z/d Low Fat Hydrolyzed Soy Recipe Food Sensitivities Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Hill's Prescription Diet z/d Low Fat Hydrolyzed Soy Recipe is a wet food designed for dogs with food sensitivities, featuring hydrolyzed soy as its main protein source.
This formula includes quality fat sources, with named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA. Its nutritional adequacy has also been substantiated through AAFCO feeding trials.
The protein and fat content are notably low on a dry matter basis, at 6.1% protein and 0.6% fat, which significantly caps its overall score. This is likely intentional for its specialized purpose.
Good fit for dogs needing a very low fat, hydrolyzed protein diet for food sensitivities. Less ideal if your dog does not have these specific needs.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Working in its favor: taurine listed as added ingredient. Hydrolyzed chicken flavor anchors position 6, with zero pulses in the top 15. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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. 46/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Fat quality did the heavy lifting (+12 points): Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). 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 fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.
- Bottom 5% for crude fiber in Hill's Prescription Diet's lineup (1.4% DMB)
- Bottom 10% for overall Sniff Score in Hill's Prescription Diet's lineup (46/100)
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 29 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 $7.59/lb (20% 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.
- 2corn starch
Position 2: major carbohydrate source.
- 3hydrolyzed soy protein
- 4soybean oil
Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.
Position 4: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 5mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 6hydrolyzed chicken flavor
Hydrolyzed chicken used as a palatability enhancer. Real ingredient, tiny inclusion, no quality signal either way.
- 7ground pecan shells
- 8fatcoconut oil
Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 10fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 10: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 11fiberdried 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 11: trace fiber inclusion.
- 12supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 13dried citrus pulp
- 14fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
Position 14. Trace marine oil. Contributes some omega-3 but well below the level that drives EPA/DHA totals.
- 15pressed cranberries
- 16mineralmagnesium oxide
Inorganic magnesium. Functional at AAFCO doses, less efficiently absorbed than chelated forms.
- 17supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 18monosodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
- 19zinc oxide
Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.
- 20mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 21manganous oxide
Inorganic manganese. Functional, cheaper than chelated forms, less efficiently absorbed.
- 22mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 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 →
- 25supplementl-carnitine
Amino acid derivative that helps the body convert fat into energy. Common in weight-management formulas.
Showing first 25 of 26. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
20 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.