How can diet support dogs with itchy ears?
How can diet support dogs with itchy ears?
What goes into your dog’s bowl can have a real impact on their skin and ears. When a dog is sensitive to an ingredient, it can drive inflammation that leaves the ear canal itchy and makes recurring infections more likely. You may first notice scratching and headshaking. If yeast is involved, the ears can also become red and sore, with a musty smell and dark, waxy discharge.
Food is not behind every ear problem, but when a sensitivity is part of the picture, identifying the trigger with your vet can make a meaningful difference.
Alyssa Ralph
MSc PGDip BSc(Hons)
Clinical Animal Behaviourist & Canine Nutritionist
A complete diet with quality protein and omega fatty acids also helps maintain the skin barrier, the body’s first line of defence.
That’s why I recommend Years for dogs prone to itchy ears. Each complete recipe combines 60% named meat with omega rich oils and nutrient packed wholefoods to nourish healthy skin from within. Every ingredient percentage is fully declared, with single or multi source protein recipes to help you choose a fresh, gently cooked bowl that suits your dog’s sensitivities.
Alyssa Ralph
MSc PGDip BSc(Hons)
Clinical Animal Behaviourist & Canine Nutritionist
Wholesome ingredients for healthy skin & happy ears
Lean proteins
Vegetables
Fruit
Seeds
Herbs
Botanicals
Choose a protein that suits their sensitivities
Not every protein suits every pup, especially when food sensitivities and itchy ears are in the mix. Years lets you choose a single source recipe for a simpler bowl or a multi source recipe for more variety.
And with 60% named meat and every ingredient percentage fully declared, you know precisely what they’re tucking into.
Explore fresh recipes for healthy skin & itch free ears
How Years supports dogs prone to itchy ears
Healthy ears start with healthy skin. Your dog’s ear canals are lined with it, which means the nutrients that keep their skin in good condition have a super important job to do there too.
Years complete recipes contain 60% named meat, providing quality protein to help maintain and repair healthy skin. Omega rich oils and seeds bring essential fatty acids to help the skin hold onto moisture and maintain its protective barrier. And delicious wholefoods including blueberries and leafy greens add naturally occurring vitamins and antioxidants for even more skin loving goodness.
The result?
Well nourished skin that is better equipped to do its job from paw pad to ear tip!
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Completely grain, legume, dairy and soy free
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Every ingredient percentage is declared
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Personalised portions with breed specific ingredients
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Prebiotics and up to 400 million live probiotics per bowl
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Varied wholefood fibres to feed your dog’s good gut bacteria
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Free from fillers, preservatives, or anything artificial
Get started with a personalised plan for your pooch today!
Try Years fresh recipes with a personalised 7 day trial from £7, and discover how quality protein and omega rich wholefoods can nourish healthy skin in dogs prone to itchy ears. Tailored to their breed, size, activity and age.
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Rated the UK's Best Fresh Dog Food
All About Dog Food is the UK’s most trusted independent dog food review site, used by over 2 million people. Years has its highest fresh dog food rating, scoring an impressive 95%!
Only Years offers your dog a complete nutrition system with personalised ingredients based on your dog’s life stage and breed. Here’s how Years stacks up against the competition.
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AADF Nutrition Rating Overall nutritional rating on consumer review website Visit AllAboutDogFood.co.uk |
95% | 88% | 43% | 38% |
Declare % of every ingredient Is every ingredient % declared, so you know exactly what you’re feeding? |
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Detail every cut of meat Is every cut of meat detailed, so you know exactly what you’re feeding? |
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Zero legumes. |
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100% grain free |
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Gentle cooking method Classification is based on an average declared cooking temperature threshold of 90°C or below. |
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Store at room temperature |
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Health supplement |
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Breed specific ingredients Years' algorithm analyses your dog's breed, their potential health needs, and selects a formulation to suit - refined further with personalised dosage instructions. |
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Probiotic digestive support |
Years nutrition system includes fresh meals which provide 100% complete nutrition. At Years, we go even further, by including for free, with every meal a Breed Health+ supplement. Different formulas for different breeds, all with added probiotics for digestive support. Comparison table data was obtained, through a review of each brand's official website, conducted on 26 April 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Food allergies can contribute to recurring ear infections in dogs.
A reaction to something in your dog’s food may inflame the skin lining their ear canal, leaving it more vulnerable to secondary yeast or bacterial infections. However, food is only one possible factor. Environmental allergies, ear mites, trapped moisture and the shape of your dog’s ears can also play a part
The best choice is a complete food made with proteins your dog tolerates, essential fatty acids for healthy skin and ingredients you can clearly identify. Years fresh dog food offers single and multi source protein recipes, omega rich ingredients and fully declared ingredient percentages, helping you choose a bowl around your dog’s known sensitivities.
If your dog's ears are very itchy, smelly, or have a discharge, it is advised you check in with your vet to discuss any concerns.
Look at what else is happening. Recurring ear trouble accompanied by paw licking, itchy skin, redness or digestive upset may suggest that food sensitivities are part of the picture. Years makes every ingredient percentage clear, which can help you and your vet review what your dog is regularly eating. Symptoms alone cannot confirm the cause, though.
You can also chat through your dog's symptoms with our expert panel! All Years subscribers can book in for a free 1:1 consultation.
Yeast ear infections can cause scratching, headshaking, redness, soreness and a dark or greasy discharge. You may also notice a strong, musty smell when your dog comes in for a cuddle. These symptoms can look similar to other ear problems, so your vet will need to confirm what is causing them.
Going grain free does not treat or prevent a yeast ear infection by itself. It may be useful when your dog has a known sensitivity to a particular grain, but there is no recognised “anti-yeast” dog food. Years recipes are grain free, as well as free from legumes, dairy and soy, but an active infection still needs veterinary treatment.
It may help when your dog is sensitive to a particular animal protein, but there is no single meat that suits every pup. Years gives you a choice of single source and multi source recipes, so you can select meals around the proteins known to agree with your dog rather than playing dinnertime roulette.
Fish can be a useful option if your dog tolerates it well. Salmon naturally provides omega 3 fatty acids, which help nourish the skin barrier and maintain healthy skin and coat condition. Years offers recipes containing fresh salmon, pollock or prawns, alongside plenty of other protein choices for dogs who prefer something less fishy.
The cost of a Years meal plan depends on things like your dog’s breed, size, age, and how active they are. The price also changes if you want to feed only Years food or mix it with what your dog already eats. To find how much your plan would cost, just take our quiz.
We gently steam cook our meals at 78°C. This removes harmful bacteria but keeps the natural vitamins, minerals, and moisture from fresh foods. Our cooking process also means you don’t have to freeze or refrigerate the meals before you open them, so you save space in your fridge and freezer. Just keep your Years meals and supplements in a pantry or cupboard. They will stay fresh for up to 3 months, but always check the expiry date on the label.
