Carbolight Carbohydrate & Weight Management Diabetic Support Adult Low-Glycemic Chicken Pate Canned Wet Dog Food, Chicken Dinner, 13-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Dave's Pet Food Carbolight Chicken Pate is a wet food featuring chicken and chicken liver, designed for adult dogs.
This formula offers good protein quality, with chicken and chicken liver providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality fat sources like salmon oil, which is a marine oil rich in EPA and DHA. The carbohydrate sources are also good, providing fermentable fiber.
Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for adult dogs needing carbohydrate and weight management or diabetic support.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken broth anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus chicken liver at position 3 (a natural taurine precursor) and salmon oil at position 9. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Solid grade. 67/100 (B) 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. The supporting beat: fat quality (+12 points). Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). What's keeping it out of A-tier: protein quality (16 of 27 possible). Full protein quality requires named-species named-cut proteins in the top of the deck (e.g., "deboned chicken" rather than "chicken meal" or "poultry meal").
Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Top 10% for crude fiber in Dave's Pet Food's lineup (13.6% DMB)
- Bottom quartile for DMB fat in grain-free wet foods (15.9%)
- Top 10% for overall Sniff Score in grain-free wet foods (67/100)
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.
ORIJEN Pate Chicken with Liver Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz, case of 12
Scores 4 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Nature's Logic 100% Natural Canine Chicken Feast All Life Stages Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 13.2-oz, case of 12
$5.23/lb vs your seed's $5.33/lb (2% less) at a comparable score.
Hill's Prescription Diet Metabolic Chicken Flavor Wet Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
Pork instead of chicken, 18 points lower, 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 45%, 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 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 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4dried yeast
Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.
- 5fibermiscanthus grass
Perennial grass used as a fiber source. Replaces cellulose in some recipes. Functional but unremarkable.
Position 5: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 6egg
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 8mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 9fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
Position 9. Moderate marine-oil inclusion. Supplements EPA/DHA without being the primary fat.
- 10vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 10: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 11fiberagar agar
Position 11: trace fiber inclusion.
- 12mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 13mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 14mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 15mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 16mineralsodium selenite Flagged
Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →
- 17ethylenediamine dihydroiodide
- 18mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 19vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 20vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 21vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 22vitamind-calcium pantothenate
B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 23vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 24vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 25vitaminvitamin b12 supplement
Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.
Showing first 25 of 33. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.