BixbiLiberty® Freeze-Dried Topper + Treat for Dogs

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 fatty fish used as a protein source and as a natural source of omega-3 fats. Fresh salmon is mostly water, so a salmon meal lower on the list may be contributing more protein. Salmon is a common alternative protein for pets that react to chicken or beef, though fish allergies exist too. Farmed and wild salmon differ in fat profile, and labels rarely say which.

A lean, mild fish, often cod, haddock, pollock or a mix, used as a protein source. Whitefish is lower in fat and omega-3 than salmon or herring and is chosen for its gentle flavor and digestibility. The term covers several species, so it is less specific than salmon or herring for an owner tracking a fish allergy. Whitefish meal is the concentrated, dried form.