Nestle Purina Pro Plan Chicken and Rice Formula Reviews 1 Views 34553 Date of last review Thu

January 10, 2008

Recommended By No recommendations

Average Price None indicated

Average Rating None indicated

Description: Feeding guideline: A 50lb dog should be fed about 2 1/2 cups CALORIE CONTENT (CALCULATED): Metabolizable Enerfgy (ME) 4371 kcal/kg 1987 kcal/lb 489 kkcal/cup Digestable Energy 2124 kcal/lb 523 kcal/cup INGREDIENTS: Chicken, brewers rice, whole grain wheat, poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine), corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), corn bran, fish meal (natural source of glucosamine), animal digest, dried egg product, calcium phosphate, salt, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, Vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite. GUARANTEED ANALYSIS: Crude Protein (Min) 26.0% Crude Fat (Min) 16.0% Crude Fiber (Max) 3.0% Moisture (Max) 12.0% Linoleic Acid (Min) 1.4% Calcium (Ca) (Min) 1.0% Phosphorus (P) (Min) 0.8% Selenium (Se) (Min) 0.30 mg/kg Vitamin A (Min) 15,000 IU/kg Vitamin E (Min) 460 IU/kg Ascorbic Acid* (Min) 70 mg/kg Glucosamine* (Min) 400 ppm Glutamine* (Min) 1.0%

*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.

Author Post a Reply Editors Registered: October 2005 Posts: 3957 Review Date: Thu January 10, 2008 Would you recommend the product? No | Price you paid?: Not Indicated | Rating: 0

The first ingredient is a named meat product. This is not a meal ingredient, but is inclusive of water content (about 80%). Once that is removed, as it must be to create a dehydrated product, the ingredient will weigh around 20% of its wet weight. Ingredients are listed in order of weight, and the dehydrated ingredient would probably be more accurately placed much further down the ingredient list. It is unlikely that this ingredient makes any significant contribution to the overall meat content of the food. The main meat ingredient in this food is in fact poultry by-product meal. It is impossible to ascertain the quality of by-products and these are usually products that are of such low quality as to be rejected for use in the human food chain, or else are those parts that have so little value that they cannot be used elsewhere in either the human or pet food industries. The AAFCO definition of poultry by-product meal is a meal consisting of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered poultry, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice. Unable to be identified even by species or source, it is a very low quality ingredient. This is the 4th ingredient, making it very unlikely that there is any significant meat content in the food at all, but rather it is primarily a collection of grains. Fish meal is a further meat ingredient in the food, but it is far too far down the ingredient list to make any significant contribution to the overall meat content of the food. We find no sign on the manufacturer's website of a guarantee that only ethoxyquin-free protein ingredients are used in this food (ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative, commonly added to fish ingredients, and that is banned or heavily regulated in human food due to the belief that it is carcinogenic). The main grains, and main ingredients, in the food are brewers rice, wheat and corn. Brewers rice is a low quality grain and byproduct. heat is believed by many to be the leading cause of food allergy problems in dog food; it is at least a whole grain rather than a fragment. Corn is a difficult to digest grain of limited value in dog food. It is also commonly associated with allergy problems. Corn gluten meal it is that part of the commercial shelled corn that remains after the extraction of the larger portion of the starch, gluten, and term by the processes employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup. In plain English, the remains of corn after most of the nutritious bits have been removed. Corn bran is a further grain fragment and filler. We would prefer to see the use of whole eggs rather than egg product in the food. Animal fat is an ingredient of unidentified origin for which it is impossible to determine species, source or quality. Unidentified ingredients are usually very low quality. AAFCO define this asobtained from the tissues of mammals and/or poultry in the commercial processes of rendering or extracting. It consists predominantly of glyceride esters of fatty acids and contains no additions of free fatty acids. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be indicated, followed by the words "used as a preservative". We note the use of synthetic vitamin K, a substance linked to liver problems and that is progressively being

removed from better quality products.

