7 Best Dog Food for High Triglycerides (Low Fat Diet)

Edited by: Mike Powell
Reviewed by: Abby Texas

Last Update:

The Rundown

Best for Active Dogs: Wellness Core Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
“If you have an energetic dog, you need to give them a high quality diet that provides all the nutrients they need and supplies them enough energy to get through the day. That’s what Wellness Core Dry Dog Food is formulated for.”

Best for Seniors: VICTOR Purpose Senior Dry Dog Food
“Get your pooch well taken care of even especially as they grow older. The Victor Purpose Senior Dog Food comes with all the specific nutrients needed by your dog needs as they mature.”

Best for Dogs with Allergies: Natural Balance L.I.D. Dry Dog Food
“Manage your dog’s weight well while making sure they’re getting all the supplements they need with the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food. It’s healthy, delicious, and easy on the budget!”

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 If your pup is a little on the heavy side, there’s a chance they may be at risk for something called high triglycerides. 

Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood of both humans and dogs. If their levels rise too much, they can lead to things like strokes and heart attacks. This condition is called hyperlipidemia. 

The best dog food for high triglycerides is one that’s low in fat. Diet is the best way to reduce your dog’s triglycerides, along with regular exercise to get their weight down. 

Product Name
Best for Dogs with Allergies
Our ranking
Ranked #1
Ranked #2
Ranked #3
Thumbnail
Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food, Reduced Fat, 26-Pound Bag
VICTOR Purpose - Senior/Healthy Weight, Dry Dog Food
Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Dog Food, Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Formula, 12 Pounds
Our grade
Our Rating 91/100
Our Rating 89/100
Our Rating 88/100
Feature 1
Good Omega fatty acids for skin and coat
Contains DHA, which is helpful for aging dogs
Limited ingredients, to avoid problem proteins
Feature 2
Added joint and heart supplements
Senior-specific lower-fat recipe
Taurine for cardiovascular health
Best for Active Dogs
Our ranking
Ranked #1
Thumbnail
Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food, Reduced Fat, 26-Pound Bag
Our grade
Our Rating 91/100
Feature 1
Good Omega fatty acids for skin and coat
Feature 2
Added joint and heart supplements
Buy Now Button
Custom Button
Best for Seniors
Our ranking
Ranked #2
Thumbnail
VICTOR Purpose - Senior/Healthy Weight, Dry Dog Food
Our grade
Our Rating 89/100
Feature 1
Contains DHA, which is helpful for aging dogs
Feature 2
Senior-specific lower-fat recipe
Buy Now Button
Custom Button
Best for Dogs with Allergies
Our ranking
Ranked #3
Thumbnail
Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Dog Food, Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Formula, 12 Pounds
Our grade
Our Rating 88/100
Feature 1
Limited ingredients, to avoid problem proteins
Feature 2
Taurine for cardiovascular health
Buy Now Button
Custom Button
Sources researched
19
Sources researched
Customer reviews
16,872
Customer reviews
Hours spent testing
12
Hours spent testing
Products tested
7
Products tested

Best Dog Food for High Triglycerides

Here are our choices for the best dog food for high triglycerides:

1. Wellness Core Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Best for Active Dogs: Enough protein to maintain muscle mass in energetic dogs

Key Features

  • Lowered fat but high protein 
  • High fiber count (12%) 
  • Good Omega fatty acids for skin and coat 
  • Added joint and heart supplements

Wellness Core grain-free dry dog food is perfect for high-energy dogs who simply need a bit of help reaching a healthy weight. It’s packed with protein, and has a lowered fat count to facilitate weight loss and lower triglyceride levels. 

The downside is that dogs who are sensitive to poultry won’t be able to eat this dry dog food, and there are no other flavors available in this particular Wellness Core weight management recipe.

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High Energy, Reduced Fat 

Dogs who get plenty of exercise need enough nutrients to keep them strong. Wellness Core is a great dog food for high triglycerides and a multitude of other disease, thanks to its full-house of supplements and all-natural ingredients. 

