Last Updated: 24/06/2025
Learn about novel protein diets, their health benefits, and how they cater to pets with specific dietary needs.
Author: Dr Belinda Stancombe BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 22 minutes - medium read
Gone are the days of putting any old leftovers in your pet's bowl for dinner. Modern consumers are more educated on the importance of nutrition, and the impact on our everyday health, with this focus naturally shifting to their pet's nutrition. More than ever, pet parents are seeking food options for their pets with perceived health benefits such as grain free, natural, organic and sustainable.
Novel or Unique Protein Diets have grown in popularity in the pet food industry, with many pet parents discovering and raving about the health benefits for their pets. For these reasons, novel protein diets are now widely available and formulated by many commercial pet food companies.
So, what are novel proteins and what are the potential health benefits for your pet?
Our vets have outlined what makes a protein novel, the recognised benefits, as well some diet recommendations and treats you can try at home. With a wide range of novel protein options available, you are sure to find the right protein to suit your pets unique health needs.
A novel protein is a protein source that an individual has never been fed before. For our pets, this includes all protein sources that they have been exposed to from the time they were weaned as a puppy or kitten.
Many common commercially prepared diets contain chicken, pork or beef as the main protein source as these are widely available and a cost effective ingredient. Novel protein options are becoming more popular and are now widely available in many well known pet food brands, including dry, wet, freeze and air-dried formulas.
Some widely used novel protein sources include venison, fish, duck and kangaroo.
More exotic novel protein sources include insect, goat and bison and even possum.
Allergies and digestive issues are some of the most common chronic conditions affecting our pets. In fact food allergies are responsible for approximately 10% of allergy cases in dogs, ranked third after flea allergy and atopic dermatitis (airborne allergies). A food allergy or adverse food reaction occurs when the immune system reacts to a particular food ingredient. This ingredient is commonly a protein source - for example chicken, beef, soy or dairy.
These protein molecules resist the heat of cooking, stomach acids, and intestinal digestive enzymes, and make their way to the bloodstream, targeting organs where they can cause an allergic reaction. Most pets that develop food allergies, do so over a period of months or years of being exposed to a particular food. This is why pets can develop an allergy, even when fed the same food for years.
In affected animals, the protein within the food is recognised by the immune system as a foreign invader that needs attacking. This internal battle results in inflammation that can manifest itself as itchy skin, ear infections, vomiting, diarrhoea and frequent bowel movements.
Feeding a novel protein diet can be a good hypoallergenic option, and helpful for pets that suffer from allergies or food sensitivities. Choosing an appropriate novel protein diet may be a matter of trial and error, as different diets and protein sources may be suitable for different pets. One animal's allergy trigger, say beef, may in fact be another animal's hypoallergenic diet.
Looking for more information on food allergies? Check out our article: Does Your Pet Have a Food Allergy?
When selecting a novel protein diet for allergy reasons, it is important to check that the recipe only contains the one type of meat protein you're after. Some pet food varieties may be labelled as a novel protein (such as 'kangaroo') but will also include 'chicken' or poultry by-products in their recipe. These combinations can be great for some pets, but in others may cause an allergic reaction.
Fish-based diets are not only a novel protein, but are rich in fish oil. Omega 3 fatty acids, naturally found in fish oil, have been shown to have many health benefits including natural anti-inflammatory properties, strengthening of the skin barrier, relieving dry and itchy skin, and improving brain function and development. This makes fish-based protein diets perfect for senior pets, those that suffer from food allergies (allergies to fish are very rare), or pets that just need a little extra skin support.
A growing number of pet owners are reporting great results when they swap their itchy pet over to a fish-based diet. It is often unclear whether this is due to the exclusion of common allergies like chicken, or simply due to the increased level of omega fatty acids from the natural fish oils.
Venison, originally referred to as any edible game meat, is now considered meat from any type of deer. There are many commercially run deer farms located in Australia and New Zealand. Venison from New Zealand is of particular high quality due their temperate climate allowing for highly nutritious green pastures and year round farming.
A naturally delicate and lean meat, Venison is becoming a popular novel protein option for pets.
Kangaroo is a high quality, low fat protein source that is not a widely used ingredient in commercial diets. For many years, it was the go-to protein option for pets with allergies or those involved in elimination diets due to it's low cost and high availability. Now more widely used in commercially prepared pet foods, it makes an excellent novel protein option for most pets.
Relatively new to the pet food market and increasing in popularity is duck. Rich in iron and easy to digest, this lean meat is packed full of essential amino acids to help maintain your pets optimal health. Not commonly available in generic food brands, duck is a good novel protein option and is the top ingredient in Royal Canin Sensitivity Control Dry Food, formulated for cats with food sensitivities.
Our pets love treats, and we love rewarding them. There are a wide variety of novel protein treats available for both dogs and cats. Perfect for pets that suffer from sensitivities, or just as a delicious snack!
In conclusion, the growing awareness of pet nutrition has driven the popularity of novel protein diets. Offering a valuable alternative for pets with allergies or sensitivities, these unique protein sources, such as fish, insect, venison, kangaroo, and duck, can provide relief from the symptoms of these health conditions.
The expanding availability of novel protein foods and treats makes it easier than ever for pet owners to cater to their furry companions' specific dietary needs and ensure their long-term well-being. Remember to transition your pet slowly to any new foods, to avoid any tummy upsets.
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Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Veterinarian
Dr Belinda graduated from The University of Queensland in 2009 and has worked as a Small Animal Veterinarian for over 10 years in South East Queensland. She also has experience as a telehealh consultant, providing veterinary advice for online customers.She has a special interest in animal behaviour, preventative health, the human-animal bond and internal medicine. Outside of work hours she is closely affiliated with a kitten rescue and is also a devoted carer of orphaned rescue kittens.
