Hypoallergenic dog food: features, types and selection criteria

Hypoallergenic dog food is an important part of an animal's diet. It allows you to provide your pet with the nutrition it needs without the risk of negative reactions to food. In some cases, it is administered as a temporary measure, but most dogs who are assigned to such a diet are forced to adhere to it for life.

Ready-made food makes it easier for the owners to maintain the health of pets, make it possible to exclude exacerbation of dermatitis or other manifestations of allergies... You should figure out how to choose the best among them and what you should pay attention to.

The best dry and wet medicated foods for allergic puppies and adult dogs of large, medium and small breeds are regularly included in popularity ratings. The main thing that the owner should not forget is the need to buy a quality product. When it comes to breeds that are genetically prone to allergies, you should choose products that taking into account all risk factors, this is true for Miniature Spitz and Pinschers, Yorkshire Terriers, Chinese Crested and Hairless dogs.

Antiallergenic food is a more complex product than just expensive food. When developing it the most common allergens or specific foods are excluded from the composition. In super premium and holistic feeds, manufacturers often select products for specific breeds that need special nutrition. Antiallergenic does not mean devoid of nutritional value.

But they have other, safer ingredients. High-quality food for allergy sufferers never contains:

• gluten;
• fruits and vegetables of the exotic group, brightly colored, grown with the use of pesticides;
• beef, chicken;
• soy protein;
• corn in any form;
• chicken eggs;
• dairy products.

Veterinarians note that the development of an allergic reaction to various foods is always associated with the individual characteristics of the dog's body. But there are factors that can increase the likelihood of a negative reaction to food.

Vitamin and mineral supplements can also be a source of allergic reactions. Especially often allergies are caused by an excess of B vitamins. In addition, manufacturers often prepare cheap treats (bones, veins, sticks) using dangerous preservatives that can negatively affect the health of the animal and even lead to poisoning.

The only indication for the use of hypoallergenic dog food is veterinarian recommendation. It is with a visit to him that the selection of food for pets should begin. With food allergies, it is very important to understand which food is causing the problem. For example, even popular dog food brands can be potentially dangerous.

Sometimes it is enough to stop feeding the pet a product that is harmful to him or to transfer it from natural to ready-made food. For dogs with allergies in veterinary medicine, there are special tests and tests that allow, based on a blood test, to identify the source of the hazard.

There is also a separate category of breeds, which from the very beginning are given exclusively hypoallergenic feed as a preventive measure. These are chicken allergy-prone:

• dachshunds;
• Dalmatians;
• shar pei;
• bulldogs;
• German Shepherds;
• pugs;
• Chinese crested dogs;
• Yorkshire Terriers.

Medical food must be prescribed in all cases when the animal needs special nutrition.

All existing types of hypoallergenic dog food are divided into several categories.

Granular nutrition, optimal in composition, is considered the most convenient and correct solution.

The precise dosage and the wide range of product options make this type of hypoallergenic food the most attractive to use.

Canned foods in spiders (small metallized bags) or iron containers contain up to 80% water and a large amount of meat ingredients. It is preferable to choose products obtained by stewing natural meat. Reconstituted powdered foods are more nutritious and very high in protein. Ideal for small puppies or dogs in need of rehabilitation.

Specialized food that can be produced dry or wet.

Potentially hazardous ingredients are excluded, for example, those provoking urolithiasis, overloading the kidneys.

Semi-dry foods contain a water-retaining agent, propylene glycol, which can pose a health hazard to the dog. That is why these products are not found in the lines of hypoallergenic diets. When switching from a natural to a ready-made diet, you can use wet food, so it will be easier for the animal to adapt to the changes.

Products for dogs with allergic reactions to food on the market include dry and wet foods and even medicated veterinary diets. Typical dry packaging weight varies from 0.5 to 15 kg, it is rational to purchase large bags for large breeds or when keeping several pets.

The rating of the best manufacturers of hypoallergenic dog food includes mainly brands from Europe, USA, Canada. The most stringent quality requirements are imposed on products of the holistic class. They are often completely grain-free and are suitable for animals with different types of allergic reactions.

Canadian brand that launched the feed line Singles, thought of everything in order to make life easier for the owner of the dog. There are 4 types of products for pets with allergies: based on wild duck, pork, lamb and sardine meat.