10% fat and 12% fiber help your dog’s system to metabolize food effectively, lower triglycerides, and keep them fuller for longer. 

You’ll also find joint supplements, moderate Omegas, added vitamins, and taurine, to support a healthy cardiovascular system. 

Wellness Core also features added probiotics, which is helpful for metabolizing nutrients, including fat, properly.

2. VICTOR Purpose Senior Dry Dog Food

Best for Seniors: Nutrient-dense and supplement-rich, ideal for aging dogs

Key Features

  • Senior-specific lower-fat recipe 
  • Contains DHA, which is helpful for aging dogs 
  • Added taurine for cardiovascular health 
  • Useful supplements for seniors

Seniors might not be able to metabolize fat molecules like they used to, so their diet needs to help them fight high triglycerides. 

This dry dog food has a lower fat content, moderate amount of protein, and some great supplements to help an older dog stay as healthy as possible

If your senior struggles to digest poultry, you might need to search for an alternative option.

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Senior-Specific Dog Food 

A moderately lowered fat count is perfect for seniors who are less active than they used to be. The protein count is not too high but is enough to still help them to maintain muscle mass

We chose this as our best dog food for high triglycerides in seniors because of its nutrient-dense, supplement-rich formulation. 

Weight management can become tough as dogs get older. Joint supplements keep joints strong and supple, and L-carnitine helps  senior dogs to use the energy they get from their dog food properly. 

DHA is a superb addition that helps seniors’ brain tissue and eyes to stay strong and sharp.

3. Natural Balance L.I.D. Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Best for Dogs with Allergies: Limited ingredient and low fat, best of both worlds

Key Features

  • Various flavors to choose from 
  • Limited ingredients, to avoid problem proteins 
  • Grain-free for healthy digestion 
  • Taurine for cardiovascular health

Dogs with allergies who happen to need a weight management food would do well with Natural Balance. It’s not specifically a weight management dog food, but each recipe is low in fat, has lower levels of Omega fatty acids, and contains taurine.

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Limited Ingredient, Low-Fat 

Each recipe contains only one meat source, so it’s easy to avoid ingredients that are a problem. Some dogs may have trouble digesting the potato ingredients, but it really depends on the dog. 

There’s a wide variety of flavors to choose from, all of which are lower in fat and moderate in fiber. Ingredients like sweet potatoes provide long-term, sustained energy. 

Chelated minerals help with digestion, and being grain-free helps too. The only downside for some dogs is that there are no joint supplements, so you’d need to buy some separately if your dog needs them.

4. American Journey Active Life Formula Healthy Weight

Best for All Life Stages: Well-rounded, healthy choice for puppy, adult and senior dogs

Key Features

  • Lowered fat count with healthy fats 
  • Contains taurine for cardiovascular health 
  • High fiber count 
  • Contains useful joint supplements

American Journey Active Life Formula Healthy Weight is one of the best dog foods for high triglycerides for dog that are not sensitive to chicken

It has a moderate protein count that should suit most dogs, a lowered fat count, and an increased fiber count. It also contains all the supplements an adult dog would need.

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Well-Rounded and Healthy 

25% protein should suit most dogs with a moderate to fairly active lifestyle. That comes from deboned chicken, chicken meal, and turkey meal, all easy-to-digest ingredients. 

The fat count comes in at 9%, which should be perfectly adequate for dogs who need to lower their triglycerides and shed a few pounds. 

It comes with a full spectrum of health-promoting supplements, including glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health, L-carnitine for metabolic regulation, and taurine to support a healthy heart while reducing unnecessary fat molecules.

5. Diamond Naturals Light Dry Dog Food

Best Value for Money: Best for dogs who are less active and have extremely high triglycerides

Key Features

  • Superfood ingredients for vitamins and minerals 
  • Very low fat count, best for severely high triglycerides 
  • Extremely affordable in comparison to others 
  • Useful added supplements, including taurine

Pup parents who are looking for a dog food that’s affordable but still great quality, the Diamond Naturals Light Dry Dog Food is the best option. 

