5 Best Dog Food For Hypothyroidism (Top Reviewed)

If your dog has recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, this can be worrying.

You may be wondering what sort of life changes you need to make to improve your dog’s overall health.

As hypothyroidism can affect your dog’s weight, it is important to feed them the correct diet.

Choosing the correct food can be a difficult process as there are many different brands to choose between.

In this article, we have chosen five of the best dog foods for hypothyroidism. We have included a buyer’s guide which will inform you of everything you need to know before purchasing the dog food.

From the symptoms of hypothyroidism to the ingredients the food should include, we have got you covered. We have also answered frequently asked questions at the end of this article.

If you are in a rush, check out our top choice below!

In A Hurry?

Here is our top choice of dog food for hypothyroidism:

Zignature Limited Grain-Free Dog Food

Zignature Limited is our top choice because it is sustainably sourced and contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Protein is the number one ingredient and it is from a high-quality source.

The food comes in a range of flavors and bag sizes. It is reasonably priced and a popular choice.

It can be fed to dogs from all life stages which is particularly useful and it includes limited ingredients.

Overall it is a great choice and contains low- glycemic carbs that are easy for your dog to digest.

In addition to this, the food includes taurine and L-carnitine to help improve your dog’s health.

1. Zignature Limited Grain-Free Dog Food

Zignature Dog food is available in 13 flavors, ranging from Turkey to salmon. The food comes in 3 bag sizes – 4, 12.5, and 25lbs.

When looking at the cost, it is one of the more expensive foods we have featured. However, it contains all-natural ingredients that are of high quality. 

The food is suitable for dogs of all ages which takes away the need to transition food between life stages. This is great if you are a multi-dog home. 

The formula uses limited ingredients and the protein is the number one ingredient. Zignature does not include potatoes or grains.

It is highly digestible, and grain-free. The carbs included are low-glycemic which are easier for your dog to digest. 

There is added taurine and L-carnitine to help improve your dog’s overall health. While it does use fish meal, this is in addition to the high-quality protein source.

Pros:

• High-quality protein
• Low-glycemic carbohydrates
• Added taurine and L-carnitine

Cons:

• Contains fish meal alongside the single protein source which could disagree with your dog

2. Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Adult Dry Dog Food

Taste of the Wild is not one of the cheapest foods on the market, but it is one of the more affordable options we have included.

It comes in two flavors, smoked salmon, and roasted bison & venison. There is also puppy food available. 

The food is available to purchase in 3 different bag sizes – 5, 14, and 28lb.

With the salmon flavor, the protein is the number one ingredient and it is taken from sustainable sources. The recipe is grain-free.

As the food contains probiotics, this allows for a healthy digestive system. The recipe is egg-free and contains antioxidants which are great for your dog’s health.

The food does contain different carbohydrate sources that could potentially disagree with your dog’s stomach.

However, there are no artificial colors, flavors, fillers, or preservatives used. The food is packed with nutrients and vitamins.

Pros:

• No artificial colors, flavors, fillers, or preservatives
• Packed with nutrients, probiotics, and vitamins
• Grain-free recipe

Cons:

• The recipe contains different potato-based carbohydrates which could disagree with your dog’s stomach

3. Wellness Simple Grain Free Dog Food

Wellness Dog food is reasonably priced. This food is only currently available in a 24lb bag. As there is only one sizing option, this does limit you.

However, the price of the bag is reasonable when you take into consideration the high quality of the food.

The food is available in one flavor, salmon and potato. It is formulated to be soft on your dog’s stomach and the recipe is grain-free. As it contains limited ingredients, it is better for your dog overall.

In addition to this, it uses a single source of protein, containing no fillers. It is a natural food that contains antioxidants, omega 3 fatty acids, and prebiotics to help with your dog’s overall health. 

The food is made in the USA and uses non-GMO ingredients.

Pros:

• Grain-free recipe
• Limited ingredients
• Contains antioxidants and prebiotics to help improve your dog’s overall health

Cons:

• Only available to purchase in a bulk bag

4. Victor Select Grain Free Yukon River Canine Food

Victor Yukon River Canine food is available in three different bag sizes – 5, 15, and 30lb.

When looking at the price of the food, it is reasonable. It comes in one flavor, salmon and sweet potato. 

