Best Pea-Free Dog Foods
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Peas were at the top of the list of ingredients associated with this type of canine heart disease in a study of over 800 compounds. Are you concerned about the dog food you’re giving your dog?
If you are searching for a food because you are worried about peas, lentils, and legumes, we can help. Keep reading to learn more about the best pea-free dog foods.
At A Glance: Best Pea-Free Dog Food
We highly recommend looking at the comparison table we have below, where we have highlighted the features of each product. You’ll also find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Compare Best Pea-Free Dog Foods
| EDITOR’S CHOICE  1. Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food | BEST AFFORDABLE  3. Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Dog Food | MOST POPULAR  4. Holistic Select Adult Health Anchovy, Sardine & Salmon Meals Recipe Dry Dog Food | BEST HIGH PROTEIN  5. Sport Dog Food Elite Series Herding Dog Grain-Free Buffalo & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Dog Food | |
| Protein 26.0% Min | Protein 30.0% Min | Protein 24.0% Min | Protein 25.0% Min | Protein 30.0% Min |
| Fat 16.0% Min | Fat 20.0% Min | Fat 10.0% Min | Fat 13.0% Min | Fat 15.0% Min |
| Fiber 4.0% Max | Fiber 3.8% Max | Fiber 4.5% Max | Fiber 4.5% Max | Fiber 3.3% Max |
| Moisture 12.0% Max | Moisture 9.0% Max | Moisture 10.0% Max | Moisture | Moisture 9.0% Max |
| Caloric Content 3,725 kcal/kg, 429 kcal/cup | Caloric Content 3815 kcal/kg, 406 kcal/8oz cup | Caloric Content 373 kcal/cup | Caloric Content | Caloric Content 3,595 kcal/kg 460 kcals/cup |
| Calories | Calories | Calories | Calories 3,599 kcal/kg, 425 kcal/cup | Calories |
Introduction to Pea-Free Dog Food
Peas, legumes, and lentils have become common in dog foods over the past 15-20 years as corn and wheat are no longer preferred. These ingredients are high in protein, fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. However, the problem is not yet solved, but it may be interfering with the absorption of the amino acid taurine, which is essential for heart health.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in 2018 that it was looking into cases of canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) linked to these ingredients. DCM can affect dogs of all ages, breeds, or mixes and can cause symptoms such as loss of appetite, pale gums, increased heart rate, coughing, difficulty breathing, weakness, and frailty.
Genetic DCM is not reversible, but if caught early enough, some cases can be reversed. Veterinarians can help treat dogs with nutritional DCM, and if a dog is diagnosed, it is essential to report the case to the FDA.
The 5 Best Pea-free Dog Food Reviewed
Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food
Product Info
- Protein: 26.0% Min
- Fat: 16.0% Min
- Fiber: 4.0% Max
- Moisture: 12.0% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,725 kcal/kg, 429 kcal/cup
- Salmon is the first ingredient
- Oatmeal is an easily-digestible source of carbs
- Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids support your dog’s joints and skin
- No corn, wheat, or soy
- Pea-free
- Made for dogs with sensitive digestion
- Some people won’t like all of the ingredients
This food also has prebiotic fiber for sensitive digestion. Rice and oatmeal make it easy to digest. Fish oil provides a good source of omega-3 fatty acid and omega-6 fatty acid and zinc nourish your dog’s skin and coat. Contains no corn, wheat, or soy.
Available in 5-lb, 16-lb, 30-lb, and 41-lb bags.
VICTOR Classic Hi-Pro Plus Formula Dry Dog Food
Product Info
- Protein: 30.0% Min
- Fat: 20.0% Min
- Fiber: 3.8% Max
- Moisture: 9.0% Max
- Caloric Content: 3815 kcal/kg, 406 kcal/8oz cup
- High protein formula
- Gluten-free
- No corn, wheat, or soy
- Pea-free
- All life stage formula
- Contains dehydrated alfalfa meal which is technically a legume; it’s the 9th ingredient so probably not a problem
The protein in this food is 88 percent meat protein.
Available in 5-lb, 15-lb, 40-lb, and 50-lb bags.
Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Dog Food
Product Info
- Protein: 24.0% Min
- Fat: 10.0% Min
- Fiber: 4.5% Max
- Moisture: 10.0% Max
- Caloric Content: 373 kcal/cup
- Pea-free
- Grain-free
- No corn, wheat, or soy
- Limited ingredient diet for dogs with sensitive digestion
- No artificial flavors or colors
- Contains a single animal protein and limited carbohydrates
- Lower in protein like many limited ingredient diets
Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Sweet Potato & Fish Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is pea-free. It also contains just one animal protein – fish; and limited carbohydrates – sweet potatoes. This is also a grain-free formula with no corn, wheat, or soy.