Surprisingly, it contains no chicken or beef ingredients, opting for lamb. If your dog is allergic to either of those, they can eat this dry dog food without a problem. 

It may be too low in protein to maintain muscle mass for highly active dogs.

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Healthy and Very Low-Fat 

This is one of the lowest fat counts we’ve seen, at 6%. We recommend this kibble for dogs who have severely high triglycerides. 

It’s packed with nutrient-dense ingredients, many of which are classified as superfoods. It’s extremely rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, which should improve the immune system. 

Glucosamine and chondroitin support the joints, L-carnitine supports the metabolism, and taurine supports the cardiovascular system. 

It also contains Diamond Naturals’ proprietary probiotic blend, to make digestion even easier (although the all-natural ingredients make it easy already).

6. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Dog Food

Best Without Chicken: Multiple proteins but recommended for dogs with poultry allergies

Key Features

  • Suitable for dogs with an allergy to chicken ingredients 
  • Grain-free and easy to digest 
  • Joint and metabolic supplements 
  • LifeSource Bits for vitamins and minerals

If your dog has an allergy to poultry, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Dog Food could be the best dog food for them. It’s packed with meat, including beef, beef meal, fish meal, deboned lamb, and deboned venison. 

It’s worth noting that dogs who are allergic to legumes or potatoes may experience digestive symptoms eating this dog food. Be careful if your dog has food sensitivities!

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Great for Dogs with a Poultry Allergy 

It can be hard to find top-quality grain-free dog foods without chicken in them. This one is the best dog food for high triglycerides that contains no poultry whatsoever, so if your dog has allergies, this could be the best option. 

Aside from avoiding the problem ingredient, it contains slow-burning carbs like sweet potatoes and carrots, and antioxidant-rich fruits like blueberries and cranberries. 

L-carnitine is a super addition as it helps dogs metabolize properly, putting that fat to good use. Glucosamine and chondroitin keep their joints strong while they’re losing the pounds. 

It’s also important to note that the Omega fatty acids are lower than average in this dog food.

7. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Dry Dog Food

Best for Immune System: Higher-than-average vitamin and mineral levels

Key Features

  • Lower in fat but still high in fiber 
  • Moderate Omega fatty acid levels 
  • Joint and metabolism supplements 
  • LifeSource Bits improve the immune system

This healthy weight dry dog food contains 9% fat and 10% fiber. The low fat count helps to lower triglyceride levels, while the fiber helps your dog stay fuller for longer after a meal. 

It’s a fantastic choice for dogs who need an immune system boost. Blue Buffalo’s LifeSource Bits pack a punch of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. The stronger the immune system, the easier it is to fight off hyperlipidemia!

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Immune-Boosting Formula 

The protein count is fairly low, at 20%. Poultry meal and meat are the main ingredients, so be aware that if your dog is sensitive to them, they may need to find another dog food. 

This one is not only low-fat, it’s also fairly low in Omegas. There’s enough to give your dog’s  coat a shine, but not enough to cause extra fatty problems. 

L-carnitine and glucosamine are welcome additions that help both exercise and energy metabolism.


High Triglycerides in Dogs 

Causes of High Levels of Triglycerides 

High-Fat Diet 

The triglycerides can rise after a meal, especially if the dog food in question is high in fat. While some dogs need a high-fat diet in order to gain enough energy, when the fat molecules end up in your dog’s blood it can lead to this condition. 

Medication 

Meds such as steroids can cause unusual reactions in the body. Metabolism can be thrown off, and fat that would normally be metabolized as energy ends up somewhere it shouldn’t be – in the blood. 

Genetics 

Hyperlipidemia can be an inherited condition. Breeds most prone to this are Border collies, Shetland Sheep Dogs, and Schnauzers. It can affect any breed, though, so it’s a good idea to feed your pup a dog food for high triglycerides either way. 

Other Diseases 

Sometimes, high triglyceride levels are caused by other diseases. Hypothyroidism, canine diabetes, pancreatitis, and Cushing’s disease can all lead to this health problem later on. This is known as secondary or acquired hyperlipidemia. Often, treating the initial disease will inhibit the signs and symptoms of high triglycerides. 