In each variant there is only one type of animal protein, including in the form of fat, dry extract, by-products. This single-product approach makes it possible completely exclude contact with the allergen... For example, if you are allergic to all types of meat, you can offer your dog sardine-based food.

To improve digestion the product contains whole apple, chicory, green peas, seaweed. The share of natural meat is 50%, the second half is represented by plant sources of fiber.

A hypoallergenic feed manufacturer offering super premium products. Bosch diets are on par with Acana, but contain rice as the main carbohydrate supplier. In addition, proteins are represented by lamb - the least allergenic of all foods.

The brand has managed to win the confidence of consumers, the product is designed for feeding adult dogs, you can buy packaging from 1 to 15 kg.

The brand produces hypoallergenic food that takes into account the needs of dogs of different sizes. In line Grain Free you can find products for small, medium, large breeds. Holistic class food belongs to the category of grain-free, it allows you to exclude several allergenic products at once.

In addition, the feed is rich in proteins, it contains potatoes, lentils, peas instead of cereals. Flax seed, included in the composition, provides the body with valuable fatty acids. Seaweed is an additional source of fiber.

The brand has created a special medicated line of food for dogs with food allergies. Despite the presence of chicken protein, Prescription Diet is considered hypoallergenic due to the fact that this product is presented in the form of an easily digestible hydrolyzate.

A distinctive feature of the brand is the presence of both dry and wet food for dogs with allergies in its line.

The brand produces hypoallergenic holistic food for every day. Brown rice acts as a source of carbohydrates, it contains bran useful for digestion. Lamb meat is responsible for the supply of protein. A completely natural composition with a predominance of animal protein helps to eliminate the manifestations of allergies and prevent its development in the future.

The brand launches a line of feed Care sensitive free grain for dogs with food intolerances and sensitive digestive systems.

The complex of additives in the composition helps to rid the pet of any negative consequences of allergies faster and more efficiently. The food supports the functioning of the immune system, has an affordable price, and is suitable for prophylactic use.

Brand that makes a product Tiny Paws Quackers. The food is grain-free, created on the basis of duck meat and trout fillet, potatoes act as a source of carbohydrates. The product is suitable for dogs with plant protein allergies and gluten intolerance. The brand focuses on bright, original packaging that is easy to spot in the store.

Quite a rare brand on Russian counters, which does not detract from its merits. The products of the hypoallergenic line have a division by age. Product refers to the super-premium class, does not contain grain additives.

The composition of the feed contains fish fat and meal, there is a hydrolyzate of chicken liver. Vegetable components are beets, flax seeds. Confirmed to be hypoallergenic, there are no potentially hazardous ingredients in the ingredients. Produced in Canada, there are packages from 0.35 to 15 kg.

It is considered a medicinal food. The French brand has developed universal therapeutic food for dogs of all agesthat can be used for life. They use safe rice as their main source of carbohydrates.

Available in both wet and dry foods, you can find the right solution for your dog with a variety of food preferences.

In order to choose the right hypoallergenic food for a dog, first of all, you need to pay attention to the products of well-known brands that have passed veterinary control. The optimal solution would be holistic or super premium food, which does not contain potentially dangerous allergens. If you are allergic to gluten or other plant proteins, you need to choose grain-free formulas or food that only contains rice.

Even puppies should receive hypoallergenic food in at-risk breeds. This will reduce the risks of developing eating disorders, will help provide young growing organisms with everything they need for their development.

High-quality food with a hypoallergenic composition has a formula in which all the ingredients are clearly spelled out... The number and list of vitamin and mineral supplements, volumes of fresh and dry meat protein, herbal and plant extracts. Of the fish in the composition, only fillets of red salmon breeds are permissible. The safest meat is lamb or rabbit.

The size of the pet matters. For medium breeds, small and large dogs, food is produced with granules of different sizes. The diets for puppies are always the most high-calorie - their energy value takes into account the needs of an actively growing organism.

For older dogs, the most dietary products with a light composition, the smallest granules are produced... If in the line of feed there is a division by age, breed, it is this factor that becomes fundamental in the choice.

See below for an overview of dry, hypoallergenic dog food.