Hydrolysed protein has been broken into fragments too small for your dog's immune system to recognise. If the body doesn't recognise it, it doesn't flag it as a threat, so the reaction that causes the itching never starts.
Why does that matter for an itchy dog?
A food allergy is the immune system treating a protein as something to fight. It learns to spot a particular protein, usually one your dog has eaten for a long time, and reacts every time it turns up.
How small is small enough?
Small enough that most of it slips past unnoticed. In our kibble, around 93% of the soluble protein sits below 10,000 daltons, which is the unit protein fragments are measured in. About half of it is below 1,000 daltons.
The protein is also 94% digestible in testing, so your dog absorbs what they eat instead of passing it through.
Is this the same as what a vet prescribes?
The idea is the same. Veterinary hydrolysed diets you get through the vet work on the same principle, and ours is vet-formulated on that principle too.
If your vet has already put your dog on a diet that's working, stay on it. If you want to change, talk to them first.
Can I just try it?
Yes. It doesn't need a prescription. A 2kg sample is $19.99 and gives you enough food to see how your dog responds.