The food is suitable for all life stages, which is useful. It uses a complete grain-free recipe and contains 74% protein.

While the recipes do include dehydrated salmon, fish meal as the first ingredient which may not be the best option if your dog has sensitivities. 

Victor Select food includes minerals, prebiotics, and probiotics to help with your dog’s overall health.

It also includes selenium yeast which helps to support cellular regeneration and better immune responses.

As the food only contains fish proteins, it is a good option if your dog suffers from meat protein allergies.

The food is dog advisor-approved and made in the USA. It helps to keep your dog’s metabolism efficient, which is important for dogs with hypothyroidism.

Pros:

• Helps to keep your dog’s metabolism efficient
• Contains prebiotics and probiotics
• The recipe contains 74% protein

Cons:

• The single protein source is not the first ingredient

5. Instinct Be Natural Dry Dog Food

Instinct Be Natural Dog food is available in 3 flavors that are suitable for dogs with hypothyroidism – chicken, salmon, and lamb.

It is not the cheapest food available, but the ingredients are of high quality, which is reflected in the price. 

This food is available in the following bag sizes – 4.5, 12, 24, and 25lb. There are plenty of sizes to choose from.

Instinct Be Natural includes a single protein source, which is the number one ingredient. Grass-fed lamb and cage-free chickens are used from sustainable sources. 

While the food does not include any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, it does include fish and meat meals depending on the flavor you choose.

This is to accompany the main protein source. It could have the potential to disagree with your dog’s digestive system, however.

This food is a raw coated kibble. This means the food is coated with freeze-dried raw meat to add to the overall taste and nutrition. It does contain some grains.

Pros:

• High-quality ingredients
• No artificial colors, additives, or preservatives
• Coated in freeze-dried raw food

Cons:

• Contains meat and fish meal alongside the protein source and it is not entirely grain-free

Best Dog Food For Hypothyroidism Buyer’s Guide

Here are some of the things you should take into consideration before purchasing dog food for hypothyroidism.

What Is Hypothyroidism?

Before we go into detail about food specifics, we will explain what hypothyroidism is. 

Hypothyroidism is caused by your dog’s thyroid gland becoming underactive.

The thyroid gland can be found in a dog’s neck and it controls a dog’s overall metabolism.

If your dog’s thyroid gland is underactive, this causes its metabolism to slow down.

Hypothyroidism is often confused with hyperthyroidism, but they are opposite conditions.

While they both affect the thyroid. Hyperthyroidism causes the thyroid gland to become overactive. 

Unfortunately, if your dog has been diagnosed with hypothyroidism this condition is lifelong. Do not be disheartened by this.

While hypothyroidism cannot be cured, it can be managed and your dog will still have a good quality of life overall. The majority of dogs respond well to the treatment.

Symptoms Of Hypothyroidism

If you are concerned about your dog and suspect that they may be suffering from hypothyroidism, there are a few common symptoms that they may be displaying.

Here are some of the symptoms your dog may develop:

• Skin and coat changes
• Weight gain (often with no increase in your dog’s overall eating habits)
• Lethargy
• Refusal to exercise
• Minimal hair growth
• Significant hair loss
• Decreased heart rate
• Increased skin and ear infections
• Becomes cold easier
• High cholesterol

These are some of the more common symptoms that your dog is likely to have.

It is worth noting that your dog may only have a few of these symptoms or they may have many of them. Every dog’s body will react to hypothyroidism and illness differently.

If your dog is displaying any of these symptoms, you should take them to receive tests and a diagnosis before changing their food. This illness needs medical treatment and cannot simply be self-managed. 

Ingredients to avoid

As thyroid problems can cause weight gain, it is important to feed your dog a good quality diet that does not contain too much fat or additives.

Furthermore, some ingredients are best to avoid if your dog suffers from hypothyroidism.

Here are some of the ingredients that you should avoid in dog food:

Artificial additives and fillers

These will add no goodness to your dog’s diet. As they do not provide any nutritional value, they are best avoided. When you are looking for good food, it should have as much natural food as possible. 

Artificial additives and fillers have the potential to make your dog’s symptoms worse.

In addition to this, they can also disagree with your dog’s stomach if it is sensitive. This is why it is important to avoid them as a whole. 

