Super Premium Duck & Sweet Potato Dinner Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Evanger's Super Premium Duck & Sweet Potato Dinner is a canned wet food featuring duck as its primary protein.
It uses quality carbohydrate sources like sweet potato, which also provides declared fiber. The formula also includes liver, adding diverse, high-bioavailability protein to the duck base.
The biggest concern is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. Also, there's no declared omega-3 source like fish or algae oil.
Good fit for dogs who enjoy a duck and sweet potato recipe. Less ideal if you require AAFCO verification for nutritional completeness.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Duck anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus liver at position 4 (a natural taurine precursor). 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 44/100, landing in D-tier territory. The biggest contributor was carbohydrate quality (+12 points): Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber. A hard cap of 59 also applied 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). Even without the cap, the base component scores sit below the next band. The structural fix would need to address fat quality as well.
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
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 Evanger's's lineup (4/16)
- Top quartile for carb quality in Evanger's's lineup (12/16)
- Bottom quartile for DMB protein in Evanger's's lineup (36.4%)
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.
Evanger's Venison & Beef Dinner Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.8-oz, case of 12
Scores 14 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Evanger's Beef & Bacon Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 20.2-oz can, case of 12
$2.76/lb vs your seed's $3.65/lb (24% 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 36%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalduck
Real meat. Often used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities to chicken or beef.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2water sufficient for processing
The regulatory phrase for cooking water in wet food. Has no nutritional implication, just labeling formality.
- 3vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 3: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 4liver
Generic liver, usually chicken or beef. Among the most nutrient-dense ingredients a dog can eat. Named species is more informative.
- 5fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 5: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 6vitamins {vitamin e supplement
- 7vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 8l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate
A stable form of vitamin C used in pet food. Provides antioxidant support and survives processing better than plain ascorbic acid.
- 9vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 10vitamincalcium pantothenate
Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.
- 11vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 12vitaminpyridoxine hydrochloride
B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.
- 13vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 14vitaminfolic acid
B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.
- 15vitaminvitamin b12 supplement
Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.
- 16vitaminbiotin
B vitamin that supports skin and coat health. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 17vitamin d2 supplement}
- 18minerals {zinc sulfate
- 19mineraliron sulfate
- 20mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 21mineralmanganese sulfate
Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.
- 22mineralselenium yeast
Organic selenium grown in yeast. The form premium brands use, gentler and more bioavailable than sodium selenite.
- 23potassium iodide}
18 of 23 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.