Chunky Stew Chicken & Vegetables Recipe Wet Dog Food, 3.5-oz tub, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Bil-Jac Chunky Stew Chicken & Vegetables Recipe is a wet dog food, a chunky stew featuring chicken and egg product.
The protein quality is reasonable, with chicken providing solid amino acid coverage. The inclusion of egg product also adds diverse, high-bioavailability protein to the formula.
A significant concern is the absence of an AAFCO statement, meaning its nutritional completeness is unverified. Also, there's no declared source of omega-3s like fish oil or algae oil.
Hard to recommend for any dog due to the lack of an AAFCO statement verifying nutritional completeness.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Working in its favor: taurine listed as added ingredient. Chicken broth anchors position 1, with 2 pulse-family ingredients in the top 15 (green peas at position 5, pea protein at position 6). 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) .
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Below-average grade. 39/100 (D) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+16 points): Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. What capped it: the score can't exceed 59 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). Removing the cap alone wouldn't change the band. Fat quality is the deeper issue.
Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Lowest fat quality in Bil-Jac's lineup (4/16)
- Top quartile for DMB protein in Bil-Jac's lineup (44.4%)
- Bottom 10% for carb quality in Bil-Jac's lineup (8/16)
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.
Chewy Made Stews Chicken & Vegetables in Gravy Grain-Free Canned Dog Food (FORMERLY AMERICAN JOURNEY), 12.5-oz can, case of 12
Scores 28 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Pedigree Choice Cuts in Gravy Country Stew Adult Canned Wet Dog Food, 13.2-oz, case of 12
$2.11/lb vs your seed's $9.10/lb (77% less) at a comparable score.
Hill's Science Diet Adult Savory Stew with Beef & Vegetables Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz can, case of 12
Beef instead of chicken, 25 points higher, different brand.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 44%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1chicken broth
Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalegg product
Processed whole eggs. Same nutritional profile as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 4: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 5legumegreen peas
Same as peas. Useful in small amounts. The concern is when pulses dominate the top of the ingredient list. See why →
Position 5. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 6protein plantpea protein
Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.
Position 6. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 7modified tapioca starch
- 8potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 9mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 10dextrose
- 11glycine
- 12mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 13fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 13: trace fiber inclusion.
- 14mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 15thyme
- 16supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 17vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 18mineralmagnesium oxide
Inorganic magnesium. Functional at AAFCO doses, less efficiently absorbed than chelated forms.
- 19mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 20supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 21zinc oxide
Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.
- 22vitaminvitamin b12 supplement
Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.
- 23vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 24mineralcopper amino acid complex
Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.
- 25vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
Showing first 25 of 36. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.