Low purine dog treats
A low purine treat is one made from ingredients naturally lower in purines — generally plant-based or single-protein treats rather than organ meat or oily fish — which matters mainly for breeds and individual dogs prone to urate stones. Reading a label for this is a matter of checking the ingredients list yourself, since low purine isn't a standardised claim you can rely on a pack to state clearly.
What purine actually means for a dog
Purines are natural compounds found in varying amounts across different foods, broken down in the body into uric acid. In most dogs this is processed normally and causes no issue at all, but a small number of breeds — Dalmatians most notably, due to how their liver processes uric acid — and some individual dogs are prone to forming urate stones, where diet genuinely matters.
Purine content is highest in organ meats like liver and kidney, and in oily fish, and lower in most muscle meat, and lower again in plant-based ingredients. None of this makes a treat unsafe for the average dog — it only becomes relevant for a dog already known to be at risk.
Dalmatians are the breed most associated with this, because of a genetic quirk in how their liver processes uric acid rather than anything about their diet specifically. A handful of other breeds and individual dogs can be affected too, usually identified through a vet after a stone has already been diagnosed rather than guessed at in advance.
How to actually read a label for this
Check the ingredients list rather than any front-of-pack claim, since purine content isn't a figure manufacturers are required to state. Treats built around organ meat, liver especially, or oily fish tend to sit higher; treats based on a single lean muscle meat, or plant-based recipes like sweet potato or vegetable chews, tend to sit lower.
This is a reading of what's in the ingredients list, not a guaranteed clinical measurement — if your dog has a diagnosed condition where purine intake matters, work from your vet's specific guidance on what to avoid rather than treating any list here as a substitute for that.
What this means in practice
For most dogs, purine content in treats simply isn't something to think about, and normal treats in normal amounts cause no issue at all. It only becomes a genuine consideration for a dog with a diagnosed tendency to urate stones, most often certain breeds or dogs with a specific liver condition.
If that applies to your dog, lean toward single-ingredient plant-based chews or treats built around a lean muscle meat rather than liver or fish-based options, and keep portions modest regardless of the treat — purine intake adds up across everything a dog eats in a day, not just treats.
Our picks, and why
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Chicken-Wrapped Milk Stick Dog Treats
Chewy dog treats of soft milk sticks wrapped in real chicken for tasty, protein-rich rewarding.
From£12.99
Dried Catnip & Cat Grass Leaf Treats
A tub of dried catnip and cat grass leaves to sprinkle over toys, scratchers and bedding.
From£8.99
Whiskas 1+ Lamb Adult Dry Cat Food
Complete lamb dry food for adult cats in a practical 1.9KG bag
£12.39
Whiskas 1 Tuna Adult Dry Cat Food
Complete tuna dry food for adult cats, offered in several bag sizes
From£3.19
Whiskas Kitten Chicken Dry Cat Food
Complete chicken dry food for kittens, available in several bag sizes
From£3.19
Whiskas 7+ Senior Cat Complete Dry with Chicken
Complete chicken dry food for senior cats aged 7+ in a 1.9KG bag
£12.39
Catit Nibbly Jerky Chicken & Fish Treats
Soft chicken and fish jerky treats for cats, two named meats high on the list, grain free
£1.89
Catit Creamy Tuna Treats 4 Pk
Lickable 26% tuna purée tubes for cats, 4 x 10g, up to 3 a day in place of main meal
£1.89
Dreamies Meaty Sticks Adult Cat Treats with Scrumptious Salmon
Soft meaty stick treats for adult cats with salmon, individually wrapped, not for kittens
£1.59
Dreamies Creamy Adult Cat & Kitten Treats with Scrumptious Salmon
Creamy lickable salmon treats for cats and kittens, in a 40g pack with taurine
£1.59
Stop Bloody Scratching Treats Chicken Flavour 90 Tablets
Chicken-flavoured tablets from Pets Calm Down, made in the UK, ninety to a pack, given daily as a treat to support skin and coat condition in itchy dogs.
£22.99
Dreamies Shakeups Seafood Celebrations Cat Treats
Complementary Dreamies Shakeups tuna, salmon and shrimp treats, 55G
£2.05
Common questions
- Which dogs need to worry about purine in treats?
- Mainly Dalmatians, due to how their liver processes uric acid, and any dog with a diagnosed tendency to form urate stones. For the large majority of dogs, purine content in treats is not something that needs managing.
- Are liver treats high in purine?
- Yes, organ meats including liver are among the higher-purine ingredients used in dog treats. This matters only for a dog known to be sensitive to purine intake — for most dogs, liver treats given occasionally are perfectly fine.
- Are plant-based dog treats always low purine?
- Generally, plant-based ingredients tend to be lower in purine than organ meat or oily fish, but check the specific ingredients list rather than assuming from a plant-based or natural label alone, since recipes vary.
- Should every dog avoid high-purine treats?
- No — purine intake is only a genuine concern for the small number of dogs prone to urate stones. If your dog hasn't been diagnosed with this, there's no need to avoid liver or fish-based treats on this basis alone.
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.