Affordable dog food for allergies, ear infections, stomach issues?

For an ideal diet trial for a suspected food allergy, it is typically recommended to feed a hydrolyzed protein diet (proteins are broken down to the point where they can't trigger the immune system) exclusively for 6-8 weeks. After that point, some dogs are rechallenged with their original diet to see if signs recur or started on a novel protein diet (one protein source/one carbohydrate source). If signs of a food allergy are still present, some dogs need to remain on the hydrolyzed diet indefinitely. The hydrolyzed diets are prescription based and include Royal Canin Ultimano, Royal Canin HP, Science Diet Z/D ultra, and Purina HA. There are many pet food companies online that can also dispense these diets with a prescription from your vet (chewy.com is one example). If the cost of a hydrolyzed diet is still not feasible for a diet trial, talk to your vet about starting Rico on a novel protein diet. Many of these are still prescription based, but I have also been impressed by the Dick van Patten Natural Balance limited ingredient line, which is available over the counter. With any diet trial, it can take 2-3 months to determine if it is effective and you need to be strict in that Rico would only receive his dog food with no other treats or table foods. I hope this helps! :-)

Hi there. Recurring ear infections, or persistently itchy, irritated ears, are indeed a common sign of allergies in dogs. This can be due to environmental allergies, a food allergy, or both. Apoquel is usually effective at treating environmental allergy problems - so if it didn't help much, I agree that a food trial with a prescription hypoallergenic diet would be the next logical step. If she responds well to the prescription diet, you may be able to cautiously switch her back to an over-the-counter limited ingredient food for long-term maintenance.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! All the good allergy foods have a comparable price. The best in my opinion is the Royal canin Ultamino. This is the one recommended by the dermatologists at my hospital. Good luck and have a great day!

I love Natural Balance and am really surprised that it caused an upset tummy. As far as flavor goes, most of my patients like the venison and sweet potato the best. If she has skin allergies you want to stay away from the chicken and beef as most dogs are allergic to these. You could try Fromm's which is a little more expensive but a good food. Another option is to do a hypoallergenic diet that is prescribed by your vet. Always slowly mix the old food with the new food to help transition. I hope this helps!

What food is appropriate will depend on how sensitive your dog's GI tract is to these ingredients. There are some over the counter foods without these ingredients in them. A low cost version available at Tractor Supply is the 4Health Salmon and Potato formula: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/4health-salmon-potato-formula-for-adult-dogs-5-lb-bag?cm_vc=-10005 Another option available at most pet stores would be Purina Proplan grain free formula such as the Savor Turkey and Chicken formula https://www.proplan.com/dogs/products/savor-grain-free-adult-shredded-blend-turkey-chicken-formula#ingredientsandguaranteedanalysis However, over the counter foods are made in facilities that produce many different foods so contamination of a food with an ingredient not on the label is a possibility. If the food allergy is severe, then a prescription diet available from your vet may be necessary (these special foods are made in a facility where contamination doesn't occur). These foods are unfortunately much more pricey. Another option is cooking for your dog. You can use the website Balanceit.com to find a properly formulated homemade diet for your dog.

I would try hills z/d ultra or royal canin anallergenic (an even more restricted version). Ensure also she is not receiving any additional treats, flavored tablets, bones, table scraps or raiding any garbage bins. She may also require prescription medication to resolve the current flare up. A home prepared diet may be an option but would have to be formulated with the help of an expert nutritionalist and can only comprise of novel ingredients (foods she has never eaten before such as kangaroo/venison/sweet potato etc - these are very difficult to supplement sufficiently and are very expensive to maintain in the long term)

I am sorry to hear of Princeton's ongoing war issues. If you are concerned about possible medication side effects I would recommend discussing this with your regular veterinarian. I would also discuss with them the possibility of food allergies. Chronic/recurrent ear infections like you are dealing with for Princeton can often be secondary for a food allergy, a diet change may be what is needed for him. When considering a new food remember that the protein source is typically the thing that causes the allergy-look at Princeton's current dry food to see what the protein source is. You will need to look for a food with a protein source he has not been exposed to (remember that the chicken you feed mixed with his food is a potential allergen as well). Your vet can discuss any particular brands or products they recommend, and be aware that a food trial for allergies can take 6-8 weeks before any effect is seen. Also talk to your vet about culturing the material in Princeton's ears, if you haven't already. Sometimes the yeast or bacteria that is present becomes resistant. A culture will show what type of organism is present, and what medication is going to be most effective. Your vet can then help you tailor a new treatment plan to try and resolve the issue. I also recommend routine ear cleaning at home using a cleaning solution recommended by your vet. Keeping the ears clean of debris can help reduce the number of infections. Good luck-I hope you are able to get Princeton feeling better soon!