7 of the Best Canned Dog Food Without Chicken or Beef

By: Andrew
Time to read: 9 min.

This post contains affiliate links.

Protein is the building ground for healthy, delicious, and complete dog meals. Thus, chicken and beef are common ingredients in canned dog foods because they are rich, affordable, and readily available protein sources. However, sometimes, your dog can develop sensitivity, intolerance, or allergies to these ingredients.

The best canned dog food without chicken or beef exists mainly as limited ingredient dog food, prescription dog food, or novel ingredient dog food. The three options have no allergens, are full of nutrients, contain suitable protein alternatives, and keep your hound free of allergy symptoms.

When your dog doesn’t react well to beef or chicken in their canned dog food, you have to find food with alternative protein sources. Fortunately, you have many animal and plant-based protein sources to choose from. Read on to find the best alternative canned dog food that does not contain beef or chicken.

Table of Contents

Is My Dog Allergic to Chicken or Beef?

It is hard to believe that dogs, renowned meat lovers, can be allergic to some of the most common and readily available proteins: chicken and beef. Allergies develop as an overreaction of the immune system to an unwanted protein in the body.

At the same time, allergies may result from food intolerance, which disrupts how the digestive system breaks foods down. Symptoms of food allergies in dogs differ from those in human beings as they primarily affect the skin and not the digestive system. However, when a dog is sensitive or intolerant to specific food ingredients, they experience stomach discomforts.

Additionally, food allergy symptoms take time to appear and can only be recognized when your dog is above one year. The vet can accurately determine whether a food allergy, sensitivity, or intolerance exists. Alternatively, you can introduce your dog to an elimination diet, which helps to pinpoint allergens.

The elimination diet will also help you determine the best food for your pet, devoid of allergens. Alternatively, the vet will give you a customized treatment plan to relieve symptoms and prevent future relapses.

The following are the symptoms to look out for when you suspect that your furry best friend has an allergy, sensitivity, or intolerance to chicken or beef:

Skin infections
Dry skin
Rashes concentrated around the groin, toes, and face
Obsessive itching and scratching
Bald patches
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Chronic gas
Coughing
Sneezing
Wheezing
Recurrent ear infections
Constant head shaking

Types of Hypoallergenic Canned Dog Foods

There are several types of hypoallergenic dog foods that you can give your dog when trying to alleviate food allergy symptoms. These include:

Home Cooked Healthy Dog Meals

This will work, especially if you don’t mind putting in some labor of love and have time on your hands. Preparing your dog’s food yourself gives you a chance to handpick and keep track of your dog’s food ingredients, thus efficiently eliminating allergens.

Below is a YouTube video showing you a homemade vegetarian dog food recipe that fits dogs who do not eat chicken or beef:

Prescription Dog Foods

These are often recommended by vets and contain hydrolyzed proteins, which are chemically split proteins with fewer allergic properties. Prescription dog foods are more expensive than most other hypoallergenic foods and can be bought over the counter.

We recommend Hill’s Science Diet Wet Dog Food from Amazon to relieve your dog of their allergy symptoms.

Limited Ingredient Dog Foods

Also referred to by their acronym, L.I.D., have very few ingredients. Often, they include a single source of proteins and one carbohydrate. The Limited Ingredient Dog Foods help you to keep a record of what your dog is allergic to and what they are not.

Do not forget to confirm whether the can you buy is legit by checking The Association of American Feed Control Officials’ (AAFCO) L.I.D. Seal of Approval and check for the “complete and balanced” label on the can’s packaging.

We recommend genuine limited ingredient dog foods like the Canidae PURE Grain-Free Wet Dog Food from Amazon. This restricted ingredient diet typically contains seven or fewer key ingredients with proteins, such as lamb, duck, turkey, and salmon.

Novel Ingredient Foods

Novel ingredient dog food varieties use non-conventional animal proteins, such as venison, duck, or salmon, in place of the traditional chicken and beef. It is also used to diagnose allergies as part of the elimination diet to alleviate the signs and symptoms caused by allergens.

