best hypoallergenic dog food uk for small dogs
Top UK Vet Guide: 10 Best Hypoallergenic Dog Foods for Sensitive Canines
Benefits for Dogs with Sensitive Skin
As a hypoallergenic formula, Eukanuba Sensitive Skin stands out for its ability to reduce adverse reactions in dogs with sensitivities. The recipe starts with fish as its sole animal protein source. Compared to common triggers like chicken, beef or dairy, fish proteins are less likely to cause an immune response in sensitive dogs. This minimizes uncomfortable symptoms like itchy skin, rashes, and excessive scratching.
Over time, feeding this diet can strengthen the skin barrier and help sensitive skin better withstand inflammation. Omega-3s and omega-6s from natural sunflower oil enhance skin health further by reducing dryness and inflammation. With its hypoallergenic properties and blend of nutrients, Eukanuba Sensitive Skin gradually improves skin issues to enhance comfort. Owners report dogs with long-time problems like hot spots or recurring ear infections see a reduction in flare-ups.
By meeting nutritional needs while avoiding allergy triggers, this formula gives dogs with sensitivities the building blocks for healthy skin. Over time, skin becomes less reactive and more resilient. Dogs feel better, free of the chronic itching and irritation of allergies. This promotes happier pups and improves quality of life tremendously.
Nutritional Composition and Dental Health
At its core, Eukanuba Sensitive Skin provides complete and balanced nutrition for adult dogs. With fish as the sole animal protein source, it offers exemplary amino acid nutrition without common triggers. Natural sunflower oil provides omega-6s and omega-3s to nourish skin while vitamin E and zinc serve as antioxidants for immune health.
Eukanubas exclusive dental defense system sets this formula apart in promoting good oral health. The kibble features a special crispy shell and firm core clinically proven to reduce tartar buildup by up to 80%. As it crunches, the texture and fibers scrape away plaque and slow its return. Owners note cleaner teeth along with better breath. With long-lasting oral benefits, dogs benefit from fresher mouths along with skin relief.
The tailored nutrition profile delivers daily care for dogs inside and out. Lean protein fuels the body while skin-friendly oils provide moisture and nourishment. With scrutiny against common allergens, Eukanuba Sensitive Skin offers the building blocks of health to improve wellbeing.
Customer Experiences and Product Effectiveness
For owners struggling to manage their dogs skin issues and sensitivities, customer reviews indicate Eukanuba Sensitive Skin can provide true relief. After trying solutions like shampoos or antibiotics without lasting success, many see real improvement once incorporating this diet.
Within a few weeks of switching foods, some dogs show less redness and scratching. Owners describe dogs who gnaw themselves raw finally getting relief as their skin calms. One owner shares their story:
My German Shepherd mix had horrible skin irritation for over a year. We did allergy testing, antibiotics, baths you name it. Nothing gave her lasting relief until my vet suggested Eukanuba Sensitive Skin dog food about 8 weeks ago. She has stopped obsessively biting and licking herself. Her skin is no longer red or scabby. She seems much more comfortable in her own fur, and I finally have my happy puppy back.
These dramatic changes speak to the power of dietary solutions alongside medicines or topicals. By avoiding triggers internally, Eukanuba Sensitive Skin addresses the root causes to provide true, lasting relief. After years of coping with itchy, unhappy dogs, owners call the transformation incredible. The effectiveness underscores the importance of tailoring nutrition to specific needs with formulas like this hypoallergenic recipe.
While no universal solution for sensitivities exists, Eukanuba Sensitive Skin offers proven results for many dogs. For owners seeking alternatives after other options have failed, reviews suggest this formula can gently soothe skin and provide comfort. With its targeted formulation and hypoallergenic properties, Eukanuba Sensitive Skin promotes freedom from irritation so sensitive dogs can thrive happily.
Best Hypoallergenic Dog Foods for 2022
How To Choose The Right Hypoallergenic Dog Food
Check With Vet
Always consult your vet when considering switching diet for your dog, and if they believe your mutt is prone to allergies, they should be able to steer you in the right direction.