Nestle Purina Pro Plan Beef and Rice Formula Reviews 1 Views 19352 Date of last review Thu January 10, 2008

Recommended By No recommendations

Average Price None indicated

Average Rating None indicated

Description: Feeding guideline: A 50lb dog should be fed about 2 1/2 cups CALORIE CONTENT (CALCULATED): Metabolizable Enerfgy (ME) 4152 kcal/kg 1887 kcal/lb 465 kkcal/cup Digestable Energy 2024 kcal/lb 499 kcal/cup INGREDIENTS: Beef, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, whole grain wheat, whole grain corn, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine), fish meal (natural source of glucosamine), dried beet pulp, animal digest, calcium phosphate, dried egg product, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, salt, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, Vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, ascorbic acid (source of Vitamin C), manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite. G-4469 GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:

Crude Protein (Min) 26.0% Crude Fat (Min) 16.0% Crude Fiber (Max) 3.0% Moisture (Max) 12.0% Linoleic Acid (Min) 1.2% Calcium (Ca) (Min) 1.0% Phosphorus (P) (Min) 0.8% Selenium (Se) (Min) 0.30 mg/kg Vitamin A (Min) 15,000 IU/kg Vitamin E (Min) 460 IU/kg Ascorbic Acid* (Min) 70 mg/kg Glucosamine* (Min) 400 ppm Glutamine* (Min) 1.0% *Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.

Author Editors Review Date: Thu January 10, 2008

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Registered: October 2005 The first ingredient is a named meat product. This is not a meal ingredient, Posts: 3957 but is inclusive of water content (about 80%). Once that is removed, as it must be to create a dehydrated product, the ingredient will weigh around 20% of its wet weight. Ingredients are listed in order of weight, and the dehydrated ingredient would probably be more accurately placed much further down the ingredient list. It is unlikely that this ingredient makes any significant contribution to the overall meat content of the food. The main meat ingredient in this food is in fact poultry by-product meal. It is impossible to ascertain the quality of by-products and these are usually products that are of such low quality as to be rejected for use in the human food chain, or else are those parts that have so little value that they cannot be used elsewhere in either the human or pet food industries. The AAFCO definition of poultry by-product meal is a meal consisting of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered poultry, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice. Unable to be identified even by species or source, it is a very low quality ingredient. This is the 7th ingredient, making it very unlikely that there is any significant meat content in the food at all, but rather it is primarily a collection of grains. Fish meal is a further meat ingredient in the food, but it is far too far down the ingredient list to make any significant contribution to the overall meat content of the food. We find no sign on the manufacturer's website of a guarantee that only ethoxyquin-free protein ingredients are used in this food

Would you recommend the product? No | Price you paid?: Not Indicated | Rating: 0 (ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative, commonly added to fish ingredients, and that is banned or heavily regulated in human food due to the belief that it is carcinogenic). The main grains, and main ingredients, in the food are brewers rice and corn. Brewers rice is a low quality grain and byproduct. Corn is a difficult to digest grain of limited value in dog food. It is also commonly associated with allergy problems. Corn gluten meal it is that part of the commercial shelled corn that remains after the extraction of the larger portion of the starch, gluten, and term by the processes employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup. In plain English, the remains of corn after most of the nutritious bits have been removed. Corn bran is a further grain fragment and filler. Wheat is believed by many to be the leading cause of food allergy problems in dog food; it is at least a whole grain rather than a fragment. We would prefer to see the use of whole eggs rather than egg product in the food. Animal fat is an ingredient of unidentified origin for which it is impossible to determine species, source or quality. Unidentified ingredients are usually very low quality. AAFCO define this asobtained from the tissues of mammals and/or poultry in the commercial processes of rendering or extracting. It consists predominantly of glyceride esters of fatty acids and contains no additions of free fatty acids. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be indicated, followed by the words "used as a preservative". We note the use of synthetic vitamin K, a substance linked to liver problems and that is progressively being removed from better quality products. Pros: First ingredient is a named meat product Inadequate meat content, byproducts and fat of unidentifiable Cons: origin, low quality grains and fillers