In regards to fillers, they just simply bulk out the meal and also do not provide any nutritional benefits.

Other than making the food seem more filling than it actually is, there is little use for fillers. 

While these only tend to be found in very low-quality dog food, it is worth checking the label ingredients list of the food you purchased just to be on the safe side.

Beef and beef by-products

There are links regarding beef and its by-products with hypothyroidism. Given this, we would recommend avoiding any food that contains any beef at all.

Many other protein sources would be more suitable for your dog with thyroid problems. Beef by-products include beef mean, offal, hooves, and other similar products.

Starchy Carbohydrates

While your dog needs carbohydrates in its diet, overly starchy carbohydrates may not be the most suitable option.

They can be more difficult for your dog to digest.

Grains

When looking for good food for hypothyroidism, you should avoid grains where possible.

A grain-free food would be a more suitable alternative. Grain-free food tends to be more digestible for the dog. 

Gluten, soy, and corn are known for being some of the more difficult foods to digest. If a food is high in grains, this can cause hormone imbalances.

When your dog is already struggling with health issues, it is better to not add to any of the problems. 

Ingredients to look for

In contrast to the ingredients that you should avoid, there are several ingredients that you should look for in good dog food for hypothyroidism.

High in protein

The food you choose should be high in protein. When looking for the protein source, this should be the main ingredient.

When looking at the ingredients list, the main ingredient is always listed first.

The main protein should be from single sources and should not be derivatives or meat meals.

While some food does include meat meal in addition to the main protein source, this does have the potential to disagree with your dog’s digestive system, which is worth taking into consideration.

Ideally, you want to choose lean proteins such as chicken or turkey. In addition to this, fish protein is easy for your dog to digest too. While you can give meat such as lamb or pork to your dog, this is not always the easiest to digest. 

As hypothyroidism can cause weight gain, a lean protein source is a great option to choose. When you are looking at the protein content, ideally you should choose a food that states the exact percentage of protein in the food.

High-quality ingredients

As we have mentioned above, the ingredients that the food includes should be the best possible.

You should be able to understand and know all of the ingredients that are included. The fewer ingredients in the food the better the food will be for your dog.

You want to ensure that the ingredients are all-natural, rather than being artificial.

In addition to a high-quality protein source, the dog food should include some form of easily digestible carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, and vitamins and minerals.

These will all provide a balanced diet that will support your dog’s overall health. 

Cost

The cost of the dog food you purchase is important. While you may need to shop on more of a budget, if your dog has hypothyroidism, the food you will need to purchase will be more expensive in comparison to a grocery store dog food. 

This is because the food needs to be of good quality. Dog food of a good quality tends to be more expensive. It is worth noting that not all good quality dog food is expensive, however.

In addition to this, the cost per meal for more expensive dog food does tend to be less than the cost per meal for cheaper food.

This is because a good quality dog food will keep your dog fuller for longer. Good quality food does not contain additives or fillers. 

It is worth noting that not all expensive dog foods are of good quality. Some prices are increased because of the name of the brand, rather than the quality of the food.

Frequently Asked Questions

We have answered some frequently asked questions about hypothyroidism and dog food that you may have:

What dog breeds are prone to hypothyroidism?

All breeds can develop problems with their thyroid, and there is no guarantee that a specific breed of dog will not develop symptoms.

However, some breeds are slightly more susceptible to thyroid problems in comparison to others.

The breeds that can be more susceptible to hypothyroidism include:

• Dachshunds
• Irish setters
• Boxers
• Cocker spaniels and Cockapoos
• Labradors/Labradoodles
• Golden Retrievers and Goldendoodles

As you can see, a wide range of dogs can suffer from this illness. However, typically larger and medium breeds are more likely to develop this from the ages of around 4 through to 10. 

In addition to this, if your dog has been neutered, this can increase the risk of them developing hypothyroidism.

What happens if hypothyroidism is left untreated in dogs?

If you suspect your dog has any of the hypothyroidism symptoms that we have mentioned above, you will need to pop to your local veterinarian as soon as possible. If left untreated, hypothyroidism can get worse.

While the initial symptoms of hypothyroidism are uncomfortable for dogs, if left untreated it can lead to heart and nerve problems, infertility, and even death.

This is why it is essential to get your dog’s health checked regularly to be on the safe side.