The furriest member of your family deserves delicious, nutritious food that doesn’t worsen their allergies or skin problems. But that’s not always easy to find — many dog food brands contain additives or ingredients that aren’t good for more sensitive canines.
That said, there are lots of dog food brands that choose their ingredients carefully to ensure that your pet always stays comfortable, healthy, and well-fed. What is the best dog food for dogs with allergies? Here are a few of our top picks and what we like about them.
Best Dog Food for Sensitive Skin
The first product on our list of hypoallergenic dog foods is Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D Skin/Food Sensitivities. You won’t actually need a prescription to treat your pup to this food, but it’s consistently recommended by veterinarians for dogs diagnosed with skin and food allergies.
The secret of this product’s success is the hydrolyzed protein made from real chicken that helps lower the chances of adverse food reactions and promotes healthier skin. It’s a rare specialty food that can help with your dog’s overall skin sensitivity and prevent potential allergic responses — a total win-win.
Best Dry Dog Food for Allergies
There’s a clear winner for this category: the Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diet line. This collection features grain-free dry products made with ingredients like fresh salmon, turkey, and potatoes. It’s fantastic for adult dogs with skin and food sensitivities, though not necessarily the best choice if you’re feeding puppies.
For younger dogs, you can’t go wrong with PREY Limited Ingredient Diet from Taste of the Wild. This dry food selection is grain-free and hypoallergenic while containing natural ingredients like beef, lentils, and chicken fat, making it ideal for dogs in all stages of life.
Best Dog Food for Yeast Infections
Finding the best dog food for allergies and yeast infections is a struggle since not many on the market explicitly cater to dogs with sensitive skin. It can be frustrating for you and your dog to deal with their irritated paws all the time, and even more frustrating trying to find a food that can help.
But there’s hope with the Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach. This top-tier food delivers omega-3 and -6 fatty acids courtesy of fish oils from the salmon and sunflower oil, which promote healthier skin. Healthy fats are also anecdotally known to relieve chronic skin allergy symptoms from conditions like yeast infections.
Note that Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach includes grains and therefore isn’t recommended for puppies. However, provided it ticks all the other boxes for your pet, it’s an exceptional choice for dogs with sensitive skin.
Best Dog Food for Shedding
A healthy coat and skin are essential for your dog’s well-being. However, some foods contain ingredients that not only don’t promote healthier skin but can actively work against it if your dog suffers from allergies.
Fortunately, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets DRM Dermatologic Management Naturals is made with a recipe that promotes skin and coat health while also being easier to digest. It’s suitable for all breeds and sizes and contains wholesome natural ingredients like trout and oatmeal.
Best Dog Food for Dry, Itchy Skin
Dogs with dry, itchy skin need formulas that contain ingredients to help reduce inflammation and soothe discomfort. That’s precisely what Natural Balance Limited Ingredient does.
While this line of foods includes brown and brewer’s rice, the emphasis on salmon and fish meal means there is also plenty of omega fatty acids that are excellent for your dog’s coat and skin health.
The Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Hydrolyzed Protein Adult HP formula is highly recommended as an alternative option. This food’s protein comes from hydrolyzed soy protein, making it an excellent pick for dogs with common meat allergies, like beef or chicken. And unlike the Natural Balance option, it’s recommended for dogs of all ages.
Other Contenders for the Best Dog Food for Skin Allergies
Our first choice gets high marks for being straightforward and to the point: We Feed Raw Turkey Patties.
Made with the highest-quality ingredients, it’s a great selection for any stage of life that doesn’t contain grain or any ingredients you can’t pronounce. If you’re interested in starting an elimination diet, this is an excellent choice since it contains so few ingredients.
Raised Right’s Original Beef Adult Dog food also falls into this category while being one of the few fresh, human-grade dog foods on the market. It’s grain-free, containing cranberries, carrots, and fresh beef, making it well-suited for pickier eaters who still need something hypoallergenic.
The Farmer’s Dog product line is the final pick in the fresh dog food category.
The best thing about this food is that it’s a hypoallergenic, grain-free option for dogs of all ages and is suitable for basically any dog breed, including larger dogs. It also boasts an impressive mix of fresh pork, sweet potato, cauliflower, and green beans — all delicious and easy-to-digest ingredients your dog will savor.
The Best Bark for Your Buck
Finding hypoallergenic dog food for your pup should be easy. This helpful guide will give you a convenient reference if you need to switch things up to find what works best for your pet’s needs.
Before you swap dog foods, however, it’s best to discuss your options with your vet. While many of the foods on this list are vet-approved, they’ll likely have their own recommendations you should consider.
If you’re thinking about trying out a new brand or type of dog food, make sure you do the following:
- Change the food gradually, starting with an 80/20 ratio
- Consult your vet about making the change and get their input
- Make a note of how your dog reacts to the change
- Use food in conjunction with other recommended allergy treatments
With all this in mind, you’re ready to start shopping for a solution to your furry best friend’s discomfort. All of the options on this list come from reputable manufacturers, so you can rest easy knowing they have your dog’s well-being at heart — just like you do.
