What are food allergies?
To identify what the best dog food for dogs with allergies is, you first need to understand food allergies and how they manifest.
Allergies, intolerances and hypersensitivities can cause similar symptoms yet be difficult to differentiate without a vet’s assistance.
Dog owners often learn their furry best friend is allergic to a food after they’ve been exposed to an allergen that causes symptoms to appear.
While allergies and hypersensitivities both involve an immunologic reaction to food, an intolerance is not connected to the immune symptoms.
In dogs, food allergies often show up as an itch, unlike in humans where we could experience a serious or fatal reaction, or throat swelling depending on the severity of our allergy.
If your dog has a food allergy, he or she may suffer from other unpleasant symptoms, such as:
- Diarrhea
- Gassiness
- Red or inflamed skin
- Skin rashes or scabs
- Vomiting
- Itchiness that causes your dog to bite or scratch their skin, paws or ears
- Chronic ear infections
A range of ingredients can cause food allergies in dogs. Some of the more common ingredients include wheat, beef, chicken, dairy, and eggs.
If your vet performs a physical exam that leads to discovering your dog has a food allergy, there is hope - in the form of special foods formulated especially for dogs with allergies.
The Best Dog Foods for Dogs with Allergies
Overall: Taste of The Wild Grain Free Premium Dry Dog Food Pacific Stream Adult - Salmon
Price: $29.99 for 14-pound bag
This recipe is egg-free but rich in omega fatty acids to help keep your furry friend’s fur shiny and smooth, and his skin healthy. The fish oil should effectively calm their stomach and skin, while the tasty smoked salmon satisfies his cravings.
Other recipes in Wellness’s Simple line include duck, lamb, and salmon-based ingredients.
Grain-Free: Brothers Complete Advanced Allergy Lamb Meal and Egg
Price: $80.99 for 25-pound bag
With dried whole eggs, turkey and lamb meals, cassava root and peas, this limited ingredient grain-free recipe will satisfy adults and puppies at all life stages.
Grain-Free: Canidae Grain Free PURE (Sea)
Price: $37.99 for 12-pound bag
For dogs with sensitive stomachs and food sensitivities, this diet’s limited ingredients will decrease the risk of allergic reactions in your sensitive canine.
Salmon is the main ingredient in their Sea diet, but other recipes in the PURE line also include boar, lamb, buffalo, venison, chicken, and duck.
Do you suspect your dog has a food allergy? Our veterinarians have experience in diagnosing and treating food allergies in pets. Book an appointment today.
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