Hypoallergenic dog food: features, types and selection criteria

Hypoallergenic dog food is an important component of an animal’s diet. It allows you to provide your pet with the food he 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 a similar diet are forced to adhere to it for life.

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

The best dry and wet therapeutic feeds 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 about is the need to purchase quality goods. If we are talking about breeds genetically prone to allergies, you should choose products, taking into account all risk factors, This is true for dwarf Spitz and Pinschers, Yorkshire Terriers, Chinese Crested and Hairless Dogs.

Antiallergenic food is a more complex product than just expensive food. During its development the most common allergens or specific products are excluded from the composition. In super-premium fodder and holivost producers often highlight products for specific breeds that need special nutrition. Antiallergenic - does not mean devoid of nutritional value.

But they have other, safer ingredients. Quality food for allergy sufferers never contains:

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

Veterinarians note that the development of an allergic reaction to various products 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 foods.

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

The only indication for the use of hypoallergenic dog food is recommendation of a veterinarian. It is a visit to him that the selection of food for pets should begin. With food allergies, it is very important to understand which product has become a source of problems. For example, even dog treats produced by popular manufacturers can be potentially dangerous.

Sometimes it’s enough to stop feeding the pet a harmful product or transfer it from natural to finished food. For allergic dogs in veterinary medicine, there are special tests and tests that allow, based on a blood test, to identify the source of danger.

There is a separate category of breeds that are given exclusively hypoallergenic feeds as a preventive measure from the very beginning. These are prone to chicken allergies:

• Dachshunds
• Dalmatians
• sharpei;
• bulldogs;
• German shepherd dogs
• Pugs
• Chinese crested dogs;
• Yorkshire Terriers.

Medical food is necessarily 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 exact dosage and a wide selection of product options make this type of hypoallergenic food the most attractive for use.

Canned foods in spiders (small metallic 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 powder feeds are more nutritious, they are very rich in protein. The best option for small puppies or dogs in need of rehabilitation.

Specialized nutrition, which can be produced in dry or wet form.

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

Semi-dry foods contain a water-retaining agent - propylene glycol, which can be dangerous for the dog’s health. 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 changes.

Among the products on the market for dogs with allergic reactions to food, you can find both dry and wet foods, and even therapeutic veterinary diets. The standard dry packaging weight varies from 0.5 to 15 kg, it is rational to acquire large bags for large breeds or when keeping several pets.

The ranking of the best manufacturers of hypoallergenic dog food includes mainly Brands from Europe, USA, Canada. The most stringent quality requirements are for holistic products. They are often completely grainless, suitable for animals with different types of allergic reactions.

The brand from Canada, launched a line of feed Singles, I thought of everything in order to make life easier for the owner of the dog. For pets with allergies, 4 types of products are offered: based on meat of wild duck, pork, lamb and sardine.

In each version there is only one type of animal protein, including in the form of fat, dry extract, offal. This single product approach makes it possible completely eliminate contact with the allergen. For example, if you are allergic to all types of meat, you can offer the dog food based on sardines.

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

A manufacturer of hypoallergenic feeds offering super premium products. Bosch diets are not inferior to Acana, but contain rice, which acts as the main supplier of carbohydrates. In addition, proteins are represented by lamb meat - the least allergenic of all foods.

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

The brand produces hypoallergenic feeds that take into account the needs of dogs of different sizes. In the line Grain free You can find products for small, medium, large breeds. Holistic class food belongs to the category of cereal-free, eliminating several allergenic products at once.

In addition, the food is rich in protein, contains potatoes, lentils, peas instead of cereals. Flax seed, included in the composition, ensures saturation of the body with valuable fatty acids. Seaweed is an additional source of fiber.

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

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

The brand produces hypoallergenic holistic food for every day. Brown rice acts as a source of carbohydrates, in the composition there are 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.

Brand launches feed line Care sensitive free grain for dogs with food intolerances and a sensitive digestive system.

The complex of additives in the composition helps to quickly and efficiently rid the pet of any negative effects of allergies. The feed supports the immune system, has an affordable price, and is suitable for prophylactic use.

Product Brand Tiny Paws Quackers. Grain-free forage, created on the basis of duck meat and trout fillet, potato acts as a source of carbohydrates. The product is suitable for dogs with an allergy to vegetable protein and gluten intolerance. The brand focuses on bright original packaging, which is easy to notice in the store.

A rather rare brand on Russian shelves, which does not detract from its merits. Hypoallergenic products have age divisions. Product relates to super premium does not contain grain additives.

The composition of the feed contains fat and flour of fish, there is a hydrolyzate of chicken liver. Plant components are represented by beets, flax seeds. Hypoallergenicity is confirmed, there are no potentially dangerous products among the ingredients. Available in Canada, there are packages from 0.35 to 15 kg.

It is considered a medicinal feed. French brand developed universal medical nutrition for dogs of all agesthat can be used for life. Safe rice is used here as the main source of carbohydrates.

In the presence of both wet and dry food, you can choose the right solution for the dog with different eating habits.

In order to choose the right hypoallergenic dog food, first of all, you need to pay attention to the products of famous brands that have passed veterinary control. The best solution is a holistic or super-premium food, in which there are no potentially dangerous allergens. If you are allergic to gluten or other vegetable proteins, you need to choose grain-free compounds or nutrition, where there is only rice.

In breeds at risk, even puppies should receive hypoallergenic food. This will reduce the risks of eating disorders and help provide young growing organisms with everything necessary for their development.

High-quality food with a hypoallergenic composition has a formula in which all ingredients are clearly prescribed. Quantity and list of vitamin and mineral supplements, volumes of fresh and dry meat protein, extracts of herbs and plants. Of fish, only red salmon fillets are permissible. The safest meat is lamb or rabbit meat.

The size of the pet matters. For medium breeds, small and large dogs, food is produced with granules of different sizes. Diets for puppies are always the most high-calorie ones - 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 feed line there is a division by age, breed, it is this factor that becomes fundamental in the choice.

An overview of dry hypoallergenic dog food is provided below.