortable.

Identifying Symptoms of Allergies in Dogs

Excessive itching and scratching, redness, frequent ear infections and respiratory or gastrointestinal issues are all common symptoms of allergies in dogs. Whenever you are concerned about the well-being of your furbaby, reaching out to a professional is going to be a good idea.

If you’re looking for possible causes of your furbaby sneezing a lot, it might be useful to know when to visit the vet for your dog allergies. They can help you to identify the signs your dog has pollen allergies, or help you to understand the other kinds of allergic reactions your furbaby might be having. 

A vet can guide the common symptoms of dog allergies. They can even do a dog food allergy test to give concrete evidence of an allergic reaction so that you can take steps to remove that ingredient from their diet. 

You should see positive results following this pretty quickly.

Best Food for Dogs with Allergies

Treating food allergies in dogs can be tricky. There are several diets available, offering dog food for dogs with allergies or dog food for sensitive skin. You can combine these with home remedies for dogs with skin allergies to help treat their condition. 

Good dog food for allergies will usually be grain-free, have limited ingredients or be hypoallergenic to cover a broad base of common reactions that dogs can have.

Limited Ingredient Food

As the name suggests, this would be a diet with fewer ingredients involved so that you can narrow down what it is that your furbaby is allergic to. 

Once you have identified the culprit, which can take some time, you can confidently take steps to eliminate it from their diet. Limited ingredient diets do come in a range of different flavours, so you shouldn’t be concerned about finding one that your furbaby enjoys. 

Hypoallergenic Food

These diets use unique protein sources that your furbaby’s body will not recognise, therefore it will not cause a reaction. Often, the proteins have been hydrolysed, or split, breaking down the protein and making it ‘invisible’ to your dog’s antibodies. 

Prescription dog food

For those with more severe allergic reactions, a veterinarian can prescribe recommended dog food. Hypoallergenic dog food can be prescribed, as well as other novel protein diets that are available. 

It is imperative that you stick to this prescription diet to see the results of it, diverting and offering snacks will only cause your furbaby further discomfort. 

Grain-free dog food

Grain is a common allergen, with many dogs being sensitive to corn, wheat or other grains, so converting to a grain-free diet could be recommended. These diets also have the benefit of being gluten-free. 

Choosing a grain-free diet may also improve your furbaby’s health by reducing the chances of obesity, as too many carbohydrates can be detrimental, giving too much of the wrong kind of energy.

Major Categories of Dog Food for Itchy Dogs

The common causes and solutions of why your dog is itchy include allergic reactions to environmental changes or food and identifying and removing them. Managing seasonal allergies in dogs can be tricky, but removing an ingredient from their diet is a little easier. 

Fish-based diets

It is rare for a dog to have a seafood allergy, and dogs on a fish-based diet also benefit from the skin-supporting nutrients found in the available fish oils. Fish-based diets and food that contain good levels of fish oil are great for dogs with itchy skin.

Hydrolysed diets

A hydrolysed diet breaks down the protein to make it unrecognisable to your dog’s immune system. Often prescribed by a veterinarian as an effective elimination diet strategy, you introduce one protein source at a time to identify the allergic trigger.

Skincare diets

Dog food that specialises in catering to skin allergies is formulated to provide extra skin support where environmental or flea-based allergies are more prominent and are unsettling your furbaby.

Novel protein diets

Otherwise known as a ‘new meat source’, this would be a diet consisting of a protein that your dog hasn’t eaten before as they are less likely to be allergic to it. Such unique meats include venison, rabbit, bison or kangaroo.

Take Home Message

When your furbaby has allergies, choosing the right diet can support their well-being. Depending on the allergy that your furbaby suffers from, either removing the protein source causing issues from their diet or providing them with supportive nutrients and treats designed to ease their symptoms can be an effective treatment solution. 

Be sure to consult a flea treatment guide for pet owners if your dog is frequently scratching as itching is both a common symptom of an allergic reaction and of fleas, which your dog may also be allergic to. Caring for your dog’s internal and external health is just one of the many parts of being a great pet parent.