Effects When Left Untreated 

High levels of triglycerides can lead to some rather detrimental effects on your dog’s health. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to pinpoint when the triglyceride levels are high, as the symptoms presented can often be mistaken for food allergies or intolerances. 

Gastrointestinal Effects 

A decreased appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea are common in a high-fat diet. It’s not always a sign of high triglycerides—it can be a host of other conditions—but it is one of the signs of hyperlipidemia. This can also lead to pancreatitis. 

Corneal Deposits 

Too much fat in the blood can show itself as white patches on the eye’s surface. These are actually fatty deposits on the eye itself. They can lead to the cornea to become inflamed, and in serious cases, may even lead to permanent blindness. 

Skin Problems 

High fat foods can also lead to skin and fur problems. Although Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for healthy skin and coat, too much fat can actually have the opposite effect, especially when it becomes a high triglyceride problem. Your pup’s skin might become flaky and itchy, and they could suffer from hair loss or brittle fur. 

Behavioral Changes 

Depression, lethargy, aggression, or seizures can be a sign of advanced stages of the condition. If your pup’s behavior changes, get them to the vet immediately to find out the reason.  

How Diet Can Help Alleviate High Triglycerides 

A grain-free, healthy weight dry dog food can help to alleviate the symptoms of high levels of triglycerides, or even stabilize triglyceride levels altogether. 

Dog foods with reduced fat content are the key. High levels of fats can find their way into the blood, and can have detrimental effects on your dog’s health. 

A balanced diet of all-natural ingredients promote health. A lower content of fats helps to reduce the chances of it landing up in the blood. High fiber helps your dog feel fuller for longer when they’re eating fewer fats. 


Questions & Answers

Are high triglycerides a symptom for something else? 

They can be, but that doesn’t always mean that they are. Sometimes, it’s simply a case of the dog food your pup is eating having a too-high fat content. 

In some cases, though, certain things can underlie triglycerides in the blood. It could possibly be a sign of canine diabetes, hypothyroidism, or Cushing’s disease. Take note of any meds your dog is on as well, as some medications can be the problem. 

What breeds are more prone to high triglycerides? 

If you’re the pet parent of a Schnauzer, a Border Collie, or a Shetland Sheepdog, your pup is at higher risk of developing this condition. 

That’s not to say that other breeds are in the clear. These three breeds are particularly prone to high levels of blood fat content, but it can happen to any breed if the conditions are right for it. 

What do you feed a dog with high triglycerides?  

Feed your dog a healthy weight formula dog food, with lowered fats and helpful supplements. You can choose grain-free dog foods if you wish, but it’s not absolutely necessary. 

What are the best foods to eat to lower triglycerides? 

Lean proteins, slow-burning vegetables, and fruits are great for helping to lower dangerous fats. These are all low in fats but high in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Avoid feeding your dog human food

Why are my dog’s triglycerides high? 

It could be that he’s just eaten a meal that’s rich in fats. Perhaps he’s on a medicine that’s causing irregular lipid absorption. Or there could be an underlying medical condition. Only a vet will be able to tell you. 

What do you feed a dog with high cholesterol? 

A low-fat diet is the first thing. These are often labelled as “healthy weight” dog food. As long as it’s  for weight management and it has only wholesome ingredients, the dog food you choose should promote health and ease symptoms of high cholesterol.


Wrapping Up

High triglycerides can’t be cured by a healthy, balanced diet, but feeding your dog a healthy weight dog food with lower levels of fat can definitely help to treat it and alleviate symptoms. 

If you’re concerned about your dog having high levels of triglycerides, choosing a low-fat diet could help. But make sure your dog can handle a lowered fat content! High-energy dogs need fat to burn for fuel. 

Mike Powell

Mike is an avid dog lover and writer. He’s based in Los Angeles, CA where he grew up in a household surrounded by pets. He’s been a dog owner all his life and he uses this extensive experience of having dogs as part of his family to share valuable, practical tips to improve other people’s dog parenting experience.