Advanced Sensitive Support Salmon & Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
AvoDerm Advanced Sensitive Support Salmon & Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food is a dry food featuring salmon as its main protein source.
Salmon is the first ingredient, giving it a strong protein profile with high biological value. The formula also uses quality carbohydrate sources that provide fermentable fiber. Pairing fresh salmon with salmon meal is a good sign for protein quality.
The main thing to watch out for is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. This absence capped its overall score.
Good fit for dogs who do well on a salmon and oatmeal diet. Less ideal if you prefer foods with verified nutritional completeness.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
In its 2022 update on diet-associated DCM, the FDA identified Golden Retrievers as the most reported breed, with 121 cases out of 1,382 total canine reports (8.8%) received between January 1, 2014, and November 1, 2022 (FDA, 2022) . Strong fit for adult Golden Retrievers navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Salmon anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15.
Looking at this for adult Golden Retrievers or Golden Retrievers with diet-associated DCM concerns ? We are building dedicated pages for these combinations.
Auto-matched from this product's measurements (ingredients, life stage, calorie density) to a breed archetype. Not a substitute for vet input on your specific dog.
Research informing this analysis
MethodologyThe Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- FDA, 2022cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
- FDA, 2019diet composition· cited in 2 claims
- NRC, 2006nutrient bioavailability
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 59/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 20 points to the final number: Strong protein profile with salmon as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The ceiling on this score is 59, set because the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement isn't disclosed on the retailer page (so our methodology can't verify the formula meets adult, growth, or all-life-stages standards). The fix path: the brand publishing the AAFCO statement. That would lift the cap and put this formula above the B-band line at 60.
Strong protein profile with salmon as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Named fresh meat paired with same-species meal, a strong extrusion architecture.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Top 10% for protein quality in AvoDerm's lineup (20.2/27)
- Bottom 10% for fat quality in AvoDerm's lineup (7/16)
- Top quartile for carb quality in AvoDerm's lineup (16/16)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
Similar dog foods worth considering
Three lenses on products with formulation profiles similar to this one.
Natural Balance Specialized Nutrition Sensitive Skin & Stomach Adult Salmon & Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
Scores 18 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Wholesomes Sensitive Skin & Stomach with Salmon Protein Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag
$1.65/lb vs your seed's $3.41/lb (52% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalsalmon
Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalsalmon meal
Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient. See why →
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3grainoatmeal
Gentle on the stomach. Slow-release carbs and soluble fiber that supports stool quality.
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4grainwhite rice
Refined grain with the bran stripped off. Easy to digest, but not as nutrient-dense as brown rice.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
Position 5: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 6fatcanola oil
Plant oil. Some omega-3 from the parent plant, though dogs absorb it less efficiently than fish-derived omega-3. Fine in moderation.
Position 6: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 7grainbrown rice
Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.
Position 7: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 8flax seed
- 9avocado
- 10dried tomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 10: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 11othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 12dried plain beet pulp
Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality. See why →
Position 12: trace fiber inclusion.
- 13mineralcalcium phosphate
- 14fiberdried chicory root
Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.
Position 14: trace fiber inclusion.
- 15mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 16mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 17kelp meal
- 18avocado oil
- 19supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 20mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 21mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 22iron amino acid chelate
Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 23zinc amino acid chelate
Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.
- 24mineralselenium yeast
Organic selenium grown in yeast. The form premium brands use, gentler and more bioavailable than sodium selenite.
- 25copper amino acid chelate
Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.
Showing first 25 of 37. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
20 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.