what ingredient in dog food causes allergies
Best Dog Foods for Allergies
Farmers Pork is one of 3 fresh recipes included in our review of the The Farmers Dog product line.
The Farmers Dog pork recipe gets the bulk of its animal protein from fresh pork. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 36% protein, 28% fat and 28% estimated carbs which produces a fat-to-protein ratio of about 78%.
A top pick. Enthusiastically recommended.
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Read our review of the full The Farmers Dog Food (Fresh) range here
Main Ingredients Pork, sweet potato, potato, green beans, cauliflower Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 36% AAFCO Standards All Life Stages Best For All dogs including large breed puppies Pork Potluck is one of 4 fresh human-grade recipes studied in our review of the Nom Nom cooked-then-frozen product line.
Nom Nom Pork Potluck derives the bulk of its meat protein from fresh ground pork. Dry matter label analysis reveals a wet recipe containing 28% protein, 20% fat and 44% estimated carbs with a fat-to-protein ratio of about 71%.
If youve ever wished you could feed your dog a fresh, home-cooked meal but you didnt know how to make sure it was nutritionally complete and balanced then Nom Nom makes a smart choice.
The first time you visit Nom Noms website, youll answer a few questions about your dogs age, weight, breed and suspected allergies. Nom Nom will then create a customized, single protein diet designed to keep your dog at optimal weight.
Expertly designed by Dr. Justin Shmalberg, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist (DACVN).
An excellent limited ingredient recipe and a solid place to start an at-home elimination diet. Enthusiastically recommended.
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For More Choices: See our Best Fresh-Cooked Dog Food page
Read our review of the full Nom Nom Dog Food (Fresh) range here
Main Ingredients Ground pork, russet potatoes, green beans, squash, kale Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 28% AAFCO Standards All life stages Best For Adults + puppies (including large breeds) Turkey and Potato Formula is one of 6 recipes included in our review of the Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient dry product line.
Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diet Turkey and Potato derives the majority of its animal protein from fresh turkey and turkey meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 29% protein, 14% fat and 49% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 46%.
An excellent limited ingredient option for adult dogs with food and skin sensitivities. Easily recommended.
See all 6 available recipes
Read our review of the full Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Deboned turkey, turkey meal, potatoes, peas, dried ground potatoes Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 29% AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Adults only (not for puppies) Raised Right Beef is one of 11 fresh recipes included in our review of the Raised Right product line.
Raised Right Beef derives the lions share of its animal protein from fresh beef. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 61% protein, 24% fat and 8% estimated carbs delivering a fat-to-protein ratio of about 39%.
One of the best fresh, human-grade dog foods on the market. Unusually wide recipe selection can be a major plus especially for picky eaters. Highly recommended.
See all 11 available recipes
Read our review of the full Raised Right Dog Food (Fresh) range here
Main Ingredients Beef, beef heart, carrots, beef liver, cranberries Type Grain-free (carrots, cranberries) Protein Percentage 61% AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Adult dogs only Turkey Patties is one of 6 frozen raw recipes included in our review of the We Feed Raw product line.
This We Feed Raw Turkey Patties derives most of its animal protein from turkey. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 49% protein, 25% fat and 18% estimated carbs producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 52%.
High quality ingredients. Highly recommended.
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Read our review of the full We Feed Raw Dog Food (Raw Frozen) range here
Main Ingredients Turkey Tails, turkey gizzards, turkey wings, turkey liver, WFR vitamin + mineral mix Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 49% AAFCO Standards All Life Stages Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at WeFeedRaw.com"I have been feeding my dogs We Feed Raw for 3 years now and they love their food, their coats are always shining. They are active, happy, healthy dogs."
Real Salmon and Sweet Potato Recipe is one of 10 formulas included in our review of the Canidae Grain-Free Pure dry product line.
Canidae Grain-Free Pure Real Salmon and Sweet Potato gets the majority of its meat protein from fresh salmon, as well as salmon and menhaden fish meals. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 36% protein, 20% fat and 36% estimated carbs creating a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.
A high-quality recipe ideal for adult dogs.
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Read our review of the full Canidae Grain Free Pure Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Salmon, salmon meal, menhaden fish meal, sweet potatoes, peas Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 36% AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Adults only (not for puppies) Angus Beef Recipe is one of 3 dry formulas included in our review of the Taste of the Wild Prey Limited Ingredient product line.
