k/d + j/d Kidney Care + Mobility Care with Chicken & Vegetable Stew Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Hill's Prescription Diet k/d + j/d Kidney Care + Mobility Care with Chicken & Vegetable Stew is a wet dog food featuring chicken and pork liver.
Chicken and pork liver provide reasonable protein quality with good amino acid coverage. The formula also includes quality fat sources like fish oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA. The product has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation.
The score is significantly impacted by the dry matter analysis, showing relatively low protein and high fat content. Also, the formula contains guar gum and added sugar, which is not nutritionally necessary for dogs.
Good fit for dogs needing kidney and mobility support. Less ideal if you prefer foods without added sugars or a higher protein to fat ratio.
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 anchors position 2, with one pulse (green peas at position 7), plus pork liver at position 5 (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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 47/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was protein quality (+16.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. A hard cap of 49 also applied because the guaranteed analysis falls below AAFCO's minimum nutrient profile. If a formula update that meets AAFCO minimums were on the label, the cap would lift and this formula could clear the B-band threshold (60).
Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
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..
- Top 2% for DMB fat in Hill's Prescription Diet's lineup (27.4%)
- Bottom 5% for carb quality in Hill's Prescription Diet's lineup (9/16)
- Bottom 2% for DMB protein in grain-inclusive wet foods (17.8%)
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 Chicken & Vegetable Stew Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Scores 12 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Hill's Prescription Diet k/d Kidney Care with Chicken Wet Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
$6.05/lb vs your seed's $6.93/lb (13% 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.
- 1water
Just water. Counted on the label of any wet or fresh food. The number tells you the moisture content.
- 2protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 3: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 4grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5protein animalpork liver
Organ meat. Dense in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A. Among the most nutritious ingredients on any label.
Position 5. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 6rice starch
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7legumegreen peas
Same as peas. Useful in small amounts. The concern is when pulses dominate the top of the ingredient list. See why →
Position 7. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 8fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9dextrose
- 10fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
Position 10. Moderate marine-oil inclusion. Supplements EPA/DHA without being the primary fat.
- 11soybean oil
Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.
Position 11: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 12sugar
Added sugar. No nutritional purpose for dogs. Most often found in budget semi-moist foods. See why →
- 13fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
Position 13: trace fiber inclusion.
- 14egg whites
Position 14: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 15chicken liver flavor
Hydrolyzed chicken liver used as a flavor enhancer. Real ingredient, used in tiny amounts for palatability.
Position 15. Small organ inclusion. Functional but not a primary contributor to the protein profile.
- 16fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
- 17potassium alginate
- 18hydrolyzed chicken flavor
Hydrolyzed chicken used as a palatability enhancer. Real ingredient, tiny inclusion, no quality signal either way.
- 19calcium lactate
Calcium source from lactic acid fermentation. Functional, well-tolerated.
- 20calcium gluconate
- 21potassium citrate
Source of potassium. Sometimes added in urinary-support formulas to help manage urine pH.
- 22fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
- 23betaine
- 24lipoic acid
- 25grainoats
Whole grain. Steady energy, soluble fiber, and well-tolerated by most dogs.
Showing first 25 of 46. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
18 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.