h/d Heart Care Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 17.6-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Hill's Prescription Diet h/d Heart Care Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food is a dry formula that features chicken by-product as a primary protein source.
This formula features quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber, which is good for digestive health. It also has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation, and includes ingredients like organ meat for diverse, bioavailable protein.
The formula's score is capped due to its low protein and high fat content. It's also a plant-protein-dominated formula, with wheat as the first ingredient.
Good fit for dogs needing a specific diet for heart care, under veterinary guidance. Less ideal if you prefer higher protein from animal sources.
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 fat anchors position 3, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus chicken liver flavor at position 8 (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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Middle-of-pack grade. 49/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Carbohydrate quality did the heavy lifting (+13 points): Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber. What capped it: the score can't exceed 49 because the guaranteed analysis falls below AAFCO's minimum nutrient profile. How it could climb: a formula update that meets AAFCO minimums, which would lift the cap into B-band range.
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
Plant-protein-dominated formula. wheat as the #1 ingredient.
- Top 3% for caloric density in Hill's Prescription Diet's lineup (410 kcal/cup)
- Bottom 1% for DMB protein in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (16.1%)
- Top quartile for DMB fat in Hill's Prescription Diet's lineup (18.3%)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
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$4.87/lb vs your seed's $5.68/lb (14% 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.
- 1grainwheat
Whole wheat. Fine for most dogs, though a portion are sensitive. Not a quality concern, just a fit-for-your-dog question.
Position 1 grain: primary carbohydrate base. This is a grain-inclusive formula with wheat as the dominant carb.
- 2grainwhole grain corn
Whole corn with the kernel intact. Decent fiber and B vitamins, though it can crowd out meat in cheaper recipes.
Position 2: major carbohydrate source.
- 3fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 3: primary fat source. Drives the formula's caloric density and omega-6 content.
- 4protein animalchicken by-product meal
Ground organs, bone, and tissue. Nutritionally dense, especially the liver and gizzard fractions. Named species ('chicken') is what matters. Generic 'poultry by-product meal' is the one to worry about. See why →
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5cracked pearled barley
Pre-cracked pearled barley for better digestibility. Same whole-grain story.
Position 5. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 6corn 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 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7protein plantsoybean meal
Concentrated soy protein. Cheap plant protein that pads the label number, common in budget formulas.
Position 7: moderate plant-protein boost. Less likely to materially shift the protein 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.
- 9soybean oil
Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.
Position 9: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 10lactic acid
Natural acid used as a mild preservative and pH adjuster. Found in fermented foods too. Safe at typical inclusion.
- 11pork liver flavor
Hydrolyzed pork liver used as a flavor enhancer. Same role as chicken liver flavor.
Position 11. Small organ inclusion. Functional but not a primary contributor to the protein profile.
- 12mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 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.
- 15supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 16supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 17supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 18mineralmagnesium oxide
Inorganic magnesium. Functional at AAFCO doses, less efficiently absorbed than chelated forms.
- 19mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 20zinc oxide
Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.
- 21mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 22manganous oxide
Inorganic manganese. Functional, cheaper than chelated forms, less efficiently absorbed.
- 23mineralcalcium iodate
Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.
- 24mineralsodium 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 →
- 25mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
Showing first 25 of 30. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.