When selecting food for your four legged friend you take great care. You need to make sure he or she is getting as much nourishment as possible. Your pets devote their lives to you and in feeding them correctly you have a chance of giving something back to them that will impact their entire lives.
Some pets have specific needs regarding their food requirements such as being allergic to yeast. You need to make sure their food is exactly what their bodies need because they may have adverse reactions if the necessary nutrients aren’t found in their food or the wrong ingredients influences their well-being.
This is when you need to look at hypoallergenic food. These types of dog food are designed to help dogs whose allergies are negatively impacted by general dog food. If they don’t eat hypoallergenic dog food, their skin may start itching or their hair falls out. They can also become lethargic. You can prevent this by buying the correct food which incorporates the correct nutrients and leaves out potential risky substances. There are quite a few hypoallergenic dog food types to choose from for you to find one that works for your dog’s preference in taste as well as its health.
Buying guide
Hypoallergenic dog food is made from ingredients that don’t exacerbate an already weak immune system or activate allergic reactions. In the same way humans have allergies, dogs can have them too. By keeping an eye on which types of food has adverse effects on your dog, you learn which ingredients aren’t beneficial for him or her. Ingredients which are usually not included in the manufacturing of hypoallergenic dog food are:
- Wheat
- Artificial flavor
- Artificial coloring
- Meat by-products
You’re left with dog food containing quality natural ingredients which have less chance of aggravating your dog’s digestive and immune system. So what options can you choose from when you go shopping for your pet’s next bag of food? Underneath are listed a variety of dry dog food options with the focus on alleviating allergic reactions and preventing new ones.
Our picks for the best dog food for skin allergies
Holistic Select Natural Anchovy
Features
Holistic Select combines many features of the ideal hypoallergenic dog food into one. Holistic Select Natural Anchovy contains natural ingredients and no artificial preservatives, wheat or meat by-products. This creates the ideal product for your pet’s health. Because Holistic Select has been producing healthy dog food products for 10 years you can trust them to know which ingredients are ideal. Their experience makes them trustworthy and you can have faith in what they offer customers and their pets. This brand’s food assists dogs’ bodies in getting and staying healthy. How is it done?
Pros
Holistic Select Natural Anchovy has various characteristics which makes it an ideal dog food choice:
- It contains no wheat or meat by-products which can cause allergic reactions. Only real protein—sourced from anchovy, sardines and salmon—is contained in this dog food.
- No artificial preservatives, coloring or flavors are used.
- Natural fibers and digestive enzymes are taken up when eating this type of dog food. This assists your pet’s body to break down food correctly. By making sure the digestive process functions optimally, the correct types and amounts of nutrients are transported and absorbed throughout the digestive system, such as:
- The pre- and probiotics in this food is good for your dog’s body as it keeps its gut in a healthy state of functioning.
- The company’s 10 years of experience ensures their dog food is the product of great knowledge and expertise.
- This is a tasty dog food option most dogs love. As there’s more than one flavor available in the Holistic Select range, you can test them all out and settle on the one your dog loves most so you don’t have to worry whether he will eat his food.
- The company is committed to excellence and revered for delivering quality pet food.
Cons
While this is a great option for dog food with many happy customers choosing this above all other types, there are factors which may influence your choice:
- This dog food is quite expensive. It is one of the higher priced hypoallergenic dog foods currently on the market. While the price is paired with great quality, the severity of your dog’s allergies will determine whether this is the appropriate option for your dog as well as your budget.
- This dog food is made in the US but certain ingredients are sourced from other countries, including China. The safety of those ingredients can therefore not be verified. Dog owners may feel strongly about buying items that aren’t exclusively US made.
- It doesn’t have a high amount of meat as part of its ingredients. This influences its taste.
Summary
Holistic Select is focused on producing excellent products for your dog’s overall health. The company has a range of hypoallergenic products which confirms their focus on helping dog owners acquire a healthy source for their pets’ diets. With no artificial preservatives and no wheat or meat by-products it’s surely a worthy candidate to assist your pet’s return to health.
Taste of the Wild Canine Formula
Features
Your pet will love this brand due to it being very tasty. This characteristic translates into effortless feeding times as well as easy transition from other brands. Apart from its great taste, it assists dogs’ bodies to become and stay healthy because it’s grain free & filled with many natural products.
Pros
Taste of the Wild is an exciting choice from its name right through to the effect it will have on your pet:
- It’s great tasting—because of real meat making up part of its ingredients—so you won’t have to struggle to get your dog to eat.
- By not containing any wheat there is less of a chance of your dog’s allergies acting up.
- Taste of the Wild supplements its meat ingredients with vegetables—such as potatoes and peas. This formula also contains fruits. These ingredients deliver antioxidants to the dogs’ bodies. Antioxidants are vital for your dog’s health as they fight the effects of oxidation, which happens as cells age.
- Though any special diet is more expensive than regular dog food, Taste of the Wild is a more affordable hypoallergenic dog food option which still delivers great results.
- Improved health of your dog translates into:
- More energy.
- Healthier coat with less hair falling out and less scratching due to itchy, dry skin.
- Your dog will want to eat, instead of you having to struggle to get him to digest a few pellets.
Cons
There are a few factors to consider that may play a role in your animal’s specific health condition as Taste of the Wild uses the following ingredients in their product:
- Brewers yeast: While this is rich in minerals, some dogs are allergic to yeast. You’ll have to test and see what effect the food has on your dog.
- Canola oil: This item is sometimes genetically modified. GMO’s can have negative effects on a living organism’s body.