What’s more, novel ingredient diets add a burst of flavor and ingredients using rare carbohydrates, like sweet potatoes, ensuring the meals are healthy and balanced. Additionally, novel proteins can be included in limited ingredient diets to relieve allergic symptoms.

You have to be cautious with novel protein diets because some rogue manufacturers may include beef flavoring in meals with alternative red meat and fail to indicate this on the product packaging.

We recommend purchasing the best novel ingredient dog food, like the Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Wet Dog Food comes in several alternative animal-protein sources and meat flavors, including buffalo, duck, lamb, and fish from Amazon.

Merrick Limited Ingredient Diet Canned Wet Dog Food

This is a grain-free wet dog food that is suitable for dogs with food sensitivities and allergies. They are protein-packed meals free of dairy, eggs, potato, soy, wheat, and gluten to facilitate healthy digestion in your pets.

Merrick recipes contain a single protein source, and you get to choose from duck, turkey, and lamb if your pup is showing signs of beef and chicken allergies, sensitivity, or intolerance. The duck recipe’s first ingredient is a real deboned duck followed by duck liver, which contributes to the food’s amino acid content.

You can be at peace, knowing you are feeding your favorite animal a complete and balanced diet that is rich in moisture and flavor. A pull-tab allows you to conveniently cover the remaining food once you’ve fed your dog the required amount, depending on their dietary needs.

Instinct L.I.D. Natural Grain-Free Diet Canned Dog Food

The Instinct Limited Ingredient Natural Grain Free Wet Dog Food is specially formulated to ensure your dog lives their best life. To achieve this mission, the recipes are designed to meet the nutritional levels and profiles stipulated by the AAFCO.

The wet dog food contains only one organic, healthy, hypoallergenic, and easy-to-digest animal protein, such as rabbit, turkey, and lamb. The wet dog food does not contain any dairy, chicken, chicken by-products, beef, soy wheat, carrageenan, synthetic colors, flavors, and preservatives, making it even more suitable for dogs with food sensitivities and allergies.

The loaf texture is full of minerals, vitamins, natural omegas, and it is enhanced with chickpeas to support your canine’s digestive health. All our ingredients are diligently sourced, and the food is prepared according to the highest standards to ensure it is suitable for poppies, young adult, mature, and senior dogs.

This L.I.D. Natural grain-free diet can be fed as a meal or a topper depending on your dog’s age, activity level, and weight. When transitioning from your dog’s regular diet, do it over a week while increasing the portions gradually.

Zignature Grain-Free Turkey Canned Dog Food

Zignature limited ingredient diets contain a single high-quality animal protein, like turkey combined with organic fruits, legumes, and vegetables to provide your furry friends with a perfectly balanced diet. The delicately selected formulas also contain healthy vitamins and natural minerals to ensure all your pet’s dietary needs are met.

The hypoallergenic wet dog food is free of other potential allergens, like dairy, soy wheat gluten, corn, potatoes, chicken meat, eggs, and chicken by-products. Zignature always uses high-quality meat or fish in their diets to ensure your pet’s cravings are satisfied and to boost strong bones, healthy muscles, and soft, smooth, silky skin and fur.

The diet can be fed to canines at all life stages with sensitivities and allergies to beef or chicken. However, puppies, pregnant, or nursing dogs require twice or thrice as much as their healthy and robust counterparts. Any remaining portion should be closed tightly.

We recommend the KTWD Soft Silicone Universal Fit Pet Food Can Lids from Amazon that are soft, durable, and airtight to protect your pet from further health issues caused by spoiled food.

Nulo Adult & Puppy Grain-Free Canned Wet Dog Food

This is Amazon’s choice for “nulo canned dog food.” Its high-meat and low-carb formula is known to reduce food allergies and sensitivities in canines. The turkey, salmon, and chickpeas recipe is full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that boost your dog’s immune system and keeps them energized.

