Best dog food for skin allergies? Why fish, seabream and salmon, is the place to start

Owners searching for the best dog food for skin allergies usually arrive after months of scratching. Ask a vet what to try for a dog with itchy skin or a dull coat and, once parasites and infections are ruled out, the answer is often the same: more omega-3, and a change of protein. Fish does both at once. That is why fish recipes sit at the heart of the Bitesy Platinum Dog range.

Omega-3 is not a supplement, it is an ingredient

The long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA calm inflammation in the skin, support joints and help brain and eye development in puppies. Dogs cannot make enough of them from plant oils; they need to eat them. Oily sea fish such as salmon and seabream are the richest natural source. Feeding them as the main protein delivers omega-3 in every meal rather than as an afterthought squeezed into a capsule.

Why Mediterranean seabream

Seabream is the fish of this part of the world. It is lean, highly digestible and, importantly for sensitive dogs, uncommon in mainstream pet food, which makes it a useful "novel" protein for dogs that have developed reactions to chicken or beef. Bitesy is made in Malta, and fresh seabream from the Mediterranean is one of the reasons the range tastes and performs the way it does.

Salmon, and the coat difference

Salmon carries the highest omega-3 load of the fish we use. Owners usually notice the coat first: within six to eight weeks it is glossier and sheds less, and scratching eases. Salmon is also very palatable, which helps with dogs that have gone off their food.

Dual-protein: variety with control

Bitesy Platinum Dog offers two ways to feed fish. The mono-protein recipes use a single source for dogs that need strict simplicity. The dual-protein recipes pair fresh seabream, salmon or lamb with one complementary protein to broaden the amino-acid profile and keep meals interesting, while still naming every source and its percentage on the pack. Both are available in 3 kg and 12 kg bags for small, medium and large adult dogs.

What to expect when you switch

Change over gradually across seven to ten days. Skin and coat improvements take time, because hair grows slowly: give a fish-based food two months before judging it. Stools usually firm up sooner. If you are running an elimination trial for allergies, keep the diet strict, with no treats or table food, for the full period.