Summary
Taste of the Wild is an ideal choice if your furry friend struggles with allergies. This is because it’s a tasty hypoallergenic food which they will love to eat. The ingredients will have a positive effect on their digestive system as well as outside on their skin, coat as well as their energy levels.
Features
You don’t want your dog to be in constant torment with skin irritations or stomach pain. Your answer is found in the Purina Pro Plan formula, because they focus on giving your dog exactly what he or she needs. By using natural products—such as salmon—containing the necessary nutrients and leaving out wheat and preservatives, your pet can regain its energy and lustre.
Pros
A great dog food helps all aspects of your dog’s system. This is true of Purina Pro Plan:
- Dogs love the taste, so you’ll be able to transition him or her easily onto a new diet plan.
- The protein source is salmon which is rich in many nutrients.
- It contains no wheat; only rice and oatmeal which is digested easily
- There are no artificial colorants or flavorings. This means there is less chance of an allergic reaction to this food.
- This dog food contains Omega-6 Fatty acids as well as Zinc. These nutritious elements are ideal to promote a good skin and coat.
Cons
This dog food brand is more expensive than some other brands which offer the same type of nutrition. Your dog’s needs will determine whether this is the ideal option for him or her.
- Purina contains a few ingredients that aren’t always beneficial to a dog’s diet:
- Canola oil may be genetically modified depending on the source. GMO’s aren’t ideal for allergic dogs.
- Products with low nutritional value such as brewers rice, wheat and corn gluten meal.
Summary
Purina has done an excellent job in creating a tasty and healthy hypoallergenic dog food. The company’s 85 years of knowledge and experience reflect in their great products.
Nutro Ultra Senior Dry Dog Food
Features
An intense selection process culminates in this excellent product which combines many healthy natural products into one. This allows your pet to gain all the benefits of the sources with just one helping. This specific item in Nutro’s product range is designed to benefit older dogs so your ageing friend can carry on having quality of life. Getting older does not have to translate into deterioration!
Pros
This brand’s excellent ingredients form the ideal combination of nutrients from its many different sources:
- Fruit and vegetable sources—such as sun-ripened cranberries & tomatoes—supply antioxidants. This vital nutrient assists your dog’s immune system.
- By sourcing meat from animals known for not causing allergic reactions, Nutro creates a tasty dog food due to its natural products and is also healthy! Chicken, lamb and salmon from natural environments bring with them necessary amino acids & nutrients which benefit your dog’s muscles.
- Fatty acids help your dog acquire a healthy skin and coat. These acids are provided by the brown rice, oats, flaxseed and sunflower oil.
The brand is available in many different size packages. To save yourself money, you can choose a small bag to start with to see whether your dog will eat it.
Cons
- An expensive dog food option can also be seen as an investment, as it may benefit your dog’s life for many years to come. This brand is one you must try out and see if its effect is worth its price.
Summary
Nutro does a great job in creating an all-round beneficial product to ensure your dog’s health. It also helps if your dog needs special care due to allergies. This product is exceptional because it caters for older dogs. This means you can rest assured your senior dog is looked after and can have a healthy life for as long as possible.
Outback Kangaroo Feast Dehydrated Dog food
Features
These items are expertly dehydrated in a state of the art manner that dries the products so they can’t spoil, but none of the vital nutrients are lost in the process. This leaves you with a great tasting product—because it’s real meat being used—with none of the by-products that cause allergies to act up.
Pros
- Great tasting dog food available in a variety of flavors which means you can keep your dog’s diet interesting.
- This is a company focused on providing safe and healthy options for your pet’s dinner time. That’s why they don’t use any ingredients originating from China.
- Animals are sourced from the wild or they’re free range. You can be assured no GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) or antibiotics form part of your pet’s diet. Such items can cause havoc in your pet’s digestive system.
- Meat is sourced from Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand is listed as one of the healthiest countries in terms of pollution and water sources. This translates into the meat products being of exceptional quality because the animals are raised in healthy conditions.
Cons
- Not many additional nutrients are added to the dog food. You have to determine whether the nutrients that are present are enough for your dog’s state of health.
- This food is quite expensive compared to other dog food products.
- Many of the minerals contained in this brand aren’t chelated, meaning they’re not combined with organic molecules to make them more easily absorbent. When minerals aren’t chelated they may simply pass through the digestive tract without being taken up in the body. A dog food may contain nutritious items but it doesn’t mean it will end up in the dog’s system to help him.
Summary
It’s exciting to see what technology and new ideas can do for the pet food industry. By manufacturing a quality meat product that can’t spoil and has all the nutrients dogs need, you’re given a great product in the most natural manner possible, while being dry so you can store it for a long period of time. You need to weigh its benefits against its price and see if this is the answer to your dog’s health problems.
Final Verdict
Choosing a dog food brand and product is an important task. Your pet’s overall health is directly impacted by the type of food he or she takes in. Special needs can be catered for but it will turn into greater expenses. For the lovers of natural products Outback Kangaroo Feast is an excellent option. Taking price into account though you may opt to try one of the others first such as Purina which is chosen by many champion dog owners across the world.
You would be wise by starting with small amounts of whichever brand you choose. This will give you an indication of whether your pet loves the taste as well as whether his or her body reacts well to it. With a range of options, you can find the perfect way of replacing or supplementing your best friend’s diet with a hypoallergenic type of food that’s best for him or her.
The Addiction brand ventured in a unique direction with the manufacturing of their products for your pets. Instead of turning to the usual ingredient list they offer your dog real meat products, mixed with other natural products.