Star Pro Premium Performance Formula Reviews 1 Views 2926 Date of last review Sun March 5, 2006

Recommended By No recommendations

Average Price None indicated

Average Rating None indicated

Description: Ingredients: Poultry by-product meal, ground yellow corn, ground whole wheat, poultry fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and ascorbyl palmitate), corn gluten meal, beet pulp, dehydrated whole egg, fish meal, natural chicken flavor, brewers dried yeast, dried cheese, lecithin, dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, salt, ascorbic acid, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin supplement, dl-methionine, niacin, calcium pantothenate, choline chloride, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate. Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein (minimum) 30% Crude Fat (minimum) 20% Moisture (maximum) 10% Crude Fiber (maximum) 3.5%

Author Editors Review Date: Sun March 5, 2006

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Registered: October 2005 The first ingredient is a meat product of unidentifiable origin. It is a meal Posts: 3957 made from the by-products of carcasses of a variety of fowl, but the origin is unidentifiable. We recommend avoiding any pet food using such ingredients. It is impossible to ascertain the quality of by-products and these are usually products that are of such low quality as to be rejected for use in the human food chain, or else are those parts that have so little value that they cannot be used elsewhere in either the human or pet food industries. The AAFCO definition of poultry by-product meal is a meal consisting of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered poultry, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers,

except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice. There is a further meat meal ingredient (fish meal) 8th on the ingredient list, but this is too far down to make up a substantive portion of the food. The primary grains in the food are corn and wheat. Corn is a problematic grain that is difficult for dogs to digest and thought to be the cause of a great many allergy and yeast infection problems. We prefer not to see this used in dog food. Corn appears a second time in the ingredients, this time as gluten meal. The AAFCO definition of corn gluten meal is the dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm. In plain English, that which remains after all the nutritious bits have been removed. The use of wheat is a significant negative: wheat is believed to be the number one cause of allergy problems in dog food. This is another ingredient we prefer not to see used at all in dog food Poultry fat is a further low quality ingredient and is impossible to determine the source. Unidentified ingredients are usually very low quality. AAFCO define this as "obtained from the tissues of poultry in the commercial processes of rendering or extracting. It consists predominantly of glyceride esters of fatty acids and contains no additions of free fatty acids. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be indicated, followed by the words "used as a preservative". It is a concern to see a fat in the top four ingredients of a dry dog food. Research at Purdue University has identified a this as a factor that increases the risk of bloat in large breed dogs. Smaller breeds are untested. Beet pulp is filler and a controversial ingredient it is a by-product, being dried residue from sugar beets which has been cleaned and extracted in the process of manufacturing sugar. It is a controversial ingredient in dog food, claimed by some manufacturers to be a good source of fibre, and derided by others as an ingredient added to slow down the transition of rancid animal fats and causing stress to kidney and liver in the process. We note that beet pulp is an ingredient that commonly causes problems for dogs, including allergies and ear infections, and prefer not to see it used in dog food. There are less controversial products around if additional fibre is required.

Pros: Cons: Use of by-products, fat of unidentifiable origin, low quality grains and other controversial filler.

Nestle Purina Beneful Dog Food Reviews 1 Views 51821 Date of last review Mon March 6, 2006

Recommended By No recommendations

Average Price None indicated

Average Rating None indicated

Description: Ingredients: Ground yellow corn, chicken-by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, beef tallow preserved with mixed-tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), rice flour, beef, soy flour, Minerals (tricalcium phosphate, salt, potassium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), sugar, sorbitol, water, animal digest, phosphoric acid, sorbic acid (a preservative), L-Lysine monohydrochloride, dried peas, dried carrots, calcium propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, Vitamins [Vitamin E, Vitamin A, niacin, Vitamin B-12, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, biotin, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Vitamin D-3], added color (Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 2), DL-Methionine, glyceryl monostearate, garlic oil. Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein (minimum) 25% Moisture (maximum) 14% Crude Fat (minimum) 10% Crude Fiber (maximum) 4% Linoleic Acid (minimum) 1.5% Calcium (minimum) 1.1%

