c/d Multicare Low Fat Adult Urinary Care Chicken Flavored Dry Dog Food, 8.5-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Hill's Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Low Fat Adult Urinary Care Chicken Flavored Dry Dog Food is a dry formula for adult maintenance, with chicken as a primary protein source.
This formula includes quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber, which is good for digestive health. It also uses quality named fat sources, like chicken fat, and includes marine oil for EPA and DHA. The product has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.
The score for this food is capped due to its relatively low protein and fat levels on a dry matter basis. There are no flagged ingredients in the deck.
Good fit for adult dogs needing a low-fat diet for urinary care. Less ideal if you are looking for higher protein or fat levels.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
The landmark 14-year Purina Lifespan Study on 48 Labrador Retrievers demonstrated that dogs fed 25% fewer calories lived a median of 1.8 years longer and delayed the onset of chronic diseases. Strong fit for adult Labrador Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating weight management. At 335 kcal/cup this formula runs on the lean side. The 2014 AAHA Weight Management Guidelines define overweight as a Body Condition Score (BCS) of 6-7 on a 9-point scale. A score of 8 or 9 indicates obesity, representing 20-30% and >30% above ideal body weight, respectively (Brooks et al., 2014) .
Looking at this for adult Labrador Retrievers or Labrador Retrievers with weight management ? 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.
- Brooks et al., 2014diagnostic · protocol · satiety· cited in 5 claims
- APOP, 2023prevalence
- Raffan et al., 2016genetics
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 49/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from carbohydrate quality, worth 13 points to the final number: Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber. The ceiling on this score is 49, set because the guaranteed analysis falls below AAFCO's minimum nutrient profile. The fix path: a formula update that meets AAFCO minimums. That would lift the cap and put this formula above the B-band line at 60.
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.
- Lowest DMB fat in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (5.0%)
- Bottom 3% for DMB protein in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (19.4%)
- Bottom 4% for crude fiber in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (3.3% DMB)
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.
Hill's Prescription Diet ONC Care Dry Dog Food, 15-lb bag
Scores 27 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Hill's Prescription Diet Metabolic Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 27.5-lb bag
$4.87/lb vs your seed's $7.06/lb (31% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1brewers rice
Broken rice kernels left over from milling, usually destined for human beer-making. Cheaper than whole or even white rice. Same carbs, less nutrition than the brown version. See why →
Position 1 grain: primary carbohydrate base. This is a grain-inclusive formula with brewers rice as the dominant carb.
- 2cracked pearled barley
Pre-cracked pearled barley for better digestibility. Same whole-grain story.
Position 2. Pulse-family ingredient this high in the deck is a notable build choice. When stacked with other pulses in the top 10, matches the formulation pattern the FDA flagged in its diet-associated DCM investigation.
- 3grainwhole grain corn
Whole corn with the kernel intact. Decent fiber and B vitamins, though it can crowd out meat in cheaper recipes.
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4corn protein meal
Concentrated corn protein. Similar in role to corn gluten meal, pads the protein number on the label without matching meat amino acids.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5protein animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6hydrolyzed chicken flavor
Hydrolyzed chicken used as a palatability enhancer. Real ingredient, tiny inclusion, no quality signal either way.
- 7fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 8pork liver flavor
Hydrolyzed pork liver used as a flavor enhancer. Same role as chicken liver flavor.
Position 8. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 9lactic acid
Natural acid used as a mild preservative and pH adjuster. Found in fermented foods too. Safe at typical inclusion.
- 10protein animalegg product
Processed whole eggs. Same nutritional profile as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 10: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 11fish flavor
- 12fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 12: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 13fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
Position 13. Trace marine oil. Contributes some omega-3 but well below the level that drives EPA/DHA totals.
- 14calcium sulfate
Source of calcium. Functional, required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 15glyceryl monostearate
- 16mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 17potassium citrate
Source of potassium. Sometimes added in urinary-support formulas to help manage urine pH.
- 18mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 19supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 20supplementl-lysine
Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.
- 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.
- 23vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 24vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 25vitamincalcium pantothenate
Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.
Showing first 25 of 44. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.