what is hydrolyzed dog food

Hydrolyzed dog food is a type of food in which the proteins are chemically broken down into tiny pieces through a water-based process called hydrolysis. This process makes the proteins "invisible" to a dogs immune system, which can be helpful for dogs with food allergies or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) . Hydrolyzed protein dog food is prescribed by veterinarians to reduce or eliminate unpleasant physical reactions to meals. The most common proteins used in hydrolyzed dog food include soy, chicken, and salmon. Hydrolyzed protein dog food is manufactured under strict quality control measures to ensure that they are not contaminated by ingredients that are not included in the label. Hydrolyzed protein dog food is not intended to be fed long-term, but rather as a temporary stopgap to provide relief from allergy symptoms while systematically determining which ingredients the dog is allergic to. Some examples of hydrolyzed protein dog food brands include Hills, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets, and Royal Canin Veterinary Diet.