Author Editors Review Date: Mon March 6, 2006

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Registered: October 2005 The primary ingredient in the food is a low quality grain. Corn is a Posts: 3957 problematic grain that is difficult for dogs to digest and thought to be the

cause of a great many allergy and yeast infection problems. We prefer not to see this used in dog food. The second ingredient is by-products. It is impossible to ascertain the quality of by-products and these are usually products that are of such low quality as to be rejected for use in the human food chain, or else are those parts that have so little value that they cannot be used elsewhere in either the human or pet food industries. The AAFCO definition of chicken byproduct meal is a meal consisting of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice. Corn appears a second time as the third ingredient, this time as gluten meal. The AAFCO definition of corn gluten meal is "the dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm". In plain English, that which remains after all the nutritious bits have been removed. Wheat flour is another grain fragment. The use of wheat is a significant negative: wheat is believed to be the number one cause of allergy problems in dog food. This is another ingredient we prefer not to see used at all in dog food. Beef tallow is a very low quality fat obtained from the tissue of cattle in the commercial process of rendering. We are appalled to see sugar in dog food. Animal digest is a further low quality ingredient of indeterminate source which AAFCO define as "material which results from chemical and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean and undecomposed animal tissue. The animal tissues used shall be exclusive of hair, horns, teeth, hooves and feathers, except in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice and shall be suitable for animal feed". Beef, the 7th ingredient, is the sole named meat product in the food but since this is beef inclusive of its water content (about 80%) and this ingredient will weigh only about 20% of its wet weight once water is removed (as it must be to make kibble) it is unlikely that this is the true first ingredient in the food and would be more accurately placed much further down the ingredient list. This is insufficient to make up a significant proportion of the food.

Would you recommend the product? No | Price you paid?: Not Indicated | Rating: 0 Rice flour and soy flour are grain fragments and filler. Soy is a poor quality source of protein in dog food, and a common cause of allergy problems. Some believe that it is the number 1 cause of food allergies in dogs (outstripping even wheat). We are appalled to see sugar in this food. We prefer not to see the use of artificial colourants in dog food. Some of these are believed to be carcinogenic and cause hyperactivity disorders and are banned from use in many countries. See the main page for more explanation of the dangers of chemical additives to pet foods. Pros: Cons: Inadequate meat content, by-products, low quality grains, soy, artificial colourants.

Champion Pet Foods Acana Grasslands Reviews 1 Views 148197 Date of last review Sat April 4, 2009

supersize Recommended By 100% of reviewers Average Price None indicated Average Rating None indicated

Description: ME (metabolizable energy) is 4200 kcal/kg (420 kcal per 250 ml cup) with 35% of energy from protein, 35% from premium animal fats and 30% from regional fruits and vegetables. Ingredients: Lamb meal, sweet potato, raw de-boned lamb, peas, fresh whole eggs, sun-cured alfalfa, sunflower oil, fresh de-boned walleye, pumpkin, fresh de-boned northern pike, apples, carrots, turnip greens, organic sea vegetables (kelp, bladderwrack, dulse), juniper berries, cranberries, Saskatoon berries, black currants, angelica root, chicory