Choose Single and Novel Protein Sources
Dogs are most commonly allergic to certain types of meat, so try and avoid products which mix several in one recipe. Choosing novel proteins that dogs arent often exposed too will also limit chances of a reaction.
Hydrolysed Protein Diet
Free from lean sources of meat, this form of kibble uses broken down molecules of carbs and proteins to avoid immunogenic detection by immune system cells, thus, not triggering any allergic reactions.
Free From Artificial Ingredients
Nasty junk like fillers and preservatives are often found in standard dog foods, and it may well be these that are making your canine poorly.
Common Dietary Allergens For Dogs: What To Avoid
Believe it or not, the most common allergens and food intolerances for pups are usually certain types of meat and fish! But as protein is so important in doggy diets, it can often be hard to avoid meat sources in food, as well as identify which meat might actually be causing the issue.
The most common allergy-inducing meats are:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Lamb
- Fish
- Pork
Common allergens that are not meat-based are usually:
- Corn
- Wheat
- Soy
- Yeast
- Dairy
Avoiding all these ingredients can cause a mighty headache, so if youre unsure what it is your dog is allergic too, dont waste your time reading through every brands ingredients list.
Instead, choose hypoallergenic foods described as having hydrolysed ingredients. These wont feature a meat source or natural ingredients, and instead, focus on being as least allergen-inducing as possible.
Types of Hypoallergenic Dog Food
Limited Ingredient Formulas/ Standard Hypoallergenic Food
Truthfully, these sorts of hypoallergenic food arent allergen-free for every pup.
e.g. As the most common allergens in dogs occur from meat products, a canine who is sensitive to chicken is technically not going to thrive on a hypoallergenic chicken dish.
However these recipes do limit their overall ingredients, and so its easier to spot something your dog is sensitive too if its included.
These sorts of foods tend to focus more on removing things like dairy, wheat, soy and other less common allergens.
Novel Protein
These recipes take the idea that the most common allergens are meat-based and so use a protein source which is rare or unusual, and so therefore unlikely to have a negative effect on your mutt.
These are often things like venison, rabbit, duck and turkey.
They will then be paired with one single source of carbohydrate, keeping the ingredient list small and limiting the chance of a reaction.
Hydrolysed Protein
These are the best foods to use for when trying to actually determine whether your dog is suffering from food allergies, as they aim to limit all reactions. Hydrolyzed protein diets break protein and carbohydrate molecules down into smaller sizes that are easily digested and so avoid immunogenic detection by immune system cells.
The 4 best hypoallergenic dog foods in 2023
What we love: With just a single source of animal protein and a balance of high-quality carbohydrates and fats, Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diet will help soothe your pups upset tummy. We love that its made from a blend of whole foods, has natural probiotics, and is suitable for all breeds and sizes.
What customers say: Reviewers note how well this hypoallergenic option cleared up ear infections and itchy skin. They consistently write that this dog food is a great novel protein source for allergy-prone dogs. However, some users mentioned the foods strong smell so keep that in mind before you buy.
Ingredients: Duck, oatmeal, peas, ground rice, potato protein, tomato pomace, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), ground flaxseed, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, natural duck flavor, chicory root extract, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, taurine, mixed tocopherols added to preserve freshness, zinc proteinate, zinc sulfate, calcium carbonate, niacin, ferrous sulfate, iron proteinate, beta-carotene, vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, manganese sulfate, d-calcium pantothenate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, calcium Iodate, vitamin B12 supplement, folic Acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, rosemary extract, green tea extract, and spearmint extract.
Best Hypoallergenic Dog Food
We look at the best hypoallergenic dog food on the market and answer some frequently asked questions about allergies in dogs.
Do Dogs Have Allergies?
Yes, dogs can be susceptible to allergies to their food or their environment just like humans. These allergies can be to their environment or to certain types of food.
Common Dog Food Allergies Include:
- Pork
- Rabbit
- Beef
- Chicken
- Fish
- Lamb
- Egg
- Corn
- Soy
- Wheat
- Dairy
Allergies to certain kinds of meat and grain are quite common in dogs and can develop at any time, even if there has not been a recent change in food.
