Best Dog Food For Autoimmune Disease

It can be distressing learning that your dog suffers from an autoimmune disease.

While ‘autoimmune disease’ is an umbrella term for a variety of issues that your dog can suffer from, giving them the best nutrition possible to help their immune system work effectively is a fantastic way to keep them happy and healthy.

With so many different types of autoimmune diseases that dogs suffer from, and so many different types of food catering to these available, it can be tricky deciding between them.

That’s where we come in! We’ve researched and reviewed hundreds of dog food products available to find the best dog food for autoimmune disease.

As it’s so difficult to know what to choose, we’ve put all of our review criteria into a helpful buyer’s guide to show you everything you need to consider. There are even a few frequently asked questions down below to help you!

In a hurry? Check out our top pick below.

Best Overall: Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Dry Dog Food

The Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula dry dog food is our top pick for dogs who suffer from an autoimmune disease. That’s because Blue Buffalo has carefully crafted a food that can cater to your dog’s unique dietary needs and keep them happy and healthy. 

The Life Protection Formula dog food has got all the essential carbohydrates and proteins that your dog needs for sufficient energy. It also contains all the omega 3 and 6 fatty acids your dog needs to maintain healthy skin and a shiny coat.

This particular dry dog food has been manufactured using only natural ingredients containing the essential vitamins and minerals your dog needs to stay healthy.

There are no chicken by-product meals, soy, wheat, corn, or artificial flavors or preservatives in Blue Buffalo’s dry dog food. So you’ll know you’re buying your pooch the best quality food possible!

Blue Buffalo ensures to use real meat as the first ingredient in their dog foods. That’s because you get the best high-quality protein from real chicken, which is what your dog needs in order to maintain healthy muscles.

Blue Buffalo also includes wholesome whole grains and garden veggies and fruit to give your dog a fully balanced diet.

What’s really great about this particular dry dog food is that it features Blue Buffalo’s LifeSource Bits formula.

This uses a precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals by veterinarians and animal nutritionists to fully support your dog’s immune system.

This makes Blue Buffalo’s Life Protection Formula dry dog food the ideal choice for all life stages in your beloved dog’s development.

Pros

• Uses only natural ingredients
• Uses real meat as the first ingredient
• Essential vitamins and minerals for a fully balanced diet
• Contains omega 3 and 6 fatty acids for healthy skin and a shiny coat
• Features Blue Buffalo’s LifeSource Bits formula

Cons

• May need to mix with your dog’s other food at first to transition to Blue Buffalo

Runner Up: Rachael Ray Nutrish Super Premium Dry Dog Food

The Rachael Ray Nutrish Super Premium dry dog food is a fantastic choice for your dog if you’re looking for wholly natural dog food. This particular dry dog food only uses natural ingredients to give your dog the support they need to stay healthy.

The only added ingredients in this dry dog food are added vitamins and minerals to give your dog a fully balanced diet.

This particular dry dog food uses real chicken as the first ingredient. Even better than that, the only chicken that is used in Rachael Ray’s dog food is US farm-raised chicken. So you can rest assured that your dog is getting the finest possible cuisine! 

The Nutrish Super Premium dog food only uses premium ingredients for a superior food product. There are no poultry by-product meal, wheat, wheat gluten, or filler ingredients included in this food.

Some of these inferior ingredients can agitate your dog’s digestive system. This particular dog food includes real chicken, brown rice, peas and carrots, beet pulp, and chicken fat for a truly nutritious dog food.

What’s really great about this particular dog food is that it includes natural prebiotics to support healthy digestion. These will help to maintain a healthy digestive system and keep your dog happy and healthy.

It also includes a healthy source of omega 3 and 6 to help maintain healthy skin and a shiny coat.

This particular dry dog food is available in different sized bags. Perfect if you’re looking for a smaller bag to try before committing to a large amount of dog food!

Pros

• Only uses natural ingredients
• US farm-raised chicken is the first ingredient
• No poultry by-meal product, wheat, wheat gluten, or filler ingredients
• Fully balanced nutritious diet
• Available in different sized food bags

Cons

• Bag isn’t resealable

Alternative: Purina Pro Plan With Probiotics Dry Dog Food

The Purina Pro Plan with probiotics dry dog food is an excellent choice if your dog suffers from an autoimmune disease. This particular dry dog food is high in protein and contains a carefully curated shredded blend chicken and rice formula for a fully balanced diet. 

Purina uses only high-quality protein in their dog food. This is essential for maintaining healthy muscles in your dog. The protein is derived from real chicken, which Purina uses as the first ingredient.

So you won’t have to worry about choosing a dog food with inferior ingredients!