root, red clover, red raspberry leaf, dandelion root, peppermint leaf, marigold flowers, chamomile flowers, rosemary extract, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium. Vitamins (vit. A, vit. D3, vit. E, niacin, riboflavin, lysine, thiamine mononitrate, vit. B12, pyridoxine, folic acid, biotin). Minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, cobalt proteinate, copper proteinate). Guaranteed analysis Protein .....................................33 % Fat ..........................................17 % Fiber ...................................... 3.5 % Calcium .................................. 1.8 % Phosphorus ............................. 1.2 % Omega-6................................. 2.2 % Omega-3 ................................ 0.4 % Glucosamine ....................800 mg/kg Chondroitin .......................500 mg/kg Carbohydrate ...........................28 % Typical analysis Sodium ................................... 0.3 % Chloride................................... 0.5 % Potassium................................ 0.5 % Magnesium ........................... 0.09 % Iron ..................................280 mg/kg Zinc .................................200 mg/kg Copper...............................20 mg/kg Manganese.........................35 mg/kg Cobalt ..................................... 0.5 % Iodine................................2.2 mg/kg Selenium...........................0.6 mg/kg Vitamin B3 (niacin).............250 mg/kg Vitamin B5 (pan. acid) ..........40 mg/kg Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) ........32 mg/kg Vit. B12 (cyanocobalamin) ..400 ug/kg Biotin ................................0.6 mg/kg Folic Acid...........................3.5 mg/kg Choline...........................3350 mg/kg Vitamin A ............................18 KIU/kg Vitamin D3........................2000 IU/kg Vitamin E ............................400 IU/kg Vitamin K..............................2 mg/kg Vitamin C............................85 mg/kg Vitamin B1 (thiamine)...........75 mg/kg Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) ......... 44 mg/kg Lysine ......................................1.6 %

Threonine ................................1.4 % Methionine .............................. 0.7 % Isoleucine .................................0.9 % Leucine ....................................1.9 % Valine ......................................1.2 % Arginine....................................1.8 % Phenylalanine ...........................1.1 % Histidine ...................................0.9 % Cystine ....................................0.4 % Taurine ................................... 0.5 %

Author Editors Review Date: Sat April 4, 2009 Would you Registered: October 2005 recommend the Posts: 3957 product? Yes | Price you paid?: Not Indicated | Rating: 0

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The first ingredient in this food is a named meat product, in meal form. There is a second meat ingredient third on the ingredient list, and fresh fish products further down the ingredient list. These are, however, inclusive of water content. Once this is removed, as it must be to create a dry food product, the ingredients will weigh around 20% of their wet weight, and may be more accurately placed further down the ingredient list than indicated. With a meat product in meal form heading the ingredient list (i.e. already dehydrated) we can continue to have some confidence in the meat content of the food. The main source of starch is sweet potatoes, with a range of other fruits and vegetables amongst the minor ingredients. We appreciate the use of whole eggs in the food, and the range of probiotics. Overall, this appears to be a good quality product with no low quality ingredients. It is an entirely grain free product: Grains are not a natural part of a canine diet and it is pleasing to see dog foods on the market that exclude grains completely from the diet. Pros: Cons: First and third ingredients are named meat products, grainfree, high apparent meat content

How to grade your dog's food: (Some brand reviews already calculated here) Start with a grade of 100: 1. For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points 2. For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or "poultry", meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points 3. If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points 4. For every grain "mill run" or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points 5. If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. "ground brown rice", "brewer rice", "rice flour" are all the same grain), subtract 5 points 6. If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points 7. If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points 8. If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points 9. If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points 10. If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points 11. If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points 12. If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points 13. If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points 14. If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to beef), subtract 1 point 15. If it contains salt, subtract 1 point Extra Credit: 1. If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points 2. If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points 3. If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points 4. If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points 5. If the food contains fruit, add 3 points 6. If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points 7. If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points 8. If the food contains barley, add 2 points 9. If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points 10. If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point 11. If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point

12. For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count "chicken" and "chicken meal" as only one protein source, but "chicken" and "" as 2 different sources), add 1 point 13. If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point 14. If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point 94-100+ = A 86-93 = B 78-85 = C 70-77 = D 69 = F Here are some foods that have already been scored. If you don't see your dog's food here, ask and someone will score it for you. Brand Dog Food scores: Authority Harvest Baked: 116 A+ Bil-Jac Select: 68 F Canidae: 112 A+ Chicken Soup Senior: 115 A+ Diamond Maintenance: 64 F Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice: 92 B Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula: 99 A Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium: 122 A+ Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato: 106 A+ Foundations: 106 A+ Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold: 93 D Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium: 73 D Innova Dog: 114 A+ Innova Evo: 114 A+ Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables: 110 A+ Nutrisource Lamb and Rice: 87 B Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy: 87 B Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice: 23 F ProPlan Natural Turkey & Barley: 103 A+ Purina Beneful: 17 F Purina Dog: 62 F Purina Come-n-Get It: 16 F Royal Canin Bulldog: 100 A+ Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult: 106 A+ Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice: 97 A Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+: 63 F Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies: 69 F Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken: 110 A+ Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold: 97 A Read more: http://www.city-data.com/forum/dogs/62306-whats-best-dry-food-dogsallergic.html#ixzz1Hmplbc4O

