i/d Digestive Care Stress Rice, Vegetable & Chicken Stew Wet Dog Food, 5.5-oz can, case of 24
Graded by The Sniff System
Hill's Prescription Diet i/d Digestive Care Stress Rice, Vegetable & Chicken Stew is a wet food featuring pork liver as its primary protein source.
This formula includes quality fat sources, like named fats with marine oil, providing EPA and DHA. It also uses quality carbohydrate sources that offer fermentable fiber. The product has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation, indicating it's been tested for nutritional adequacy.
The score is significantly impacted by very low protein and fat levels on a dry matter basis. It also contains guar gum, an emulsifier with emerging microbiome data, and added sugar, which isn't nutritionally necessary.
Good fit for dogs needing a specific therapeutic diet, backed by AAFCO feeding trial substantiation. Less ideal if you prefer higher protein and fat or avoid added sugars.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
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) . Strong fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Pork liver anchors position 2, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus pork liver at position 2 (a natural taurine precursor).
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 49/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from fat quality, worth 12 points to the final number: Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). 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 fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
Contains added sugar. Nutritionally unjustifiable in any complete dog diet..
- Bottom 2% for crude fiber in Hill's Prescription Diet's lineup (1.3% DMB)
- Bottom quartile for overall Sniff Score in Hill's Prescription Diet's lineup (49/100)
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.
Hill's Prescription Diet i/d Digestive Care with Turkey Wet Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
Scores 26 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Hill's Science Diet Adult Perfect Digestion Chicken, Vegetable & Rice Stew Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz can, case of 12
$5.61/lb vs your seed's $9.21/lb (39% less) at a comparable score.
Hill's Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Sensitive Skin Chicken & Rice Stew Wet Dog Food, 2.8-oz pouch, case of 24
Chicken instead of pork, 11 points higher, different brand.
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.
- 1water
Just water. Counted on the label of any wet or fresh food. The number tells you the moisture content.
- 2protein animalpork liver
Organ meat. Dense in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A. Among the most nutritious ingredients on any label.
Position 2. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 3grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 4: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 5corn starch
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6sugar
Added sugar. No nutritional purpose for dogs. Most often found in budget semi-moist foods. See why →
- 7dextrose
- 8protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 9chicken liver flavor
Hydrolyzed chicken liver used as a flavor enhancer. Real ingredient, used in tiny amounts for palatability.
Position 9. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 10egg whites
Position 10: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein 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.
- 12fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
Position 12: trace fiber inclusion.
- 13soybean oil
Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.
Position 13: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 14fiberdried beet pulp
Soluble fiber from sugar-beet processing. Sometimes treated as a filler, but it's actually one of the better fiber sources in kibble. See why →
Position 14: trace fiber inclusion.
- 15potassium alginate
- 16calcium chloride
- 17fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
- 18supplementginger
Real spice. Some anti-nausea evidence in humans, but the dose in kibble is small. Mostly for flavor.
- 19potassium citrate
Source of potassium. Sometimes added in urinary-support formulas to help manage urine pH.
- 20fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
- 21monosodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
- 22mineralsodium tripolyphosphate
Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.
- 23calcium gluconate
- 24calcium lactate
Calcium source from lactic acid fermentation. Functional, well-tolerated.
- 25supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
Showing first 25 of 35. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
19 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.