Treating your dog’s allergies can come with promises, disappointment, frustration, and a huge vet bill of $500 per visit. So what do you do when that does not work? We will discuss possible causes and the best proteins for dog allergies.

Included are from top holistic veterinarian websites and webinars. Also, I have outlined their top suggestions of things to avoid for allergies and tips to improve allergy symptoms.

Holistic vets share possible causes for dog allergies

In an interview between Dr. Judy and Dr. Peter, he says the causes of allergies are: dairy (such as puppuchinos or cheese), toxins, heavy metals, stress, vaccines, drugs, grains, and processed food! His tips are to start with a 1) liver cleanse, 2) get off kibble and use raw or cooked food, and 3) add supplements to fill in nutritional deficiencies.

Dr. Judy and Dr. Karen’s tips are similar to Dr. Peter’s but they also recommend doing foot soaks to control allergies as the hair in their paws collects allergens, use non-toxic cleaning solutions to clean your home.

Their tips for things to avoid are chemical-filled flea and tick treatments and heartworm meds. Dr. Judy has great concern about immunosuppressants and suggested avoiding them, especially Cytpoint and Apoquel!

As far as dog food, Dr. Judy, said they have zero biological requirements for wheat, corn, and soy. She suggests NO meat meal or meat by-products, instead look for food with high amounts of moisture such as raw, freeze-dried, or gently cooked.

Dr. Karen said the most unadulterated or most nutritious food is raw, then gently cooked, freeze-dried, and so on. *Dr. Karen warns if you make your own homemade food it must be balanced by a vet or nutritionist or this could be the worst kind of food to feed your dog as it could cause irreversible health issues.

Affordability tips: split the costs with a friend who also wants to buy new food or another option is you can feed the new food a few meals a week vs. everyday.

The best proteins for dog allergies

The most commonly suggested proteins for dog allergies are:

• rabbit
• venison
• turkey
• bison
• kangaroo
• crocodile

Crocodile was the most shocking suggestion I have found

The best food is raw dog food according to the overwhelming consensus of all of the vets mentioned in this article.

*Please note: Food will be listed in the order of most Unadulterated (most nutritious) food types and then my top picks.

The best Raw dog food for skin allergies

1. Rabbit dog food is the most suggested novel protein for dogs with allergies, whether skin or environmental allergies.

20% off your first order with code HAPPYTRAILS 

• Featured in 2 Top 10 dog foods lists
• On my list of top dog foods without added copper
• Anti-inflammatory diet for dogs
• NO synthetic supplements, antibiotics, or hormones
• Made in USDA kitchen using human standards
• Versions: 2 different textures, all single-source protein meals
• Recent USDA inspection: Not only did they pass, the inspectors looked shocked. When the owners asked why, they were told many other facilities had some serious violations, but they are Good!

2. Turkey for dogs with allergies is my next choice as 1 of the best proteins for dog allergies.

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• Same as rabbit details above
• Humanly-raised meat
• Batch-tested for things like salmonella and the equipment is swabbed tested as well
• Packaged in easy-to-peel packets
• Shipping facilities on the West and East Coasts
• Shipping time: Shipped M-W for fast delivery before the weekend
• NEW: If you need another protein option, they just came out with an Emu and Venison dog food recipe!

The venison and Emu dog food may be a LIMITED option so order it quickly!

Why are these dog foods my top choice? They’re great inspection results, no synthetics, USDA kitchen, and sourcing. In regard to dog allergies, their Rabbit and Turkey raw dog foods contain ingredients that are known to be natural antihistamines and are considered to be immune boosters!

3. Venison dog food is another great choice. It is in the top 5 best proteins for dog allergies

Great for pet owners who want to make their own homemade dog food for allergies.

• Wild Game meat only: Elk and Venison
• Pure meat from wild animals, therefore No antibiotics or health concerns that farm animals may encounter
• No vegetables or Organs
• USA made dog food
• 7-day money-back guarantee
• 25% off your first order

2nd Best food for dog allergies

Are you Raw food hesitant? If you don’t feel comfortable with raw or are transitioning from kibble, Dr. Peter said raw food can be lightly cooked at a low temperature.  However, if you prefer to have pre-cooked dog food, keep reading.

4. Gently Cooked turkey dog food makes a great limited-ingredient dog food

20% off using code Pets20

• Featured in TWO 2023  Top dog food lists
• Family owned business
• NO synthetic vitamins or minerals added
• Cooked and then frozen before shipping
• Life Stages: Puppies and adults. 8 adult dog foods and 3 raw puppy foods.
• Lab tested for pathogens and held until the results come back before it is shipped
• Shipping: it can be shipped to most zip codes within 1-2 days.  *The shipping deadline is Mondays by 9 pm EST.
• They offset their carbon emissions with their shipping partner.

 3rd best dog food for dry itchy skin

5. Freeze dried Turkey dog food for allergies

• Since 2005 this has been a family-run business
• Ranked #1 As the best freeze-dried dog food and on another TOP dog food list
• Shelf stable dog food
• No synthetics, vitamins, or minerals are added except for Vitamin E which is used as a preservative
• No Pesticides, No Fillers, Non-GMO, No Antibiotics, No Hormones
• Responsibly sourced meats, Organic produce
• The recipe includes ingredients that are known to help with heavy metal detoxification and allergies.
• Other ingredients are known for liver detoxification and natural parasite deterrents!
• Great dog food for travel. Crumble and add water for a ready-to-eat meal.

4th best dog food for environmental allergies

6. Venisoin dry dog food for allergies

• Air dried dog food
• Prey model
• Single protein options
• Free-range, grass-fed, and grass-finished dog food
• No preservatives, additives, or binders
• No fillers or grains
• Benefits of raw food with the convenience of dry food!

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Topper or Treats for dogs with allergies

1. Alligator jerky:  Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Single Source Protein jerky dog treats
2. Rabbit dog treat: freeze-dried rabbit treats for dogs
3. Salmon: Sustainably caught Wild Sockeye salmon is a great protein for dogs with allergies. Salmon is a great source of EPA & DHA.
4. Sardines are full of nutrients including iron and CoQ10. Also, they are a good source of fatty acids which can help to reduce skin inflammation and minimize itchiness. A great meal topper for dogs with allergies.
5. Spirulina helps block histamines that lead to itchiness, strengthens the immune system, and will help pull out heavy metals.

🐶 I have a family member who tried Spirulina with their dog and it cleared up the red patches their dog would get on his belly.

I hope these top tips for dogs with allergies bring you some good results.

Please comment below to tell me what you found most interesting and which food you purchased!