Additionally, this wet dog food helps with weight management due to the low carbohydrate content and increased animal protein and fat content based on quality meat and fresh fish. It also makes your pet less predisposed to heart disease and osteoarthritis. The grain-free meal contains no wheat, soy, white potatoes, corn, carrageenan, tapioca, and corn that aggravate food allergies and sensitivities.

The combination of no grains, beef, or chicken prevents allergy symptom flare-ups, like skin irritations and infections, and digestive issues, while promoting a smooth and healthy coat, increased energy, and boosts the immune system.

However, you must be careful with this as it is produced alongside other wet canned food recipes that contain beef and chicken.

Purina Pro Sensitive Stomach Pate Wet Dog Food

The Purina Pro Sensitive Stomach Pate Wet Dog Food is designed to help alleviate problems associated with sensitive skin and stomach. The salmon and rice wet dog food is rich in linoleic and omega fatty acids that relieve skin irritations, promoting healthy skin and fur.

The nutrient-rich fish is combined with easy-to-digest carbohydrates that are gentle on the tummy and the digestive tract. The unique blend of adult food ensures your dog’s optimal physical health, boosts energy, and provides your furry companion with well-balanced nutrients they need to be at their best

This wet adult dog food also contains natural prebiotic fiber to promote a healthy digestive system and weight management. The Purina pro formulas are produced in high-quality labs in the U.S., where quality and safety are ensured.

Canidae PURE Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Wet Dog Food

This unique natural dog food is fit for hounds of all ages and is formulated to provide advanced nutritional benefits to your dog using real premium fish. It is limited to only 7 – 10 key ingredients, all of which are suitable for food-sensitive stomachs.

The main ingredients in this formula include salmon, fish broth, vegetable broth, peas, pea protein, and sunflower oil. The meal is well rounded with omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that promote a shiny coat and healthy skin and antioxidants to support healthy and robust immune systems.

Additional vitamins and minerals boost healthy bones, muscles, and joints, while probiotics facilitate a healthy digestive tract, especially in puppies with food allergies. Canidae products are free of filler ingredients, including beef and chicken by-products. Additionally, they use sustainable packaging and only use responsibly sourced ingredients.

Halo Vegan Natural Wet Dog Food

If you are looking for a completely no-meat diet balanced and provides all necessary nutrients to your canine, then this is the way to go. The Halo Vegan Natural Wet Dog Food is whole, holistic, and guarantees the best nutrition for your pet with plant-based proteins, whole grain, chickpeas, and green peas.

All the natural ingredients are responsibly selected from a range of non-GMO sources easily digestible and do not contain synthetic minerals, vitamins, preservatives, colors, or flavors. The vegan recipes are suitable for dogs with meat sensitivities and for pet parents who are environmentally conscious and like to maintain a plant-based lifestyle or intend to reduce carbon “paw print.”

This meatless wet dog food option contains all the nutrients you find in meat-based dog meals. Their contents are tasty and appeal to many dog’s palatability while providing nourishment that maintains optimal energy levels, healthy muscles, added hydration, and improves heart health.

It will take your adult dog only 14-days to completely transition to The Halo Garden of Vegan Wet Dog Food. The wet dog food should be served and fed at room temperature. The amount you feed your dog depends on their age, weight, environment, breed, and activity levels. Store remaining can content in the refrigerator, and do not forget to provide your pet with fresh and clean water at all times.

Final Thoughts

This article discussed the best options for canned dog food if your puppy is allergic, sensitive, or intolerant to dog food containing chicken or beef. You learned how to identify adverse food reactions, why they occur, and what you can do when you notice a negative food reaction.

You also learned the various types of hypoallergenic foods. We hope you can use all this information to make the best canned dog food for your favorite animal to boost their health and ensure optimal living.

10 Reasons Why You Should Feed Your Dog Canned Dog Food

Sources

Mrdogfood.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We also participate in other affiliate programs which compensate us for referring traffic.