Metabolic + Mobility Weight & Joint Care Vegetable & Tuna Stew Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Hill's Prescription Diet Metabolic + Mobility Weight & Joint Care is a wet stew dog food, with pork liver as a primary protein.
Pork liver provides solid amino acid coverage, contributing to reasonable protein quality. The formula also includes quality fat sources like fish oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA. Plus, this food has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation.
The protein and fat content are very low on a dry matter basis, which significantly impacts the overall score. It also contains guar gum, an emulsifier that some emerging research suggests could affect the microbiome.
Good fit for dogs needing specific dietary support for metabolic and mobility concerns. Less ideal if you prefer higher protein and fat levels.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters 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) and tuna at position 7. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+15 points): Reasonable protein quality. pork liver delivers solid amino acid coverage. 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.
Reasonable protein quality. pork liver 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..
- Bottom quartile for carb quality in Hill's Prescription Diet's lineup (10/16)
- Bottom quartile for overall Sniff Score in Hill's Prescription Diet's lineup (49/100)
- Bottom quartile for crude fiber in grain-inclusive wet foods (4.7% DMB)
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 Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Management Hearty Vegetable & Chicken Stew Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, case of 12
Scores 6 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 $7.57/lb (26% 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 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.
- 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.
- 4fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
Position 4: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 5vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
Position 5: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 6corn starch
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7tuna
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 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.
- 9egg whites
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10dried tomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 10: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 11fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
Position 11. Moderate marine-oil inclusion. Supplements EPA/DHA without being the primary fat.
- 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.
- 13grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 13: minor grain inclusion.
- 14potassium alginate
- 15protein plantwheat gluten
Concentrated wheat protein. Like other plant gluten meals, it pads the protein number on the label without contributing meat-quality amino acids.
Position 15: trace plant protein.
- 16hydrolyzed chicken flavor
Hydrolyzed chicken used as a palatability enhancer. Real ingredient, tiny inclusion, no quality signal either way.
- 17fatcoconut oil
Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.
- 18calcium chloride
- 19fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
- 20mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 21supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 22calcium lactate
Calcium source from lactic acid fermentation. Functional, well-tolerated.
- 23calcium gluconate
- 24lipoic acid
- 25monosodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
Showing first 25 of 33. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
18 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.