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Blue Buffalo Delights Natural Adult Small Breed Wet Dog Food, Variety Pack, Chicken & Prime Rib Cuts in Gravy 3.5-oz cups, case of 12
Blue Buffalo

Delights Natural Adult Small Breed Wet Dog Food, Variety Pack, Chicken & Prime Rib Cuts in Gravy 3.5-oz cups, case of 12

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
wet $9.29/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Blue Buffalo Delights Natural Adult Small Breed Wet Dog Food, Variety Pack, Chicken & Prime Rib Cuts in Gravy is a wet food for adult small breed dogs, featuring prime rib beef as a main protein.

This wet food has a strong protein profile, with prime rib beef as the first ingredient, providing high biological value. It also includes chicken liver and dried egg product, adding diverse, high-bioavailability protein sources. The formula is inferred to meet AAFCO adult maintenance standards.

There's no declared omega-3 source, which means it's missing out on beneficial fatty acids. The recipe also contains guar gum, an emulsifier with emerging data on its microbiome impact, and added sugar, which isn't nutritionally necessary for dogs.

Good fit for adult small breed dogs. Less ideal if you prefer foods without added sugar, emulsifiers, or a clear omega-3 source.

Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.

Who this is for

Strong fit for adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Prime rib: beef anchors position 1, with 2 pulse-family ingredients in the top 15 (peas at position 9, pea flour at position 10), plus chicken liver at position 4 (a natural taurine precursor). The FDA's 2019 investigation update on diet-associated DCM included 13 reported cases in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, making them one of the top 15 most frequently reported breeds at that time  (FDA, 2019) .

Looking at this for adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels or Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 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

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

  • FDA, 2022
    epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 4 claims
  • FDA, 2019
    cardiac · diet composition· cited in 3 claims
  • NRC, 2006
    nutrient bioavailability

Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

Sniff scored this formula 49/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was protein quality (+20 points): Strong protein profile with prime rib: beef as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The biggest detractor was fat quality (-8 points): No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent. To reach B-tier, this formula would need to gain about 11 points, most likely through fat quality.

What lifted the score

Strong protein profile with prime rib: beef as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.

PQI

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK

AAFCO formulation inferred from declared adult maintenance. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.

ACF
What pulled it down

No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.

FQI

Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..

CIP

Contains added sugar. Nutritionally unjustifiable in any complete dog diet..

CIP
What sets this apart
  • Lowest fat quality in Blue Buffalo's lineup (4/16)
  • Top quartile for DMB protein in Blue Buffalo's lineup (44.4%)
  • Bottom 1% for carb quality in Blue Buffalo'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.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Blue Buffalo Blue's Stews Grain-Free Chicken & Beef Variety Pack Adult Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, case of 12
Blue Buffalo

Blue Buffalo Blue's Stews Grain-Free Chicken & Beef Variety Pack Adult Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, case of 12

56

Scores 7 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Blue Buffalo's Stew Chicken & Beef Variety Pack Wet Dog Food,12.5-oz can, case of 6
Blue Buffalo

Blue Buffalo's Stew Chicken & Beef Variety Pack Wet Dog Food,12.5-oz can, case of 6

44

$3.75/lb vs your seed's $9.29/lb (60% less) at a comparable score.

Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 44% ⓘ
Protein
8%
min (as fed)
Fat
3%
min (as fed)
Fiber
1.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
82%
max

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).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

75 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    prime rib: beef

    Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.

  2. 2
    beef broth

    Real broth. Adds flavor and moisture, signals the recipe leans on real meat.

    Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.

  3. 3
    water

    Just water. Counted on the label of any wet or fresh food. The number tells you the moisture content.

  4. 4
    chicken liver

    Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.

    Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.

  5. 5
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

    Position 5: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  6. 6
    chicken

    Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.

    Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  7. 7
    potato

    Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

    Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  8. 8
    dried egg product

    Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

    Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  9. 9
    peas

    Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

    Position 9. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.

  10. 10
    pea flour

    Powdered peas, usually used as a binder or filler. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA flagged.

    Position 10. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.

  11. 11
    potato starch

    Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.

  12. 12
    guar gum

    Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →

    Position 12: trace fiber inclusion.

  13. 13
    natural prime rib flavor
  14. 14
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  15. 15
    sodium phosphate

    Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.

  16. 16
    cane molasses

    Added sugar from sugar cane. Used for palatability or texture. Dogs don't need added sugar.

  17. 17
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  18. 18
    calcium carbonate

    Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.

  19. 19
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  20. 20
    zinc amino acid chelate

    Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.

  21. 21
    iron amino acid chelate

    Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.

  22. 22
    xanthan gum

    Thickener common in wet food and gravies. Same emulsifier-microbiome conversation as guar gum, not a clear flag. See why →

  23. 23
    vitamin e supplement

    Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.

  24. 24
    copper amino acid chelate

    Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.

  25. 25
    manganese amino acid chelate

    Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.

Showing first 25 of 75. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.