Hypoallergenic dog food

When does a dog need hypoallergenic dog food and what are signs of a food intolerance?

Constant itching, intensive licking of the paws, recurring ear infections or digestive problems such as flatulence and diarrhoea are typical symptoms. Skin and coat problems such as dandruff or hair loss can also indicate this. However, these signs are not always clear and can also have other causes. Based on veterinary experience, the most common triggers are proteins such as beef or chicken, and less commonly grains. In contrast to seasonal environmental allergies (atopy), the symptoms of a food intolerance usually occur all year round.

The elimination diet: The path to a reliable diagnosis

To reliably determine a food intolerance, a veterinary-supervised elimination diet is the most reliable method. Over a period of 8 to 12 weeks, your dog will exclusively receive a food specially developed for this diet. Absolute consistency is the key to success here: during this phase, absolutely no other food, treats, chews or table scraps are allowed. If the symptoms improve, the diagnosis is confirmed by a subsequent provocation test with the old food. Other procedures such as blood or saliva tests are considered inconclusive for the diagnosis of food allergies.

The building blocks of hypoallergenic nutrition for dogs

The term "hypoallergenic" or "hypoallergenic dog food" is not protected – the composition is always the decisive factor.

There are various concepts to reduce your dog's allergy risk:

1. Selected proteins (Monoprotein & Novel Protein)

One approach is the reduction to a single, well-tolerated protein source.

• Monoprotein food contains only a single animal protein source (e.g. only horse). This makes it easy to find the trigger of an intolerance and avoid it in the future.
• Novel Protein refers to a protein source with which the dog has barely had any contact so far, such as insects, rabbit or duck. The probability of an allergic reaction is very low here. Brands like Exclusion Diet offer a wide range of novel proteins, while bePure offers suitable snacks from individual protein sources.

2. Broken down proteins (Hydrolysis)

In this process, the proteins are broken down into such small molecules (peptides) that the dog's immune system no longer recognises them as an allergen.

• Hydrolysed food is the common form for elimination diets and severe allergy cases. The smaller the protein fragments, the safer the food.
• Anallergenic diets represent the highest level of hydrolysis. Here, the proteins are extremely broken down, making an allergic reaction almost impossible. An example of this is Royal Canin Anallergenic.

Which hypoallergenic veterinary diets do we carry?

Our online shop offers a large selection of veterinary diet foods from leading manufacturers, specially developed for dogs with food intolerances.

Royal Canin Veterinary Diet

The brand offers several lines: Hypoallergenic as a hydrolysed diet for different needs (e.g. Small Dog, Puppy), Anallergenic with extremely hydrolysed proteins for the most severe cases and Sensitivity Control with selected novel proteins such as duck.

Hill’s Prescription Diet

Hill’s pursues different approaches: The z/d line is based on highly hydrolysed proteins, the d/d line uses selected novel proteins. Derm Complete is an innovative diet that supports the skin barrier in cases of both food and environmental allergies.

Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets

The CANINE HA Hypoallergenic line from Purina is a hydrolysed diet that is suitable for adult dogs and puppies and is characterised by high acceptance.

Other specialists

In addition, we carry other highly specialised brands such as Virbac (A1/A2 Hypoallergy), Specific (CDD/CDD-HY for targeted allergen management) as well as Farmina Vet Life (UltraHypo and various Hypoallergenic variants).

Which hypoallergenic dog food is right for my dog? Dry, wet or rather snacks?

Depending on your dog's preference and needs, you can choose between different types of food.

Hypoallergenic dry food

Dry food is practical, has a long shelf life and can be portioned exactly. This facilitates the consistent implementation of an elimination diet over several weeks.

Hypoallergenic wet food

For fussy dogs, wet food is often the better choice. Its intense aroma ensures high acceptance. It is also suitable for dogs that need to take in more fluids.

Hypoallergenic treats & snacks

Treats are the most common stumbling block during an elimination diet. The best diet food is ineffective if the reward contains a foreign protein. We carry suitable hypoallergenic treats from brands like Royal Canin, Hill’s and Specific as well as special chews from bePure.

Important notes on hypoallergenic feeding for your dog

Special life phases or terms require special attention.

Hypoallergenic food for puppies

Puppies require special nutrients for healthy growth. Products like Royal Canin Hypoallergenic Puppy or Purina HA are formulated to meet this need and simultaneously minimise the allergy risk.

The right food transition

Unlike a normal food change, an elimination diet often involves a much shorter or even no transition phase in order to stop the allergen intake quickly. However, since an abrupt change can lead to temporary diarrhoea, the exact procedure (immediate change vs. mixing for 3-5 days) should always be agreed upon with your vet.

Distinction from "grain-free" & "sensitive"

Hypoallergenic is not automatically grain-free, as animal proteins are the more frequent allergy triggers. The term "sensitive" is also not protected and often only describes an easily digestible food without a specific dietetic function. Look for an open declaration that precisely states which protein source is included.

FAQ — Hypoallergenic dog food