What’s really great about this particular dry dog food is that it has been fortified with guaranteed live probiotics. These help to promote digestive and immune health for a truly happy dog.

Just the thing to give you peace of mind when choosing the right food for your dog!

The kibble of this particular dog food is crunchy and features tender, meaty morsels to create a taste and texture that your dog is sure to love. They’ll be wolfing this down in no time at all!

This dog food also includes all the omega 6 fatty acids as well as vitamin A your dog needs in order to maintain healthy skin and a shiny coat.

Another great thing about Purina’s dog food is that it’s all manufactured in US facilities. So you can rest assured that you’re buying a quality dog food for your beloved pooch.

Pros

• Carefully curated formula for a fully balanced diet
• High protein from real chicken
• Fortified with guaranteed live probiotics
• Crunchy meaty morsels
• Manufactured on US facilities

Cons

• Bag isn’t resealable

Alternative: Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin Dry Dog Food

The Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach and Skin dry dog food has been manufactured with your dog’s health in mind. This particular dry dog food aims to promote digestive health while nourishing skin at the same time.

So you’ll know this is the ideal choice for helping your dog’s autoimmune disease.

Sensitive Stomach and Skin uses beet pulp as its natural source for nourishing prebiotic fiber. This helps to support a balanced gut microbiome in your adult dog to keep them healthy.

The dog food has been formulated to be highly digestible for your dog. This helps for optimal nutrient absorption so they can make the most from their food, and makes for easier stool pick up.

What’s really great about this particular dry dog food is that it is formulated with ingredients to help support heart health. Perfect if you’re looking for a dog food that has got your pooch’s whole health in mind!

Not only does this dog food look after your dog’s digestive health. It is also packed full of all the essential omega 6 and vitamin E that your dog needs in order to maintain healthy skin and a shiny, lustrous coat.

So you can rest assured that your dog is getting everything they need to stay healthy!

Hill’s Science Diet is the number 1 brand recommended across the US by veterinarians. So you’ll know that you’re buying a brand that you can trust. The dog food is also made right here in the US with only the finest ingredients.

Pros

• Formulated for healthy digestive system and skin
• Features nourishing prebiotic fiber
• Includes ingredients to support heart health
• Contains omega 6 and vitamin E for healthy coat and skin
• Highly recommended by vets in the US

Cons

• More expensive than competitor products

Alternative: Diamond Naturals Dry Dog Food

The Diamond Naturals dry dog food is another fantastic choice if you’re looking for a natural dog food. This particular dry dog food only uses premium ingredients with added vitamins and minerals for a happier, healthier dog.

These ingredients include fruits and vegetables for a fully balanced diet, as well as a fatty acid blend for healthy skin and a shiny coat.

Diamond Naturals dry dog food uses high-quality protein to fulfill your dog’s dietary needs. This particular dog food only uses real pasture-raised lamb with an optimal amino acid profile. Essential for maintaining strong, lean muscles in your dog. 

What’s great about this particular dry dog food is that it includes proprietary probiotics that are guaranteed to survive and thrive in the GI tract for a healthy digestive system. The food itself is nutrient-rich and highly digestible, making it a great choice for your dog.

You won’t have to worry about any filler ingredients with this particular dry dog food. Diamond Naturals only uses the finest ingredients. There are no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, corn, or wheat used to make this great tasting dog food.

Diamond Naturals is a family-owned and operated company in the US. All of their dog food uses sustainably sourced ingredients and it’s made right here in the US. So you can rest assured that you’re buying a quality product!

Pros

• Uses premium ingredients for a fully balanced diet
• Contains real pasture-raised lamb for high-quality protein
• Promotes healthy digestive and immune system
• Contains fatty acids for healthy skin and coat
• No filler ingredients or artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives

Cons

• May need to gradually transition your dog from their old food

Best Dog Food For Autoimmune Disease – Buyer’s Guide 

When it comes to choosing the best dog food for autoimmune disease, it can be difficult to decide between all the options available on the market. There are so many options that it’s easy to become overwhelmed.

While it may be tempting to opt for the first dog food you stumble across, you’ll need to ensure that it is suitable for your dog and their needs.

You should of course always consult with your vet if you’re unsure about anything in regards to your dog’s autoimmune disease.

However, we’ve also put together the below points to show you all you’ll need to consider when it comes to choosing the best dog food for your dog’s needs.

When deciding to switch your dog’s chosen food, you should consult with your vet to ensure that you’re choosing the right food for them.

Take a look at everything you need to consider below or skip ahead to the frequently asked questions.

