Deer (venison) is not the same as beef when it comes to allergies. Most research I've read on allergies says to stay away from the most common sources like beef. Venison is one that is suppose to be less likely to cause allergies. Lamb is another that is also suppose to be good. My dog Koko gets sick every time she eats anything with beef. There are several dry dog foods that have venison as the protein. I had Koko on Dick Van Patten's Venison & sweet potatoes for a while and she tolerated it well. You might try Fish for the protein also.