How Can You Tell if Your Dog is Allergic to Food?
Some of the main symptoms of allergies in dogs include:
- Gas, Diarrhea, or Vomiting.
- Itchy or Oozing Skin.
- Coughing or Sneezing.
- Red, or Irritated eyes.
- Poor Quality or Patchy Coat.
- Inflamed ears.
- Obsessive Licking.
- Nasal Discharge.
- Swollen Paws or Excessive Paw Biting.
Of course, these symptoms may not necessarily be caused by a food allergy and there could be other causes. If your dog starts to show any of these symptoms there are a few tests you can do to pinpoint the cause of the problems. It is always best to consult your vet first for a professional diagnosis. Dogs that have food allergies often have environmental allergies too so it is advised to bathe your dog twice a week with a medicated dog shampoo to treat these and improve their coat.
How Do You Treat Allergies in Dogs?
Treating allergies in dogs should always be done carefully and based on your vets advice. You can try different types of dog food and monitor the symptoms to work out what exactly your dog is allergic to by the process of elimination. If your dog is allergic to one of the meats then its as simple as moving to different meat to which they react better. If you find it is an allergy to corn or wheat then a grain-free dog food might be the best option for your dog.
A lot of the time your dog may be allergic to more than one of these ingredients which can make it difficult to narrow down which foods are suitable. Choosing hypoallergenic dog food is a great way to relieve your dog of their symptoms and we outline the best hypoallergenic dog food varieties below. These hypoallergenic foods are grain-free to avoid the allergens in soy, wheat, or corn and are often made with alternative meats like duck, turkey, or venison which your dog is less likely to be allergic to.
What is the Best Hypoallergenic Dog Food?
So allergies can be a problem for dogs and with the huge range of dog food products on the market, it can be hard work trying to find the right one. Weve put together a list of the best hypoallergenic dog food the UK has to offer to keep your allergic dog well fed and happy!
- James Wellbeloved Hypoallergenic Dog Food
- Arden GrangeHypoallergenic Dog Food
- Autarky Hypoallergenic Dog Food
- Acana Hypoallergenic Dog Food
Read on for more information about why weve chosen these as the best hypoallergenic dog food for your dog.
James Wellbeloved
James Wellbeloved makes naturally healthy hypoallergenic dog food. Only using the finest natural ingredients with no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives, as they believe that natural goodness tastes best. They take hypoallergenic food more seriously than any other brand and dont produce anything that isnt hypoallergenic. They take totally natural, unrefined ingredients and cook them gently so as not to lose their goodness.
Arden Grange
Arden Grange adult sensitive white fish and potato is complete grain-free dog food for adult dogs with particularly sensitive skin or digestion. There are no grains or cereals in this gentle recipe that contains ocean whitefish as an easily digestible source of protein. This white fish is naturally high in omega-3 essential fatty acids. It is a naturally low allergen recipe that does not contain common causes of allergies like beef, soya, dairy, wheat, or gluten.
Autarky
Autarky has a complete hypoallergenic dog food which is great for active dogs. The Autarky Succulent Salmon is particularly popular and contains no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives in its 100% natural recipe. It is free of wheat, gluten, and soya and contains natural antioxidants to help your dog recover from its allergies.
Acana
Acana dog food acknowledges dogs as natural carnivores and will ensure that their diet is almost identical to what they would hunt in the wild. Their food has high meat content and avoids allergy-causing grains like wheat. Acana has nourishing botanicals to boost metabolism, strengthen organs, and help cleanse the body of toxins. It is also low in carbohydrates, contains omega 3, and has fresh orchard-grown fruit and vegetables that provide fiber and antioxidants in a natural form.
We hope our guide to the best hypoallergenic dog food was useful. As you can see, there are plenty of great options out there if your dog does suffer from allergies. If we had to recommend one brand, it would definitely be James Wellbeloved. Their hypo-allergenic formulas are the best around and we have a huge variety of their foods in stock. If you think your dog may be suffering from allergies, the first step is always to contact your vet. For anything else, you can give us a call today and our experts will be happy to help!