Taste of the Wild Prey Angus Beef receives most of its animal protein from fresh beef. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 30% protein, 17% fat and 45% estimated carbs which yields a fat-to-protein ratio of about 57%.
Highly recommended.
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Read our review of the full Taste of the Wild Prey Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Beef, lentils, tomato pomace, chicken fat, natural flavor Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 30% AAFCO Standards All life stages Best For All adults + puppies Chicken Flavor is one of 2 recipes included in our review of the Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets HA Dog Food dry product line.
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets HA Chicken Flavor gets most of its protein from hydrolyzed soy protein isolate. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 20% protein, 11% fat and 61% estimated carbs which creates a fat-to-protein ratio of about 53%.
An exceptional selection for sensitive dogs. Highly recommended.
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Read our review of the full Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets HA Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Corn starch, hydrolyzed soy protein isolate, partially hydrogenated canola oil preserved with TBHQ, coconut oil, powdered cellulose Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 20% AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Adults only (not for puppies) Real Turkey and Brown Rice is one of 4 wet recipes included in our review of the Merrick Limited Ingredient Diet wet product line.
This Merrick Limited Ingredient formula derives the bulk of its meat protein from fresh deboned turkey. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 36% protein, 27% fat and 28% estimated carbs which results in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 75%.
A balanced, wet alternative to dry kibble. A practical option for those seeking to pin down a possible offending ingredient. Plus its available in 4 other featured proteins. Highly recommended.
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Read our review of the full Merrick Limited Ingredient Diet Dog Food (Canned) range here
Main Ingredients Deboned turkey, turkey broth, turkey liver, brown rice, oatmeal Type Grain-inclusive (brown rice, oatmeal) Protein Percentage 36% AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Adults only (not for puppies) Royal Canin Veterinary Diets Hydrolyzed Protein Adult HP is one of 4 recipes included in our review of the Royal Canin Veterinary Diets Hydrolyzed Protein dry product line.
Royal Canin Veterinary Diets Hydrolyzed Protein draws the bulk of its protein from hydrolyzed soy protein. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 21% protein, 19% fat and 52% estimated carbs producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 89%.
A solid all life stages option for dogs with allergies.
See all 4 available recipes
Read our review of the full Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Hydrolyzed Protein Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Brewers rice, hydrolyzed soy protein, chicken fat, natural flavors, dried plain beet pulp Type Grain-inclusive (brewers rice) Protein Percentage 21% AAFCO Standards All life stages Best For All adults + small or medium breed puppies Z/D is one of 2 dry recipes included in our review of the Hills Prescription Skin Food Sensitivities product line.
This product gets the majority of its animal protein from chicken liver. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 19% protein, 14% fat and 59% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 75%.
Hills Z/D is made with hydrolyzed protein derived from chicken to help avoid adverse food reactions and promote healthy skin.
A time-proven, hypoallergenic formula thats been recommended by veterinary professionals nationwide for years. Ideal for dogs diagnosed with food and skin allergies. Highly recommended.
Read our review of the full Hills Prescription Diet Z/D Canine Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Corn starch, hydrolyzed chicken liver, powdered cellulose, soybean oil, calcium carbonate Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 19% AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Adults only, including seniors (not for puppies) This Salmon and Brown Rice Formula is one of 26 recipes included in our review of the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets dry product line.
This Natural Balance Limited Ingredient formula derives most of its animal protein from fresh salmon and fish meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 27% protein, 17% fat and 49% estimated carbs which produces a fat-to-protein ratio of about 63%.
Enthusiastically recommended.
See all 26 available recipes
Read our review of the full Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets High Protein Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Salmon, menhaden fish meal, brown rice, brewers rice, rice bran Type Grain-inclusive (brown rice, brewers rice) Protein Percentage 27% AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Adults only (not for puppies) Sensitive Skin Salmon and Rice is one of 19 recipes included in our review of the Purina Pro Plan dry product line.
This Purina Pro Plan formula derives the bulk of its animal protein from fresh salmon. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 30% protein, 18% fat and 44% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 62%.
We also note the inclusion of omega-3 and 6 fatty acids from sunflower and fish oils designed to help support dry, itchy skin.
