My dog has chicken & meat allergies. What food is safe and nutritious?

As long as the Natural Balance Vegetarian contains an AAFCO statement on the bag it should be balanced for Halo. Although because dogs should really eat some form of meat I'd recommend trying one of the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient diets instead. Choose a protein Halo has never had before like venison or rabbit and feed that strictly for at least 8 weeks to know if it is working. If the Natural Balance diet does not help you may want to talk to your veterinarian about a prescription hypoallergenic diet like Royal Canin Hydrolyzed protein or limited ingredient. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and good luck!

Hello, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sorry to hear about Cooper’s allergies! Unfortunately, no, it is not safe to put a dog on a vegetarian diet, as they will not be able to absorb enough protein from non-meat sources and will be prone to malnourishment. The best option for dogs with severe food allergies is to be put on a hydrolyzed food such as z/d or Royal Canin HP. These diets break down the proteins into small enough molecules so that the body’s immune system doesn’t react to them. They are a bit expensive, but absolutely worth the cost for animals who need them! They are prescription only but most vets carry them, and many vets have an online pharmacy option where they can ship directly to you. Hope this helps!

Cooked salmon is fine. We typically recommend avoiding the frequent proteins found in regular diets. This may include chicken and beef mainly. For novel proteins, we typically recommend venison, duck, or rabbit. You can find commercial diets with these ingredients. Occasionally, pets may also be allergic to grains, so selecting something with a single ingredient such as potato and duck is usually the best option. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Fortunately, there is an option for Bizu that is a newer poduct from Royal Canin, which is a multifunction pet food. They have a combination diet that is urinary (like he is on) and hydrolyzed protein, which is specifically for allergies. Hydrolyzed diets may use chicken and other proteins in them, but the protein sources are broken down so small that the body doesn't recognize them and they don't cause the itchiness we see with food allergies. This may be a great option for him!

Dogs with food allergies are difficult because of the balance between the best nutrition and the type of protein used in these food. The most ideal food would be a prescription kidney diet (i.e. science diet k/d) but most of these have chicken in them you could look at Purina NF the dry kibble as there isn't any chicken listed on the ingredients. I would call Purina or have your vet call and confirm that they don't have any chicken in the dry kibble. If you choose this food, your vet will likely have to order it for you and give you a written prescription for you to buy it. I would not put him on high protein diets like blue buffalo or wilderness. These diets put a lot of strain on the kidneys. I would look into Natural Balance venice and sweet potato. If he is really allergic then I would talk to your vet about whether he should be on a prescription hypoallergenic diet. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The most common food protein allergen is chicken. I tell clients they can try 2 different over the counter novel protein diets for 2-3 months each before trying a prescription hydrolyzed diet. A novel protein diet means the protein or meat is one that the dog or cat has never eaten before. Only pick one at a time. Examples are Venison, duck, fish, rabbit with green pea, sweet potato, etc. The animals need to eat this diet exclusively, meaning no table scraps, treats or bones, rawhides, greenies or pig ears. The only treats you can give the pet are ones that contain the new protein. You need to give the diet 2-3 months before trying a different protein. There are prescription novel protein diets as well. Hydrolyzed diets are prescription only. The protein is broken down to a very small protein size that isn't recognized as as an allergen by the immune system. Examples are: Hill's z/d, Royal Canin HP and Purina HA. If you find the correct protein that your dog is allergic too then she should only give that diet. Some dogs have food allergies and environmental allergies or atopy. So sometimes food isn't always the perfect fix. But if it is then yes it can help prevent skin and ear infections as long as they don't get anything else to eat that they may be allergic too. I hope this helps! Good luck!

I am sorry to hear about Charlie. I would recommend a prescription diet manufactured specifically for this issue. There are several novel protein diets and also hydrolyzed protein diets available by Royal Canin, Purina Veterinary Diets, and Hills. These diets have gone through feeding trials and are balanced and healthy for your pet. Your vet can choose a diet they feel will best fit your needs. I will mention that while there are allergy tests for food, they are not considered truly accurate and the only way to tell for certain if a food allergy is present is by a diet trial. You can read more about food allergies at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951526 and diet trials at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952600