Pet owners often ask me what they should feed their allergic pets. If your pet has a food allergy, they need to eat a special hypoallergenic diet prescribed by your veterinarian. But what about for pets with environmental allergies?
There is no exact answer to this; in reality there are many options. If the most basic sense, if your pet doesn’t have a food allergy or some other disease that requires a special diet, then really you can feed your pet whatever you want.
Make sure the food supports basic animal health: I’d recommend a commercially prepared kibble +/- canned food that is nutritionally complete and balanced. Any pet food that you buy from a pet store that has an AAFCO (The Association of American Feed Control Officials) statement on it means that the food is following the national recommendations for adequate nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. I do not recommend grain-free foods in general because of their possible association with nutritional dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a serious heart condition in dogs. I do not recommend raw diets because of their potential for bacterial contamination that presents a health risk to both pets and their owners. The long-standing veterinary brands like Hill’s, Royal Canin, and Purina have a long history of employing veterinary nutritionists to formulate their diets and they use science-backed techniques to ensure their food is healthy. I’m not paid to say that- it’s just my medical opinion. The newer boutique brand pet foods like Blue Buffalo, Fromm, Nature’s Variety, etc are great at marketing to pet owners but their promotion of grain-free diets has cost many dogs their lives, and that’s not something I’m willing to forgive anytime soon, so I do not purchase or support these companies.
Choose a diet that supports the skin: There are a number of sensitive skin & stomach diets that have extra fish oils which can support skin and coat health. Diets that use fish as their main protein source also usually have a higher amount of fish oils.
Choose a diet that is actually a treatment for skin allergies: recently, a number of special prescription diets have come out that can actually decrease itching and inflammation in the skin, similar to a medication. These diets include Hill’s Derm Complete, Royal Canin Skintopic, and Purina DRM. If you want to decrease your pet’s itching and reduce inflammation in the skin without having to give a medication, these diets are great options. They are more expensive than an over-the-counter skin support diet and you’ll need a veterinarian to approve your prescription, but the benefit to your pet may be worth it. I feed my allergic dog Blanche these type of diets to help control her allergies.
Calm your cats: Royal Canin has a line of prescription cat food called Calm, which has ingredients that can help reduce anxiety. If you find that stress seems to make your cat’s allergies worse, this could be a great option. It’s a prescription diet, so you will need a veterinarian to approve your order.