An exceptional over-the-counter, non-prescription dog food that may provide symptomatic relief from chronic skin allergies. Highly recommended.
Read our review of the full Purina Pro Plan Dog Food range here
Main Ingredients Salmon, barley, rice, oat meal, canola meal Type Includes grain (barley, rice, oat meal) Protein Percentage 30% AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Adults only (not for puppies) Zignature Turkey is one of 13 wet dog food recipes included in our review of the Zignature canned product line.
Zignature Salmon extracts the bulk of its meat protein from fresh turkey. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 52% protein, 23% fat and 17% estimated carbs creating a fat-to-protein ratio of about 43%.
An exceptional, simple ingredient formula. Recommended with confidence.
See all 13 available recipes
Read our review of the full Zignature Dog Food (Canned) range here
Main Ingredients Turkey, turkey broth, turkey liver, peas, turkey meal Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 52% AAFCO Standards All life stages Best For All adults + puppies 15. Zignature Dog Food Review (Canned)
8 Best Limited-Ingredient Dog Foods For Allergies: Wet, Dry, Grain-Free & More
If your furry friend is suffering from chronic skin or digestive issues, limited-ingredient dog food may help resolve your pups symptoms. In some cases, veterinarians recommend trying limited-ingredient diet (LID) for food allergy symptoms. But if you cant afford a vet visit, you may want to consider commercial LID dog foods on your own.
Our team has researched hundreds of different dog foods for all kinds of diets and health concerns, and weve determined that The Farmers Dog, Ollie, and Zignature are among the best limited-ingredient dog foods. However, we give you even more options to suit other dietary needs.
At A Glance: Best Dog Food With Limited Ingredients
Why Switch To Limited-Ingredient Dog Food?
Like humans, dogs can be particularly sensitive or even allergic to certain ingredients in their diet. And unfortunately, our furry friends can develop intolerances to food ingredients at any point in their lifetime. In these cases, veterinarians may recommend a diet change to a commercial dog food containing limited ingredients.
These diets are rightly or wrongly thought to be of better quality, and theyre often used in pets who have skin allergies or digestive issues, says Dr. Rebecca MacMillan, BVetMed BSAVA PGCertSAM MRCVS, a companion animal veterinarian in Gloucester, United Kingdom. I usually suggest that an owner try a limited-ingredient dog food (LID) as part of a dietary trial to help diagnose food-related skin allergies.
If the dogs itchiness resolves after a period on this new diet, I would then recommend challenging it to see if their itchiness reoccurs when they eat chicken or beef again, explains Dr. MacMillan. First of all, this proves that there is an allergy but also confirms what the dog flares up to. In my experience though, many owners skip this step in the process and just choose to continue feeding their pet its new limited-ingredient diet long term if they are doing well on it. I have several patients that have responded well to their change in diet, where other treatments have failed.
Common Dog Food Allergens
Themost commonculprits include beef, chicken, dairy products, and wheat. Many dogs also dont toleratesoy, corn, eggs, and various preservatives.But every dog is different, so theres a long list of ingredients that could be causing problems. Dont forget to take into account any treats or table scraps your pup may be eating regularly, as these could be the source of allergies.
Many limited ingredient diets contain novel proteins, shares Dr. MacMillan. These are protein sources that arent commonly found in other pet foods, such as venison, duck, or salmon. This is because most dogs with allergies react to ingredients like chicken, beef, and pork, which they would encounter frequently in pet foods and treats. Care needs to be taken to read the ingredients when selecting one of these diets to ensure there is nothing hidden in this list that might contribute to your dogs suspected allergies.
If youre unsure which ingredients are causing your dogs symptoms, you can also give your pup anat-home dog allergy test.These kits test forsensitivity or intolerance to many foods(and environmental allergens)that develop over time. You send a saliva or hair sample to the companys lab and get results within a few weeks. You can thenshare these results with your vet to help further narrow down possible causes.
Best Limited-Ingredient Dog Food
Weve chosen our top picks based on the overall quality of ingredients, special ingredients for skin allergies or digestive issues, customer feedback, pricing, and other factors.
Note: All of the companies we review here useall-natural ingredients with no fillers, artificial preservatives, corn, wheat, or soyandmeet theAssociation of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)requirementsfor a complete and balanced diet. Theyre also all made in the USA.
