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Learn : Dog Allergies

Dog Food For Dogs With Sensitive Skin & Allergies

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When your dog is suffering from sensitive skin or skin allergies, it can be tough to watch—and even tougher for them to experience. Skin allergies can make your pup’s skin dry, itchy, and scratchy (or in some cases, oily), and are a common problem for many pets. In fact, skin allergies and scratching are the second most common reason that dogs visit the vet.

So, what causes skin allergies and itchy skin in dogs? Most veterinarians point to processed pet foods as a major culprit. Treatment for dogs with extremely severe allergies may require drugs prescribed by your vet, but diet and supplements can be a great place to start for all dogs who suffer from allergies, before determining if more intensive treatments are required. For some dogs, a change in diet alone can be enough to treat skin allergies.

Research has shown that high-potency cultures of probiotics can reduce the likelihood of allergies developing. Probiotics like these are relatively inexpensive, generally safe to use and may prevent the need for more costly trips to the veterinarian. Healthy fats and omega-3s can also play an important role in treating skin allergies and discomfort by reducing inflammation in the skin. 

With that in mind, what is the best dog food for skin allergies? 

Switching to a fresh diet — particularly one formulated by Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists — is a terrific choice. 

At Nom Nom, all of our fresh dog food recipes specifically include healthy oils, such as fish oil and sunflower oil, to promote healthy skin and combat allergies. Plus, our limited-ingredient recipes minimize the risk of ingredient allergens within the diet. Individual portioning of Nom Nom meals, with consideration of the oils and vitamins added, ensures that the oils don't increase your dog's caloric consumption. No artificial ingredients or fillers are added, meaning that you avoid the challenges and allergens that come with some processed kibble.

On our Recipes page, you can see the full ingredient list for each recipe, so you can easily avoid any with ingredients your dog may be allergic to. Not sure what’s causing your dog’s allergies? We suggest starting with Nom Nom’s Pork Potluck recipe (so long as your dog hasn’t had pork before). Our science team formulated this specifically for dogs with allergies, though it may also be helpful to order a Sampler Pack so your pup can sample all of our recipes and eliminate what’s not sitting right.

A fresh diet is a great option if you are looking for dog food for sensitive skin. Many of our customers whose pets suffer from skin allergies have seen great success with Nom Nom. You can read some of their stories here:

Rocket’s Story

“His allergies have cleared up, his itchy belly has gone away. His stools are smaller and the diarrhea is gone. I think he's calmer and happier now that he's not itching, too.”

Bailey’s Story

“The difference is amazing. He does not lick his paws anymore and he can hardly wait for the next meal. Not only is he not biting his paws but he LOVES his food!!"

Oliver’s Story

“The change was immediate. He’s 1000% better. I think that the right approach is to go to the source of the problem. If a dog has allergies, don’t just treat the side effects. Treating it as a systemic whole is better in the long run. And you end up saving money as far as vet bills and the impact and wear and tear on your dog.”


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If your pet is suffering from skin allergies, make sure to speak with your vet.