What is hydrolysed protein dog food?
Hydrolysed protein dog food isn’t a common sight on shop shelves. Unless your pooch has an allergy to proteins or suffers with inflammatory bowel disease, you’ve probably never heard of it. So, let’s start with a quick introduction. Then we’ll move on to discussing the pros and cons of hydrolysed dog food, and why vets might recommend it.
What is a hydrolysed diet? To create hydrolysed protein dog food, you break down the proteins from long amino acid chains into tiny molecules. Producers do this chemically, through a water-based process called hydrolysis. The purpose of this is to make the proteins so small that they’re undetectable to your pup’s immune system.(1)
But why would we want proteins to be imperceptible in this way? Aren’t they important for our pets’ health? This is where we start to get into the pros and cons of hydrolysed dog food. Protein is crucial for your dog’s wellbeing. It contributes to everything from muscle development and tissue repair to a healthy skin and coat. When your pooch eats, their body breaks down the protein in their food into amino acids. It then combines these to make new proteins to fulfil all these key functions.
However, in some animals, the immune system mistakes dietary proteins for a threat and attacks them. This abnormal immune response can cause your pet to experience an allergic reaction and develop a variety of unpleasant symptoms. It’s also possible for other health conditions to make it hard for your pup to digest protein. In such cases, a vet might recommend hydrolysed dog food for your pooch.
Why your pet might need hydrolysed protein dog food
We’ll go into more detail about the pros and cons of hydrolysed dog food shortly. But first, let’s look at which pups could benefit from eating it and why. There are two main reasons your vet may suggest that you try it: dog food allergies and IBD.
Your pup has an allergy to dog food
When researching the pros and cons of hydrolysed dog food, allergies are an issue you’ll see mentioned a lot. With most food allergies, your pet’s immune system wrongly identifies dietary proteins as harmful and mounts a defence against them. This triggers symptoms such as itchy skin, fur loss, skin lesions, and ear and skin infections. It could also result in digestive troubles like vomiting, flatulence, and diarrhoea.
What’s interesting is that food allergies in dogs can arise at any time. That means your pup could suddenly develop an allergy to an ingredient they’ve been eating for years. Because of this, it’s possible that switching to a novel protein source will be enough to alleviate the symptoms. For example, if your pooch normally eats chicken and beef, you could try feeding them venison, rabbit, or lamb instead. However, this isn’t always successful, and your pet might experience a reaction to the new ingredient too. In which case, your vet may discuss the pros and cons of hydrolysed dog food as an alternative option.
It’s important to note that the symptoms discussed here are not unique to food allergies. They can be the result of several other conditions, so take your pup to the vet for an informed diagnosis. Food allergies are relatively rare in dogs, and the most common causes are beef, dairy, and chicken.(2)
Your dog has inflammatory bowel disease
Another reason you might find yourself studying the pros and cons of hydrolysed dog food is your pooch has IBD. IBD, or inflammatory bowel disease, is a condition in which your pet’s gastrointestinal tract is abnormally irritated and inflamed. It may be widespread, or localised to the stomach, small intestine, or large intestine. Although dogs can develop the condition at any age, it’s most frequently seen in older pups.
Some symptoms pooches with IBD might experience include lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, and flatulence. If untreated, over time it may also lead to poor nutrient absorption, swelling, and weight loss. Again, these symptoms are common to many conditions, so it’s important to get a diagnosis from the vet.
There are several potential causes of, and contributors to, IBD in dogs – one of which is food allergies. As such, your vet might recommend trying hydrolysed dog food as part of their treatment. In some cases, it alone could be enough to ease your pup’s symptoms. However, your pooch may also have to take some anti-inflammatories and/or immunosuppressives.
So, those are the main reasons a vet could suggest that your pet tries a hydrolysed protein diet. But is it the right choice to make? Time to discuss the pros and cons of hydrolysed dog food.
Pros and cons of hydrolysed protein dog food
Like most treatment options, there are pros and cons of hydrolysed dog food. It’s a good idea to be clear about these before you feed any to your pet. That way, you can make an informed decision about whether it’s suitable for your furry friend. If you do decide you want to give your pup hydrolysed protein dog food, speak to a vet first. They’ll confirm if it’s appropriate for your pooch’s needs, and recommend some high-quality, nutritious products.
Benefits of hydrolysed protein dog food
The major advantage of hydrolysed dog food is that the protein in it is already broken down. That makes it easier for your pup to digest. Most importantly, it reduces the risk of their immune system registering it as a threat. This is a key point when debating the pros and cons of hydrolysed dog food. Because it doesn’t trigger an immune response, it can reduce symptoms like itchiness that are caused by food allergies. This provides your pet with relief, and should return their skin, coat, ears and other affected areas to normal. Likewise, it could help to alleviate the digestive troubles resulting from inflammatory bowel disease.