Best Grain-Free Limited-Ingredient Dog Food: The Farmers Dog Review
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The Farmers Dog is our favorite brand that offersfresh, human-grade dog fooddelivered right to your door. Every recipe features whole-food USDA animal protein, vegetables, and fruits, all fortified with an ideal blend of vitamins and minerals and personalized for your pups life stage, size, breed, activity level, and specific needs.
All of The Farmers Dog recipes contain limited ingredients and are grain-free, so theyre an excellent option if your pup suffers from grain sensitivities. For dogs with protein allergies, we recommend their turkey formula (your other options are beef, chicken, and pork). All recipes are developed by board-certified American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN) nutritionists andflash-frozen to preserve nutrientsand freshness.They even pre-portion your dogs personalized meals for convenient feeding.
Food Ingredients In The Farmers Dog Turkey Recipe
USDA turkey, chickpeas, carrot, broccoli, parsnip, spinach, and salmon oil
Price
Our readers have access to50% off your first box.No code is needed;just usethis link,and the discount will be applied! You can also visit ourdedicated The Farmers Dog coupons page.
Full Review Of The Farmers Dog
Best Limited-Ingredient Dog Food With Grain: Ollie Review
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Another of our favoritefresh-frozen dog food deliveryservices, Ollie is similar to The Farmers Dog in that it uses onlyhuman-grade, whole-food ingredientscarefully chosen by animal nutritionists for optimal health in all life stages. Ollie alsopersonalizes your pups foodbased on his profile (age, gender, breed, weight, body shape, activity level, allergies, and other health issues).
For dogs with allergies,we recommend Ollies lamb recipe, particularly if their other protein options (chicken, beef, turkey, and pork) dont sit well with your pup. All recipes but beef include easy-to-digest grains. Thelimited ingredients and fresh whole foodsin all their recipes could be the answer to your furry friends allergy problems.
Food Ingredients In Ollies Lamb Dish Recipe
Lamb, butternut squash, lamb liver, chickpeas, kale, rice, cranberries, green beans, potatoes,chia seeds, and salmon oil
Price
- Full Freshplans start at $3.14/day
- Half Fresh plansstart at $1/meal
Our readers can get50% off their first box.Usethis linkto take advantage of this offer(no discount code needed).
Full Review Of Ollie
Best Limited-Ingredient Dry Dog Food: Zignature Limited Ingredient Review
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Gluten and grain-free, Zignatures limited ingredient formulas feature an excellent selection of novel proteins for pups who are allergic to common pet food proteins. This whitefish formula gets the best customer reviews for dogs with skin allergies. Whitefish is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce skin inflammation and boost your pups immune system.
In addition to whitefish, Zignature offers duck, goat, kangaroo, venison, and several other formulas that each feature single novel proteins. All recipes are also fortified with probiotics for gut health and allergy support and taurine for heart health. Although this brand is pricey for commercial kibble, we think its worth the cost for such a high-quality dog food with ideal ingredients for allergies.
Food Ingredients In Zignatures Whitefish Formula
Whitefish, whitefish meal, peas, pea flour, chickpeas, sunflower oil, flaxseed, and dehydrated alfalfa meal
Price
Best Limited-Ingredient Wet Dog Food: Natural Balance Reserve Review
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Natural Balance carries a wide variety of limited-ingredient dog chow, including kibble, shreds, and wet (canned) food. We recommend this grain and pea-free formula that features bison as the only animal protein ingredient. It also includes fiber-rich sweet potatoes to help with digestive health, fish oil and flaxseed for skin allergy relief, and taurine for heart health.
This Natural Balance Reserve limited-ingredient, single-animal-protein line is also available in fish, duck, venison, and chicken formulas. They make excellent stand-alone meals or as a food topper that you can pair with Natural Balances Reserve LID kibble.
Food Ingredients In Natural Balance Reserve Bison Wet Recipe
Bison, vegetable broth, potatoes, sweet potatoes, potato protein, canola oil, ground flaxseed, and menhaden fish oil
Price
Best With A Novel Protein: JustFoodForDogs Venison & Squash Review
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One of the first fresh dog food companies, JustFoodForDogs (JFFD) offers 11 fresh-frozen recipes (and several variety packs) that contain whole, human-grade foods and locally sourced produce. Their grain and gluten-free venison and squash formula is an ideal choice if your pup has sensitivities to the usual animal protein suspects. But JFFD also has fish, lamb, turkey, and tofu options (as well as beef and chicken).
