Open FarmRawMix Open Prairie Freeze Dried Dog Food Topping

The most common protein in pet food, and for dogs one of the most common food allergens, with beef and dairy. If chicken is what your pet reacts to, it hides everywhere: chicken fat, chicken broth, chicken meal, natural flavor. On a label, chicken listed first is weighed with its water still in, so a food leading with fresh chicken often has less chicken protein than one leading with chicken meal. Neither is better; they are different measures.

A poultry protein, similar to chicken in nutrition and usually a little leaner. Fresh or deboned turkey is mostly water and ranks higher on the label than its dry contribution; turkey meal is the concentrated form. Turkey is often used as an alternative for pets that react to chicken, but the two are related birds and some pets react to both, so it is not a guaranteed swap.

The liver of the chicken, used both as a nutrient-dense ingredient and as a flavor. It is rich in vitamin A, iron, copper and B vitamins and most pets find it very palatable, which is why it turns up in treats and as a coating on kibble. Because it is chicken, it counts as chicken for a pet with a chicken allergy, even when it appears far down the list.