What’s more, companies make hydrolysed dog food under strict quality control measures to avoid cross-contamination. Only the ingredients on the label get anywhere near it. This makes it easier to eliminate certain ingredients from your pet’s diet and pinpoint what they might be allergic to. Depending on what you find out, your pooch may then be able to return to more normal meals.
One key point to remember is that you need to choose high-quality hydrolysed dog food to get these benefits. Check the label to ensure that it’s not full of artificial colours, flavours, and preservatives. Choosing a trustworthy brand ensures your pup will still receive all the nutrients they require to stay healthy. Depending on what your dog is allergic to, you may also be able to add specific toppings to their meals. These include wellness-supporting plant foods like milk thistle oil and turkey tail mushroom powder.
Potential side effects of hydrolysed protein dog food
Turning to the other side of the debate about the pros and cons of hydrolysed dog food, there are some downsides to mention. First, hydrolysed protein dog food is more expensive than normal dog food. While most of us are happy to splash out on our beloved pets, it’s still an issue to consider. Similarly, it’s not a product you’re likely to come across in your local supermarket. Instead, you’ll need to buy it online or through your vet. Again, this isn’t a huge problem, but something to bear in mind.
Perhaps a more notable concern is that many pups find hydrolysed dog food less palatable than their usual meals. Hydrolysed protein has a bitter taste, and your pet may not like the aroma or texture of the food. And if they won’t eat it, it doesn’t matter how beneficial it is! In addition, the process of hydrolysis can destroy some vitamins and minerals. That means hydrolysed dog food might not be as nutritionally dense as normal dog food. This is one reason why some experts only recommend using it on a temporary basis.
There are also some potential hydrolysed protein dog food side effects to be aware of. These include digestive issues such as constipation, diarrhoea, flatulence and vomiting. To help avoid such symptoms, it might be best to make the transition to hydrolysed dog food slowly. We currently don’t have enough scientific evidence to say whether there are any long-term side effects of hydrolysed protein dog food. However, lengthy use of a low-quality variety could lead to nutritional deficiencies.
Finally, hydrolysed dog food may not be suitable for all pups with food hypersensitivity.(3)
Elimination diets and hydrolysed dog food
Because of the pros and cons of hydrolysed dog food, many people use it as a temporary elimination diet. This is a strategy intended to help you identify the specific ingredient (or ingredients) that your pup is allergic to.
The idea is that you remove all potential allergens from your pooch’s diet until their symptoms go away. As proteins are the most common allergens, hydrolysed protein dog food can be useful for this. Then, you reintroduce the ingredients one by one and see which ones cause a reaction. It’s preferable to consult a vet beforehand, to ensure your pet gets all the nutrients they need during the trial.
Another option is to use a novel protein – one your dog hasn’t eaten before – instead of hydrolysed dog food. However, this isn’t always easy depending on how varied a diet you’ve fed your pet in the past.
Important factors when choosing an elimination diet
Having covered the pros and cons of hydrolysed dog food, here are some more tips for using it during an elimination diet:
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Only do an elimination diet under the supervision and advice of a vet.
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Introduce the new food gradually over a period of about a week, to avoid digestive troubles.
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An elimination diet should last for at least eight weeks, although your pet may show signs of improvement much sooner.
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Your pup must strictly comply with the diet for it to be useful and effective. That means you can’t sneak them any treats!
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After the initial elimination period, try giving your dog their old food if their symptoms have gone. If the symptoms return, you’ve confirmed it’s likely a food allergy and can restart the elimination diet.
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Next, you reintroduce an individual ingredient. Feed it to your pet along with the elimination diet food for about two weeks, although stop sooner if you notice an allergic reaction. If they don’t react, try another ingredient and then another, until you find the one at fault.
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Keep a detailed record of your dog’s health and reactions to ensure you get the most accurate results.
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Once you’ve identified which ingredients your pup is allergic to, eliminate them from their diet permanently. That includes checking things like medication, treats, chew toys, and supplements, not just their regular wet and dry food.
Other types of allergies
If your pet still experiences allergic reactions when on an elimination diet, something other than food is probably to blame. Other common allergens include pollen, dust, and cleaning products. In addition to figuring out the cause, you might want to harness some functional foods to ease your pup’s symptoms. For example, sea buckthorn oil could nourish the skin and soothe irritation. Meanwhile, reishi mushroom powder acts as a natural antihistamine and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Final thoughts on the pros and cons of hydrolysed dog food
Overall, it seems that hydrolysed protein dog food can be a good option for pups with food allergies. Having said that, it’s important to choose a top-quality product and speak to a vet before trying it. Ideally, you want to use it on a temporary basis and introduce it slowly. You might also like to supplement it with other ingredients to ensure your pet gets all the nutrients they require.
