An autoimmune disease is something that can occur in dogs, not just in humans. It just means that their immune system is weakened and their cells have a problem with fending off diseases and illnesses.
When they can’t easily fight off infections, this means that their immune system needs work. When your dog has been diagnosed with autoimmune disease, it probably means they need a change in diet.
Autoimmune diseases could be a problem too since it could damage your dog’s own cells and tissue when not taken care of properly.
This is why you may be looking for the best dog food for autoimmune disease. Not to worry, because we’ve written this article for you if you’re looking for dog food for autoimmune disease review.
Our Top 5 Product Reviews
Here are our top picks for the best dog food for autoimmune disease:
Taste of the Wild High Protein (Buffalo)
We chose this dog food because of the vitamins and minerals that are contained in the mix of buffalo, chicken meal, lamb meal, potatoes, and peas.
It even has venison and bison so it can be a unique but healthy choice for dogs. The balanced combination of veggies and meat could be ideal for autoimmune diseases in dogs.
Since Taste of the Wild is a known brand, it may be a good start if you want quality dog food for the weakened immune system.
Since it has peas and potatoes as well, your dog could also have antioxidants, which can be helpful for the immune system.
Things We Liked
- Has antioxidants
- A mix of veggies and meat
- Contains venison and bison
- A well-trusted and known brand
- Grain-free so it’s gut-friendly
Things We Didn’t Like
- The kibble may be a bit too dry for some dogs
Olewo Carrots Digestive Dog Food Supplement
You may think that dogs can’t eat carrots or veggies, but they do need it!
Since it has antioxidants as a vegetable, this one can be a natural dog remedy for those with problems on autoimmune disease, as well as joint pains, allergies, constipation, and tummy problems.
The dehydrated carrots can be added to your dog’s diet. Carrots are also filled with vitamin A and other nice nutrients that can be ideal for dogs who are aging as well.
Since it protects your dog’s gut, this pack of carrots can also be a preventive food against autoimmune diseases or to alleviate it.
Things We Liked
- Made with natural carrots
- Can be helpful for your dog’s gut
- Non-GMO
- For all dog breeds
- Can be added to any dog food or meal
Things We Didn’t Like
- Could get too mushy when added too much water
Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult, Small Paws
If you have a small dog breed, we’d like to suggest this dog food to you. It comes in a 15.5-lb. a bag that has a chicken meal and rice for its ingredients.
Since it has omega-6 fatty acids, it can be healthy for both your dog’s heart and immune system. It has a blend of antioxidants for immune system protection.
Among the ingredients are chicken liver, apples, green peas, barley, and chicken meal.
It was made without any artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors to ensure your dog gets a natural chicken recipe (no chicken by-products as well). Dog breeds such as Yorkies and other toy breeds could eat this dog food just fine.
Things We Liked
- Ideal for small dogs
- Contains antioxidants
- No artificial flavors
- No chicken by-products (only pure chicken meat)
- Also has omega 6-fatty acids for heart health
Things We Didn’t Like
- May have a bit of bad smell (depending on the batch)
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural
This mix of lamb and brown rice recipe can be helpful for dogs with autoimmune diseases due to the mix of vitamins and minerals.
It has antioxidants as well as omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids for your dog’s heart and skin/coat. Each bag is 30 lbs. so you can get more out of one pack.
Real lamb meat is the first ingredient, which can make it a healthy dog food for your dog. It is also made with whole grains so your dog’s gut could be saved against most digestive upsets. It also has a mix of veggies and fruits.
Things We Liked
- Lamb meat is the first ingredient
- Includes healthy brown rice
- Whole grain for improved gut health
- Has veggies and fruits
- Available in different sizes
Things We Didn’t Like
- Could be a little more expensive than other dog food brands
Purina ONE SmartBlend Vibrant Maturity
For senior dogs who are aged 7 years old and above, this one can be a nice blend of ingredients other than real chicken (as the source of protein).
It comes in a 31.1-lb. the bag which has tender but crunchy kibble that can be easy to chew and digest for senior dogs.
As a dry dog food, this one has no fillers or preservatives so it can be friendly towards dogs with sensitive stomachs.
Large dogs could also eat this just fine due to its size. The dog food also does contain dried carrots and peas, which can be a vegetable in your dog’s meal, as well as other protein sources such as a fish meal.
Things We Liked
- Comes with veggies
- Okay for large dogs
- Includes real chicken as the first product
- No fillers or preservatives
- The tender but crunchy texture
Things We Didn’t Like
- The kibble sizes may be a bit uneven
Things to Consider Before You Buy
Before you buy an autoimmune disease dog food, you may want to look at the following first:
What should I look for in dog food for autoimmune disease?