JFFD delivers right to your door and has a feeding calculator (similar to a profile on other sites) to help you figure out how much food to order. It asks you about your dogs breed, age, weight, body shape, and activity level.However, JFFD doesnt personalize the food for your dogs life stage or specific health concerns (unless you pay a hefty $250 formulation fee). You can make aone-time purchase or sign up for auto-shippingand save 5%.
Food Ingredients In JFFDs Venison & Squash Recipe
Venison, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, cranberries, safflower oil, and fish oil
Price
- Plans start at $1.36/day
- Free shipping for auto-shipping
Looking for a JustFoodForDogs promo code?Click herefor the best deal we could find.
Full Review Of JustFoodForDogs
What About Canidae Pure, Wellness Simple & Ziwi Peak?
Although the following products didnt make our top picks, theyre popular, high-quality options you may want to consider if your pup needs dog food with limited ingredients.
Canidae Pure Goodness Salmon & Sweet Potato Review
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Another good choice to find a novel protein in a LID is Canidaes Pure Goodness Limited Ingredient line of recipes. You can choose fromduck, bison, wild boar, lamb, goat & venison, and more.However, we recommend this salmon formula because it doesnt contain any other animal products, like chicken fat or turkey meal (many of the other recipes do). Each formula is grain-free with no corn, wheat, soy, or fillers and contains only 7-10 whole-food ingredients.
They also include an excellentblend of probiotics, antioxidants, and omega-3 and 6 fatty acidsas well as glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health and taurine for heart health. Canidae Pure also comes in grain-inclusive kibble and wet dog food. Its more affordable than many other premium dog chow and is made in the USA.
Food Ingredients In Canidae Pure Salmon Recipe
Salmon, salmon meal, menhaden fish meal, lentils, sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans, peas, canola oil, potatoes, and flaxseed
Price
Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diet Review
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Another reasonably priced premium kibble, Wellness Simple is a fantastic choice if youre wary of grain-free dog food. This LID formula comes in a single-source protein (either duck or lamb) thats balanced with easily digestible grains. These two recipes also feature natural probiotics, antioxidants, omega fatty acids, glucosamine, and taurine. We love the Wellness brand, which formulates all of its pet food with carefully chosen nutrients to support whole-body health, including digestive function and skin and coat health, which are so important for dogs with allergies.
Food Ingredients In Wellness Simple Duck Formula
Duck, oatmeal, peas, ground rice, potato protein, tomato pomace, canola oil, and ground flaxseed
Price
Ziwi Peak Grain-Free Air-Dried Review
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Ziwi Peaks grain-free, air-dried formulas pack a high-protein punch with limited but nutrient-dense ingredients. At first glance, the food ingredient list for the venison formula looks much longer than other brands we review here, but youll see that the majority of ingredients are meat, organs, and bones all from a single-source animal protein. If venison isnt your thing, they also offer lamb, mackerel and lamb, beef, and chicken recipes.
In addition to natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health, this formula also includes New Zealand green mussels, organic kelp, vitamins, and minerals to promote mobility, vitality, and overall well-being. All of Ziwi Peaks formulas contain free-range meats or wild-caught fish, which are ethically and sustainably sourced without added hormones or antibiotics.
Food Ingredients In Ziwi Peaks Venison Recipe
Venison, venison tripe, venison heart, venison lung, venison liver, venison kidney, New Zealand green mussel, venison bone, lecithin, parsley, dried apple pomace, venison cartilage, and dried organic kelp
Price
What Do Elimination Diets Involve? (Video)
In this brief video by JustFoodForDogs, Dr. Laura Wilson, DVM, DACVD, discusses food elimination diets for dogs with food allergies.For a $250 formulation fee, you can have JustFoodForDogs vet specialists personalize your pups food for allergies or other health problems.
Has Your Vet Recommended Allergy Medicine?
Finding the right dog food isnt always enough to relieve allergy symptoms in some cases, especially if your dog has severe allergies. If this is the case, your vet may recommend giving your dogallergy medicationor administeringallergy shotsto help reduce symptoms.
Tagged With: Allergies, Comparison, Food Delivery