Prebiotics and probiotics

To help your dog’s digestive and immune system, you should look for a dog food that contains probiotics or prebiotics – or even both. 

Probiotics are live strains of good bacteria that help maintain a healthy digestive system.

They help with digestion and can aid with nutrient absorption. Prebiotics are specialized plant fibers that act as food for the good bacteria and can stimulate their growth.

You should look for a dog food that contains probiotics that are guaranteed to meet the gut. This is because some good bacteria can become denatured in the stomach. Guaranteed live probiotics will reach your dog’s gut and benefit their health greatly.

No filler ingredients

You should avoid any cheaper dog foods that contain filler ingredients. These are ingredients such as wheat, wheat gluten, soy, and poultry by-product meal. Filler ingredients such as these are just that – filler.

These ingredients can be added by cheaper food manufacturers in order to fill the food out, and keep the price low.

These cheaper filler ingredients can irritate your dog’s digestive system and make their autoimmune disease worse. Most dogs struggle to process cheaper ingredients such as these, too.

You should look for a dog food that avoids these at all costs. While that may mean opting for a more expensive dog food, we’re sure you agree that your dog’s health is worth the investment. Which leads us on to…

Natural ingredients

Look for a dog food that contains only natural ingredients. That’s because natural ingredients will be kinder on your dog’s stomach, and they will be able to process these properly.

Natural ingredients will be able to give your dog all the essential vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy.

You should also avoid dog foods that include artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

Real meat

Your dog needs a source of high-quality protein in order to maintain lean, healthy muscles. The best way to give them this high-quality protein is to opt for a food that uses real meat such as chicken or lamb as its first ingredient.

Looking for a dog food that only uses real meat in the ingredients can also be an indicator of a quality product. Real meat can help to give your dog everything they need to stay fit and healthy.

Fully balanced diet

Once you’ve got most of the above points covered, it’s important to ensure that your dog is getting a fully balanced diet. Dogs are omnivores, which means that they need a careful balance of meat and vegetables in order to get the essential nutrients they need.

Look for a dog food that covers all the essential vitamins and minerals. This will be crucial for giving your dog a food that is going to benefit them and keep them happy and healthy. Your dog will especially need a fully balanced diet to keep them fighting fit against their autoimmune disease.

Fatty acids

One of the ways that an autoimmune disease can affect your dog is with their skin. Look for a dog food that comes with all the essential fatty acids your dog needs in order to maintain healthy skin and a shiny coat.

These will be the fatty acids omega 3 and 6. It will be worth looking for a food that comes with ample vitamins A and E, too. As long as your chosen dog food has these essential fatty acids covered, you’ll know that your dog has everything they need for healthy skin and a lustrous coat.

Value for money

It’s only natural that you want the best for your dog. However, you’ll want to opt for a food that is affordable on a regular basis.

You should opt for a dog food that covers all of the above points so that your dog can stay happy and healthy. But you should also choose a food that you can reasonably afford.

There are many great options for your dog to suit their needs while also being kind to your wallet.

Veterinarian recommended

One of the most important things to remember is to always consult with your vet when choosing the right food for your dog’s autoimmune disease. They will know your dog’s needs best, and be able to point you in the right direction.

The type of food your dog needs may depend on their diagnosis and symptoms. Your veterinarian will be able to give you the best advice on what is suitable for your dog’s particular autoimmune condition, particularly if you’re unsure of which dog food to choose.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my dog has an autoimmune disease?

An autoimmune disease can present itself in many different ways, depending on the particular condition that your dog may be suffering from. 

It can first start to show itself as a change in your dog’s daily activities, such as not wanting to eat food or becoming more lethargic and lacking energy. 

The symptoms can vary from mild weakness to an inability to function as normal. If in doubt, always take your dog to your friendly veterinarian to see what they can do to help.

What can trigger autoimmune disease in dogs?

Frustratingly, it’s still not quite understood what causes autoimmune disease in dogs. 

It has been thought that some triggers could include exposure to UV rays, environmental pollutants, certain drugs, or even that some forms of autoimmune disease are down to the genetics in certain dog breeds. 

The most important thing is to get your dog’s autoimmune disease recognized by your veterinarian as soon as symptoms show themselves, as it can cause more problems over time if left untreated.

Is there a special diet for autoimmune disease?

There isn’t a strict special diet for autoimmune disease as such, but your veterinarian may recommend certain foods depending on the particular symptoms that your dog suffers from. 

You should look for a minimally processed dog food that uses only natural ingredients, including real meat. Try and avoid foods that contain allergens such as glutinous grains which some brands can use as filler ingredients.

Carefully maintain a healthy weight in your dog. If in doubt, always consult with your veterinarian.