If your dog has sensitive digestion or a food allergy and you want to go pea-free, this could be a good food to consider. If this food doesn’t work for your dog, Natural Balance has many other recipes.
Available in 4.5-lb, 13-lb, and 26-lb bags.
Holistic Select Adult Health Anchovy, Sardine & Salmon Meals Recipe Dry Dog Food
Product Info
- Protein: 25.0% Min
- Fat: 13.0% Min
- Fiber: 4.5% Max
- Calories: 3,599 kcal/kg, 425 kcal/cup
- Pea-free
- Made for dogs with sensitive digestion
- Contains omega-rich ingredients to nourish your dog’s skin and coat
- Contains a source of live, naturally occurring microorganisms to support your dog’s digestive tract
- Natural fiber keeps your dog’s digestive tract working smoothly
- 69 percent of the protein in this food comes from animal protein
- Some people have reported that the food has a fishy smell but it is a fish-based food. This is sometimes reported about other fish-based dog foods.
If you’re looking for a pea-free food and your dog cannot eat some other animal proteins, this is definitely a food to consider.
Available in 4-lb, 15-lb, and 30-lb.
Sport Dog Food Elite Series Herding Dog Grain-Free Buffalo & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Dog Food
Product Info
- Protein: 30.0% Min
- Fat: 15.0% Min
- Fiber: 3.3% Max
- Moisture: 9.0% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,595 kcal/kg 460 kcals/cup
- Lean buffalo meal is the first ingredient
- Pea-free; 100 percent legume-free
- Grain-free, gluten-free
- No artificial preservatives, flavors, fillers, or by-products
- American-sourced ingredients
- No corn, wheat, or soy, eggs, or egg products
- Flax-free
- Sport Dog Food only comes in 30-lb bags; some people have complained because it’s not available in a smaller bag
They make first rate dog foods, especially for more active dogs. Sport Dog Food Elite Series Herding Dog Buffalo & Sweet Potato Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food uses just one protein source – lean buffalo. It is 100 percent free of legumes.
Carbs come from sweet potatoes, potatoes, and cassava root. Even if your dog has food sensitivities this would be a good food. This food contains no artificial preservatives, flavors, fillers, or by-products. And it’s made with American-sourced ingredients and never any corn, soy, eggs, or egg products.
Available in 30-lb bags.
What to Look For When Shopping For The Best Pea-free Dog Food?
Here are some things to look for if you’re searching for the best pea-free dog food.
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Look for dog foods that state they are pea-free. This seems obvious, but it’s a good place to start. Until recently, it was hard to find pea-free dog food unless you bought dog food that included corn. More companies are now offering pea-free foods as options.
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Peas, legumes, and lentils are confusing, but your dog’s food should limit all of them. Technically, legumes are a category that includes peas, lentils, and beans. You can find any or all of these items listed in a dog food ingredient list. They can include things such as peas, field peas, yellow peas, green peas, red lentils, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), and many others. Even alfalfa is a legume. Avoid anything that is called a “pulse,” too. According to the FDA and various researchers, it’s best if these ingredients do not appear in the first 5–10 ingredients listed in your dog’s food. That’s because the higher an ingredient is listed, the more of it is included in the food.
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Watch for “splitting.” Remember when you used to be warned about dog food companies that would split corn? The same thing happens with peas in dog food. If you look at an ingredient list, you will sometimes see peas, pea protein, pea fiber, and pea starch listed separately. If you only look for peas and find them listed 10th in the food, it might not seem that the food contains a lot of peas. But add all of the pea products together, and it’s a lot of peas.
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Consider feeding a grain-inclusive dog food. Whether your dog has been diagnosed with nutritional DCM or not, you might consider feeding a grain-inclusive dog food—even one that contains corn. There are good dog foods that use corn as a carbohydrate and not as a protein source. Corn also has the added benefit of being a source of the amino acids cysteine and methionine, which dogs need to produce their own taurine.
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You don’t have to give up grain-free dog food. If you want to keep feeding a grain-free diet, you will probably need to expand your ideas about what makes a food “grain-free.” These days, it seems to be anything that does not include corn or wheat. Sweet potatoes and potatoes have become very popular as carbohydrate sources. Sorghum, millet, and brown rice are also found in grain-free dog foods today.
Final Thoughts
Although the percentage of dogs affected by this condition is small, it is likely that not all cases have been reported or that some dogs’ owners have not recognized the condition. If you are looking for the best pea-free dog food, the foods recommended here are all good foods. One of these foods or another similar food made by these companies would be a good choice.
