If your dog is scratching, chewing their paws, or dealing with recurring ear infections and tummy trouble, food could be part of the picture. We looked at the diets vets and pet nutrition guides most commonly recommend for allergy-prone dogs in Australia, from prescription-only hydrolysed formulas to accessible novel-protein options you can buy without a script. As always, a true food allergy diagnosis should involve your vet and a proper elimination diet trial — this guide is a starting point for that conversation, not a replacement for it.
Our Picks at a Glance
- Best for confirmed food allergies (vet prescription): Hill’s Prescription Diet z/d Skin & Food Sensitivities
- Best hydrolysed vet diet: Royal Canin Hypoallergenic / Anallergenic
- Best novel-protein (no script needed): Ivory Coat Grain Free Lamb & Kangaroo
- Best budget novel-protein: Black Hawk Grain Free Kangaroo
- Best premium single-protein: Prime100 SPD Air-Dried Kangaroo & Pumpkin
1. Hill’s Prescription Diet z/d Skin & Food Sensitivities
The gold standard for dogs with a confirmed food allergy. It uses hydrolysed chicken protein, broken down into fragments too small to trigger most immune responses, and targets both skin and gastrointestinal symptoms. This is a prescription diet, so you’ll need it recommended and authorised by your vet — it isn’t something to switch to on your own.
2. Royal Canin Hypoallergenic / Anallergenic
Royal Canin’s veterinary range is formulated with hydrolysed animal proteins plus fish oil to help calm skin irritation while minimising allergic reactions. Like the Hill’s option above, these are prescription formulas typically used during a vet-guided elimination trial rather than an everyday supermarket swap.
3. Ivory Coat Grain Free Lamb & Kangaroo
An Australian-made, retail-available option built around lamb and kangaroo — a genuine novel protein for most dogs that haven’t eaten it before. No artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives. A sensible first step for dogs with mild sensitivities where a full prescription diet isn’t (yet) required. Priced from around $35 for a small bag up to around $135 for a large bag.
4. Black Hawk Grain Free Kangaroo
A single novel protein (kangaroo) formula that’s grain free and widely stocked. It’s a solid mid-range pick if you want to simplify your dog’s diet down to one protein source without going down the prescription-diet route. A 15kg bag typically runs from around $120 to $150 depending on retailer.
5. Prime100 SPD Air-Dried Kangaroo & Pumpkin
A premium, single-protein air-dried diet vets often recommend for elimination diet trials, since it’s just one clean protein source with minimal added ingredients. It costs more than a standard kibble — around $177 for 2.2kg — but the air-dried format is convenient and shelf-stable compared to raw.
How We Compared These
This guide is based on published formulations, ingredient lists, RRP pricing, and guidance aggregated from veterinary and pet nutrition sources — not a clinical trial run by our team. Most dogs on an appropriate allergy diet show improvement within four to eight weeks; talk to your vet before switching food, especially if your dog has a suspected true food allergy rather than an intolerance. If you buy through a link on this page, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.