Here are the things you should look for when you want to choose the best dog food for autoimmune disease:
- Make sure it has quality animal protein. Look for any dog food that has chicken, turkey, or salmon meat as the first or primary product. As much as possible, avoid chicken by-products that you don’t know the source of. Make sure that the dog food has rich and pure protein sources.
Do consider other options, such as pork liver, chicken eggs (could be mixed with your dog food), pork, beef, and the like, but make sure they are from quality sources.
- Don’t choose dog foods with artificial flavorings or preservatives. Always check the label to make sure that you know what your dog is eating. Look for a dog food that contains no preservatives, colors, or fillers so that your dog will only get high protein nutrition.
In line with this, consider dog food brands like Taste of the Wild and Blue Buffalo because they usually have fewer preservatives on their dog food products (or none at all).
- Pick dog foods with essential fatty acids. Look for omega 3 in the label and your dog will surely have a healthier immune system. This fatty acid can help your dog’s gut and natural protection against diseases and it can strengthen their immune system overall.
For this kind of nutrient, you may want to look for a dog food that has salmon or any fish, since this kind of meat also has that essential fatty acid.
- Add probiotics to your dog’s diet. Do consider dog foods that also have probiotics in the ingredient list. This can help their gut to have a stronger resistance against all the bad stuff that can happen. Probiotics can be present in yogurt and gut-helping treats, but you could also find them in some dog foods.
Having probiotics in your dog’s diet can also help if your canine friend often poops badly or has bad-smelling ones.
- Go for whole grain or less grain. If your dog has issues with grained dog food, you may consider either dog food brands with less or no grain or those with whole grains, such as brown rice. You can also try dog foods that have quinoa and barley as secondary ingredients along with the chicken, lamb, or beef meal.
- Don’t forget the veggies. One common mistake among dog owners is that they forget to balance their dog’s meal and skip the vegetables. In fact, your dog does need food such as carrots, spinach, green peas, and various other greens that can help with their autoimmune disease.
This is because your dog’s immune system can benefit from antioxidants, which are usually present in most vegetables from the market.
Which veggie should be in dog food for autoimmune disease?
As we mentioned above, veggies are a good addition to dog diets for autoimmune diseases. Do consider any of the following:
- Carrots – most dog foods could have bits of dehydrated carrots for additional nutrition. It contains vitamin A (beta-carotene) which can be good for the eyes but it could also help improve your dog’s immune system overall due to the antioxidants. It’s also a crunchy veggie to add to the mix.
- Green Peas – also a staple and favorite in most dog food mixes, green peas also contains antioxidants so it can be helpful for your dog’s gut and immune system. It can be combined with most chicken recipes.
- Sweet Potato – this can be a substitute if your dog doesn’t take regular potato very well.
How do I feed dog food for autoimmune disease?
To feed your dog who has autoimmune disease always make sure of the following:
- Read the label or packaging for instructions. Most people don’t really give time to read what’s on the label, but this can be important if you want to preserve your dog’s health, especially if they have autoimmune diseases. Check the label for the protein content, and if there’s any trace of preservatives. Know which ingredients have been included (or not included) in the dog food before you buy.
- Consult your veterinarian. Don’t forget to skip your vet’s advice, especially if your dog has a sensitive tummy. If your dog is also a picky eater, your vet may also give you some pointers on which dog food to choose and which food to mix it with for a balanced meal and diet.
- Ensure that your dog’s bowl is clean before eating. Of course, your dog could also get attacked by immune system problems if they eat in a dirty bowl or environment. When feeding your dog, ensure that they are safe from bad bacteria that could ruin their gut and their overall health.
- Know your dog’s limitations. Always consider if your dog has any allergies and do ask your vet just to be sure. Some dogs could have limitations and have bad reactions to certain dog food, so you may still end up switching from one food to another if your dog isn’t satisfied with the taste or the content (and if their poop smells very bad).
- Consider adding other ingredients. If your dog food is too dry, mix it with wet food, and vice-versa. You could also add other food to your dog’s plate, such as fresh greens from the market or from your garden, to ensure that your dog only gets a balanced diet. After all, autoimmune disease can take its toll on your dog’s health, so you’ll want to keep your dog’s nutrition on a higher level.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, our top pick for the best dog food for autoimmune disease is the Taste of the Wild High Protein (Buffalo) due to having antioxidants for the immune system due to the mix of veggies and meat.
As a bonus, it contains venison and bison for more protein sources and it is also a well-trusted and known brand that is grain-free so it’s gut-friendly.
The only caveat is that the kibble may be a bit too dry for some dogs, but you can just mix this with any wet canned dog food to fix that. Overall, it’s a nice choice for dogs who like kibble and have autoimmune diseases or similar problems.
