Pedigree dog food and allergies
Pedigree doesn't currently sell a dedicated hypoallergenic or limited-ingredient range in the UK the way some brands do. Its complete dry and wet recipes are built around chicken, beef and poultry with cereal in the mix, which covers most dogs perfectly well but is worth knowing if your dog has reacted to food before.
What's actually in the range
Pedigree's complete dry and wet food uses poultry, beef or a mixed-meat base alongside cereals such as wheat, and its treats, including Dentastix, Markies and Jumbone, are built the same way. None of it is marketed as hypoallergenic or grain-free, which makes it a mainstream, widely available range rather than a specialist one.
For the great majority of dogs that is not a problem at all. Genuine food allergies are less common than owners often assume, and most dogs who seem to react to a particular food are reacting to one ingredient within it rather than the brand as a whole.
Signs worth a vet visit
Persistent itching, ear infections, red or inflamed skin, or ongoing digestive upset that lines up with a change of food are the signs vets usually associate with a food sensitivity, rather than an occasional loose stool. It is worth ruling out other causes such as fleas or an unrelated skin condition, which is exactly what a vet visit is for rather than guessing at home.
If a vet does think food is the cause, they will usually recommend a proper elimination process to identify the trigger, rather than simply swapping to another brand and hoping. That is a process worth doing with veterinary guidance rather than trial and error.
Where to look instead
If your dog has a known or suspected sensitivity, a limited-ingredient or single-protein food is generally the more useful starting point than switching between mainstream ranges, since it narrows down what your dog is actually eating. Our sensitive dog food and skin and coat care categories are where those options sit, alongside Pedigree's own mainstream range for dogs without a known issue.
None of that means Pedigree is a poor food; the great majority of dogs eat it their whole lives without any issue at all. It simply means a dog with a diagnosed or suspected sensitivity is better served by a range built specifically around that, rather than staying on a mainstream recipe and hoping the reaction settles.
For this need
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Duck
Cold-pressed grain-free duck food with fruit and botanicals, in two bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Turkey
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% turkey, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Small Dog Turkey
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for small dogs and puppies, built on turkey
£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Lamb
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% lamb, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
Harringtons Adult Dog Turkey Veg
Complete dry food for adult dogs with turkey, chicken and salmon oil, 21% protein
From£3.39
Harringtons Adult Dog Salmon & Potato
Complete salmon and potato dry dog food with 21% protein in a 1.7KG bag
£6.25
Common questions
- Does Pedigree make a hypoallergenic dog food?
- Not currently in the UK range we stock. Pedigree's complete recipes are mainstream formulas built around chicken, beef or poultry with cereal, rather than a limited-ingredient or grain-free line aimed at sensitive dogs.
- Is wheat in Pedigree food likely to cause allergies?
- Wheat is one of the more commonly reported triggers in dogs with a genuine food sensitivity, but true food allergies are less common than owners often think. A vet can help work out whether wheat, another ingredient, or something unrelated is actually behind the symptoms.
- What are the signs my dog is allergic to their food?
- Persistent itching, sore ears, inflamed skin or digestive upset that keeps recurring are the usual signs vets look for, especially if they line up with a change of food. See a vet rather than guessing, since several other conditions look similar.
- What should I feed instead if my dog reacts to Pedigree?
- A limited-ingredient or single-protein food is a sensible starting point, ideally chosen with your vet's input so the switch is part of a proper process rather than trial and error between brands.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.