c/d Multicare + Metabolic, Urinary + Weight Care Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 24.5-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Hill's Prescription Diet c/d Multicare + Metabolic is a dry food formulated for urinary and weight care, with chicken as a primary protein source.
The formula includes quality fat sources, like marine oil for EPA and DHA, which are beneficial for overall health. It also has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation, a strong indicator of nutritional adequacy, and diverse protein sources for better bioavailability.
The formula is plant-protein-dominated, with brewers rice as the first ingredient, which means the primary protein source isn't animal-based. Corn gluten meal is also high on the list, further contributing to this.
Good fit for dogs needing urinary and weight management support. Less ideal if you prefer a formula with animal protein as the primary ingredient.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Labrador Retriever, navigating weight management. Caloric density is not declared, with crude fiber at 16% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). 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. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention's 2023 survey, 59% of dogs in the United States were classified as overweight or obese by their veterinary healthcare professional, representing an estimated 55 million dogs (APOP, 2023) .
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 54/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was fat quality (+12 points): Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). The biggest detractor was protein quality (-16.5 points): Plant-protein-dominated formula. brewers rice as the #1 ingredient. To reach B-tier, this formula would need to gain about 6 points, most likely through protein quality.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
Plant-protein-dominated formula. brewers rice as the #1 ingredient.
- Bottom 2% for carb quality in Hill's Prescription Diet's lineup (8/16)
- Top 1% for crude fiber in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (17.8% DMB)
- Bottom 10% for DMB fat in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (9.4%)
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.
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Scores 22 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Hill's Prescription Diet r/d Weight Reduction/Management Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 27.5-lb bag
$4.65/lb vs your seed's $5.71/lb (19% 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.
- 2protein plantcorn gluten meal
Concentrated corn protein. Inflates the protein percent on the label without matching meat-quality amino acids.
Position 2: plant protein in the top 5. Stacked with animal protein, can inflate the crude protein number without matching the amino-acid quality of named animal sources.
- 3fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
Position 3: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 4fiberpea fiber
Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.
Position 4. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 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.
- 6dried tomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 6: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 7soybean oil
Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.
Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 8chicken liver flavor
Hydrolyzed chicken liver used as a flavor enhancer. Real ingredient, used in tiny amounts for palatability.
Position 8. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 9fatcoconut oil
Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.
Position 9: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 10pork liver flavor
Hydrolyzed pork liver used as a flavor enhancer. Same role as chicken liver flavor.
Position 10. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 11fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 11: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 12lactic acid
Natural acid used as a mild preservative and pH adjuster. Found in fermented foods too. Safe at typical inclusion.
- 13potassium citrate
Source of potassium. Sometimes added in urinary-support formulas to help manage urine pH.
- 14supplementl-lysine
Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.
- 15fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
Position 15. Trace marine oil. Contributes some omega-3 but well below the level that drives EPA/DHA totals.
- 16mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 17vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
- 18supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 19supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 20glyceryl monostearate
- 21mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 22vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 23vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 24vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 25vitaminpyridoxine hydrochloride
B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.
Showing first 25 of 49. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.