Metabolic Lamb Meal & Rice Dry Dog Food, 17.6-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Hill's Prescription Diet Metabolic Lamb Meal & Rice Dry Dog Food is a dry formula with lamb meal as its primary protein source.
This food uses quality carbohydrate sources that include fermentable fiber, which can be good for gut health. It also has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation, meaning its nutritional adequacy has been tested. The inclusion of chicken liver flavor adds some diverse, high-bioavailability protein.
Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for adult dogs of any size. Nothing serious working against it.
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 active large sporting breeds, including the Labrador Retriever, navigating weight management. At 256 kcal/cup this formula runs on the lean side, with crude fiber at 15% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 63/100, this formula lands in solid B territory. The lift comes from carbohydrate quality, worth 13 points to the final number: Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. Secondary contribution comes from AAFCO compliance (+8 points). AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated. The 12-point gap to the A-tier line is concentrated in protein quality (13 of 27 possible). Full protein quality requires named-species named-cut proteins in the top of the deck (e.g., "deboned chicken" rather than "chicken meal" or "poultry meal").
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Top 2% for crude fiber in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (16.7% DMB)
- Bottom 2% for caloric density in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (256 kcal/cup)
- Top quartile for DMB protein in Hill's Prescription Diet's lineup (25.6%)
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 13 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Hill's Prescription Diet w/d Multi-Benefit Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 27.5-lb bag
$4.87/lb vs your seed's $5.68/lb (14% less) at a comparable score.
Hill's Science Diet Adult Small Breed & Mini Breed Chicken Meal & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 15.5-lb bag
Chicken instead of lamb, 8 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.
- 1protein animallamb meal
Lamb cooked down to a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh lamb. See why →
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2brewers 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 2: major carbohydrate source.
- 3grainsorghum
Whole grain with a low glycemic index. Gluten-free, well-tolerated, decent fiber content.
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4protein plantcorn gluten meal
Concentrated corn protein. Inflates the protein percent on the label without matching meat-quality amino acids.
Position 4: 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.
- 5fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
Position 5: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 6grainwheat
Whole wheat. Fine for most dogs, though a portion are sensitive. Not a quality concern, just a fit-for-your-dog question.
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.
- 8dried tomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 8: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 9fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 9: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 10fiberdried 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 10: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 11fatcoconut oil
Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.
Position 11: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 12chicken liver flavor
Hydrolyzed chicken liver used as a flavor enhancer. Real ingredient, used in tiny amounts for palatability.
Position 12. Small organ inclusion. Functional but not a primary contributor to the protein profile.
- 13lactic acid
Natural acid used as a mild preservative and pH adjuster. Found in fermented foods too. Safe at typical inclusion.
- 14fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 14: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 15pork liver flavor
Hydrolyzed pork liver used as a flavor enhancer. Same role as chicken liver flavor.
Position 15. Small organ inclusion. Functional but not a primary contributor to the protein profile.
- 16supplementl-lysine
Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.
- 17mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 18supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 19soybean oil
Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.
- 20vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
- 21mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 22lipoic acid
- 23supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 24supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 25mineralmanganese sulfate
Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.
Showing first 25 of 34. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.