The Facts

According to experts dog food allergies make up a massive ten percent of all causes of allergies in dogs - the first and second most common cause of an allergic reaction in your pooch is due to Fleas and Flea bites and also Atopy (this is a reaction to something that your dog or puppy has inhaled).

There is actually not much research linked to dog food allergies but what is understood is that your dog has become particularly sensitive to something in that specific dog food. Your dog's intestinal tract and the antibodies in the intestinal tract will then have a reaction to the agent in the dog food (this is the part of the process that is little understood).

Although certain dog breeds are more likely to suffer from Atopy (an inhalant related allergic reaction) - dog food allergies are not breed or gender specific and can affect any dog, of any age, of any gender.

An allergic reaction to a dog food can occur from the age of five months old into old age. However, the most common age for allergies to develop are between the age of two years of age up to six years of age. As there are so many allergy free dog food recipes currently on the market it is always best to speak to your Vet first as they will have a good idea which is the best.


There is no thing as an allergy free dog food but there are dog foods and recipes that make it less likely that your dog will suffer an allergic reaction. Dogs normally develop allergies to specific dog foods over a long period of time. We get asked many questions in relation to how additives and preservatives can affect your dog - and the bottom line is that they affect dogs just like they do in humans causing a mixture of unpleasant symptoms including..

• Itching and scratching (in fact twenty percent of causes of itching and scratching in dogs is directly linked to a dog food allergy). The itching and scratching will normally affect specific areas of your dog's body most notably around the anus, face, ears, forelegs and armpits.
• Your dog may also have recurrent and quite serious ear infections.
• Your pooch may start to lose hair.
• Skin infections may also ocur.
• Your dog may also poop more often - some studies have found that an average dog will poop around one and a half times a day but a dog that experiences an allergice reaction to a dog food may poop as many as three times in a day.

It is often difficult to distinguish between a dog food allergy and an allergy to something that your dog has inhaled - Atopy. However, with food alergies a recurrent ear infection is more common specifically yeast infections and the allergic reaction will occur all year round as opposed to Atopy.

Cheap manufactured dog food is often heated to such an extent that it causes chemical changes in the food. This will make it more likely for the protein molecules to trigger an allergic reaction. Manufactured dog food that is cooked at a lower temperature is less likely to cause this chemical change and therefore the protein is less likely to cause an allergic reaction in your dog.

Probably one of the best allergy free dog food inventions is Hydrolyzed dog food. This is about as close to an allergy free dog food that you are ever going to encounter. The basis behind this invention is the process of shortening the protein amino acid chain. Due to the science behind the shortening of this chain it will not trigger or start stimulating your dog's immune system. It is still able to provide the nutrients that your dog needs and should still be tasty enough for your dog to actually enjoy it (remember that dog's actually prefer the scent of dog food as opposed to the taste).

This type of allergy free dog food has been proven to be so successful that in a recent trial nearly every dog that ate hydrolyzed dog food did not have an allergic reaction. Making your own allergy free dog food is another way to prevent your pooch from developing a reaction basically because you are in control of what you put in the recipe.

Here are a list of ingredients that can cause allergies in dogs...

1. Synthetic preservatives, fillers, food dyes and colorings can cause allergy symptoms.
2. Look out for ingredients including Ethoxyquin, BHT, antioxidants and food dyes like Blue 2 and Yellow 6.
3. Allergies develop over a period of time as a consequence of your dog being repeatedly fed the same food.
4. The most common ingredients that cause allergic reactions in dogs include Beef, Chicken, Chicken Eggs, Dairy products, Corn, Soy and Wheat - and guess what - most manufactured dog foods contain these ingredients.
5. Some of the best allergy free dog food recipes will contain Novel Protein sources like Duck, Wild Boar, Venison - although this is not considered a completely allergy free dog food its better than a recipe that contains Beef, Chicken, Eggs etc. Some people think that recipes that only contain Lamb and Rice are an allergy free dog food - this is not the case.
6. Recipes that use novel protein and carbohydrate sources are excellent for dogs that suffer from allergies.

Wellness Simple Dog Food - This does not contain any preservatives, fillers, artificial colorings or additives. It uses one unique meat protein and one carbohydrate.

Addiction Raw Dehydrated Dog Food - This food is classed as hypoallergenic and does not contain any additives. Meat used in this recipe includes Lamb and Venison.

Hills Pet Products - Hills produce a range of hypoallergenic and hydrolyzed dog food recipes that use unique protein and carbohydrate sources. Specifically designed for dogs that suffer from food allergies.

Iams - This dog food is also produced using novel protein and carbohydrate sources - great for dogs with allergies.

Purina Veterinary Diet - This product uses novel protein sources and low allergen carbohydrates in the ingredients.

Royal Canin USA - This company produce a range of dog food recipes that for dogs with allergies.