Purina Pro Plan Selects (Dry)

by Mike Sagman

Rating: Purina Pro Plan Selects dry dog food receives the Advisors mid-tier rating of three stars. Currently, the Purina Pro Plan Selects product includes six kibbles one designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for growth (puppies) and five for adult maintenance.

Purina Pro Plan Selects Natural Beef and Barley Purina Pro Plan Selects Natural Turkey and Barley Purina Pro Plan Selects Natural Salmon and Brown Rice Purina Pro Plan Selects Natural Chicken and Brown Rice Purina Pro Plan Selects Puppy Natural Turkey and Barley Purina Pro Plan Selects Senior Natural Turkey and Barley

Purina Pro Plan Selects Natural Beef and Barley Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review. Purina Pro Plan Selects Natural Beef and Barley Dry Dog Food Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content Protein010031 Fat010019 Carbs010042

Ingredients: Beef, barley, brewers dried yeast, brewers rice, chicken meal (natural source of glucosamine), dried egg product, oat meal, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of vitamin E), dried beet pulp, pea protein, fish oil, natural flavor, salt, potassium chloride, calcium phosphate, dried carrots, dried tomatoes, dried sweet potatoes, calcium carbonate, vitamin E supplement, l-lysine monohydrochloride, zinc proteinate, dl-methionine, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), manganese proteinate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, copper proteinate, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), sodium selenite Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.5% Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients The first ingredient in this dog food is beef. Although it is a quality item, raw beef contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost reducing the meat content to just 20% of its original weight. To reflect its lighter mass, this item should more accurately occupy a lower position on the list. Which brings us to barley the second and (more likely) the dominant ingredient in this dog food.

Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs. The third ingredient mentions brewers dried yeast. Although it is a by-product of the beer making process, brewers yeast contains about 45% protein and is rich in other healthy nutrients. The fourth ingredient is brewers rice. Brewers rice represents the small grain fragments left over after milling whole rice. This is an inexpensive cereal grain by-product and not considered a quality ingredient. The fifth ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken. The sixth ingredient is dried egg product a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries from eggs that have failed to hatch. In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value. The seventh ingredient is oatmeal a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, fiber and is (unlike many other grains) mostly gluten-free. The ninth item is animal fat. Animal fat is a generic by-product of rendering the same hightemperature process used to make meat meals. Since theres no mention of a specific animal, this stuff could come from almost anywhere restaurant grease, slaughterhouse waste, diseased cattle even euthanized pets. Needless to say, generic animal fat is not a quality ingredient. The tenth ingredient is beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing. Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits. We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable. From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items. But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to have much of an effect on the overall rating of this product. With two exceptions Unfortunately, this Purina Pro Plan food also contains menadione a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.

We also note this food contains chelated minerals minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

Purina Pro Plan Selects The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, Purina Pro Plan Selects appears to be at least a decent kibble. But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the products meat content before determining a final rating. The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 31%, a fat level of 19% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 42%. As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 32% and an average fat level of 19%. Together, these figures suggest an overall carbohydrate content of 41% for the full product line. Moderate protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food. Yet when you consider the (non-animal sourced) protein-boosting effect of the brewers dried yeast, this is the profile of a kibble containing only a moderate amount of meat. Whats more, we believe its unfortunate the company chooses to include a low-quality generic animal fat and a controversial form of vitamin K in its recipes. Bottom line? Purina Pro Plan Selects is a plant-based dry dog food using only a moderate amount of poultry, beef or salmon as its main sources of animal protein thus barely earning the brand three stars. Recommended. Those looking for a wet food from the same company may wish to visit our review of Purina Pro Plan Selects Canned Dog Food.

A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.