Wood-Grilled Chicken Flavor Filets in Gravy Wet Dog Food, 1.76-oz pouch, case of 20
Graded by The Sniff System
Cesar Wood-Grilled Chicken Flavor Filets in Gravy is a wet food featuring chicken and chicken liver, presented in a pouch.
This wet food offers reasonable protein quality, with chicken providing solid amino acid coverage. The inclusion of chicken liver and dried egg product adds diverse, high-bioavailability protein sources.
The biggest concern is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means nutritional completeness is unverified. Also, there's no declared source of omega-3 fatty acids like fish or algae oil.
Good fit for dogs who enjoy wet food as a meal or topper. Less ideal if you require verified nutritional completeness for daily feeding.
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) . Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus chicken liver at position 4 (a natural taurine precursor).
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 48/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 19 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. 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 cap isn't the binding constraint here. Fat quality would also need to improve to reach the next band.
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.
- Bottom 2% for carb quality in Cesar's lineup (9/16)
- Top quartile for protein quality in grain-inclusive wet foods (18.8/27)
- Bottom 1% for fat quality in grain-inclusive wet foods (4/16)
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.
Cesar Filets in Gravy Beef Flavors Variety Pack Small Breed Adult Wet Dog Food, 3.5-oz tray, case of 24
Scores 10 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Cesar Rotisserie Chicken Flavor Filets in Gravy Small Breed Adult Wet Dog Food Trays, 3.5-oz, case of 24
$4.63/lb vs your seed's $6.74/lb (31% less) at a comparable score.
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.
- 1protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2chicken broth
Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3water
Just water. Counted on the label of any wet or fresh food. The number tells you the moisture content.
- 4protein animalchicken 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.
- 5dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6protein plantwheat gluten
Concentrated wheat protein. Like other plant gluten meals, it pads the protein number on the label without contributing meat-quality amino acids.
Position 6: moderate plant-protein boost. Less likely to materially shift the protein profile.
- 7tapioca starch
Refined cassava starch, used as a binder. Easy to digest, low on nutrition.
- 8wheat flour
Refined wheat, usually used as a binder. Cheap, not harmful, not a nutrition contributor.
Position 8: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 9mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 10dried plain beet fiber
- 11mineralmagnesium sulfate
Source of magnesium, a required mineral. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 12mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 13mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 14mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 15mineralsodium tripolyphosphate
Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.
- 16fiberxanthan gum
Thickener common in wet food and gravies. Same emulsifier-microbiome conversation as guar gum, not a clear flag. See why →
- 17supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 18wood grilled chicken flavor
- 19added color
Generic coloring. Doesn't say if natural or artificial. Dogs are color-blind, so any added color is for the human shopper.
- 20mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 21vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 22vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 23vitaminpyridoxine hydrochloride
B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.
- 24vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 25vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
Showing first 25 of 34. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.