What dry dog food is best for a large dog with chicken/beef allergies?

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!

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!

Dogs are omnivores and can get enough nutrition from a balanced commercial vegetarian food. If you would like to try a meat diet, you could consider a novel protein diet. A novel protein is one that Buddy hasn't eaten before. You could consider venison, bison, fish or duck. Natural Balance makes a number of limited ingredient diets that you could consider. https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dog-formulas/special-category-limited-ingredient-diets Another option would be to try a hydrolyzed diet. Those would be prescription only and would be more expensive, but might be a good option as well. I am attaching a handout with more information about diet trials for food allergies below. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952600 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Allergens are small proteins that cause the immune system in animals/mammals to 'over-react'. What constitutes an allergen will vary from animal to animal and depends on what their specific immune system 'doesn't like'. Therefore, there is no way to say any food has 'No allergens'. For example, peanuts are an allergen to a person with a peanut allergy, but not to a person without peanut allergies. In general, most animals don't have allergies to food, and unless you are seeing signs of food allergies (diarrhea, vomiting, itchy skin/feet/bum/ears)) then any food protein or carbohydrate is ok. I generally recommend a good quality large breed food with low fat and high fiber. If you want the best for Luns, talk with your vet about Hill's T/D which helps prevent dental disease and also has some efficacy at helping prevent joint disease. It is also an AAFCO supported food so you know it is well balanced and scientific studies have been done to ensure it is a good quality food. Other good food companies are Royal Canine, Science Diet, Eukanuba, etc. Find a food that Luns likes to eat, and has a good quality hair coat and normal poops. Best of luck with Luns!

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!

The best type of food for a dog with food allergies would be a prescription hypoallergenic diet such as Purina HA or Hills z/d - these are diets that are specially formulated to avoid any proteins that can cause an allergic response, and can be ordered online with a prescription from your veterinarian. If you need an over-the-counter option, some dogs with food allergies do well on Natural Balance limited ingredient diets - these don't work as consistently as prescription diets do, but are often less expensive so can be a reasonable alternative option if needed due to cost.

Since Cash is a small dog, you might consider one of the more expensive options such as a dehydrated or fresh food diet. They are able to control their ingredients much more easily than a large manufacturing plant does that makes dry food. I have been very pleased with The Honest Kitchen ( https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/ ) and Just Food For Dogs ( https://www.justfoodfordogs.com/ ). Both have foods that will not have chicken and both have options without any poultry. You do not have to worry about the potential addition of chicken fat which a number of dry food companies do as well. If those are not good options for Cash, then you may consider a canned food which again will generally be safer than a dry food at making sure there isn't any chicken contamination. I have been pleased with Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets ( https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/ ), but be sure to read the labels carefully. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using PetCoach.