Hypoallergenic dog food – what is it, and how can it help?

Quick takeaways about hypoallergenic dog food

• Hypoallergenic food simply means food that’s unlikely to cause an allergic reaction.
• Different dogs have different food allergies, so what’s hypoallergenic for one dog might not be for another.
• Single-protein raw food can be a helpful option to find out which proteins your dog might be allergic to.

Lots of dogs have sensitive stomachs, which can sometimes be caused by food allergies or intolerances. A hypoallergenic diet can help for some dogs – but this term can be confusing.

“Hypoallergenic is a term that’s seriously overused in both veterinary and the public domain – and can be misinterpreted by both,” says veterinary nurse and raw food educator Melanie Sainsbury.

“Technically, the definition of 'hypoallergenic' is something that’s 'relatively unlikely to cause an allergic reaction.' So, it depends entirely on what the dog is allergic to.”

Here, Melanie shares more about hypoallergenic dog food, how to choose the best type for your dog and the key food allergies among dogs.

What is hypoallergenic dog food?

“Hypoallergenic basically means something unlikely to cause a reaction,” says Melanie. “So, many recipes could be classified as hypoallergenic if your dog isn't allergic to the ingredients.”

“If your dog has a potential allergy or intolerance to chicken, anything that has chicken in it isn't hypoallergenic for that dog. But, if it's just made from beef or lamb, and they're OK with that sort of protein, that could be classed as hypoallergenic for that particular dog.

“It's very dog dependent and particular to what would be hypoallergenic to them.”

You might have noticed that many pet food companies are naming their more unusual proteins hypoallergenic. “Things like venison, duck, lamb, those sorts of food are sometimes classified as hypoallergenic because they’re often single-protein recipes, meaning they’re formulated using only one type of meat source.

“Many companies also class any of their no-grain recipes as hypoallergenic because grains can be more likely to cause an allergy or an intolerance. But the term is used very loosely,” says Melanie.

What about science-backed hypoallergenic food?

“Some types of food, especially the prescription diets, can confidently claim that they’re hypoallergenic,” says Melanie. “They might have changed the molecules in the proteins, so they’re less likely to cause a reaction.

What are the most common food allergens for dogs?

Chicken, beef and gluten (found in some grains and added to certain dry dog foods) are the most common. But dogs can also be allergic to all kinds of food, from cow’s milk to certain vegetables.

How do you know if your dog would benefit from hypoallergenic food?

Work with your vet; they can help you understand whether your dog has a food allergy or a sensitive stomach. “Common symptoms include skin issues like itching, rashes, inflammation of the ears, licking of the paws and fur loss,” says Melanie.

“They might also have digestive issues like diarrhoea, runny poos or poos with a bit of mucus. Mucus can be a sign of gut inflammation or signal that the pancreas is a little upset.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean your dog has pancreatitis, so please don’t panic. Just that the pancreas does a lot of work in the body and releases a lot of digestive enzymes, so if it’s inflamed or upset, it can cause symptoms including mucus in the poo, which will most likely clear up by itself.

“If your dog’s runny poo is quite repetitive, or you're seeing a lot of mucus every time they poo, then go to your vet to get them checked out.”

A vet can also help you follow an exclusion diet – when you exclude suspected allergens from your dog’s diet and gradually re-introduce them to help you pinpoint exactly which foods or ingredients are causing your dog's issues.

Are all single-protein foods hypoallergenic?

No, it depends on your dog's allergy. However, if you go for a single protein food like our 80/20 raw range, you can be more in control.

“With single-protein, you can more easily pinpoint,” says Melanie. “If you think your dog might have an allergy to beef, for example, put them on something made without and wait to see if their symptoms reduce.

“You can then challenge by gradually re-introducing a little bit of beef. If your dog starts to lick their paws or their poo becomes runny again, you know it’s definitely the beef that’s causing the issue!”

How long does it take for hypoallergenic foods to work?

“I’d normally say a minimum of 6-8 weeks, providing you don’t get any worsening symptoms,” says Melanie.

“This allows the body to excrete any toxins that might have built up. Another thing I always suggest for that time is to keep a food diary. It might sound slightly over the top, but we know what our dogs are like. You drop something on the floor, and they're there in an instant!

“So if you do drop a bit of cheese on the floor, and the dog swoops in and grabs it, it's worth noting that down because if the following day, your dog has some tricky symptoms, you might be able to pinpoint the cheese rather than their usual diet.”

Is raw a good option for sensitive stomachs?

“We're quite open in the fact that there's no scientific backing to suggest raw is hypoallergenic,” says Mel. “But it can be a good diet for dogs with sensitive tums.

“We’ve also found that people come to us when they’ve tried all the prescription and claimed hypoallergenic foods, and their dog still isn’t better. I think a lot of the time, it’s a case of feeding your dog something they haven’t been exposed to before – in terms of ingredients and format.

“One of our Natures Menu vets had a Great Dane, and from 8 weeks old, had such bad poos. She went through every dry food and tried raw food when he was about five months old. The dog had completely changed within two weeks and stayed on raw from then on. It really does prove that sometimes raw can be the answer you've been looking for.”