z/d Skin & Food Sensitivities Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Hill's Prescription Diet z/d Skin & Food Sensitivities Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food is a dry formula designed for dogs with skin and food sensitivities, featuring hydrolyzed chicken.
This food uses hydrolyzed chicken, which is often easier for sensitive dogs to digest and offers good biological value. It also includes quality fat sources like marine oil, providing beneficial EPA and DHA. AAFCO feeding trials confirm its nutritional adequacy.
The overall protein and fat levels are on the lower side, which capped its score. Also, corn starch is the first ingredient in the deck.
Good fit for dogs with skin and food sensitivities. Less ideal if you prefer a food with higher protein or less corn starch.
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. Good fit for adult Labrador Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating weight management. At 348 kcal/cup this formula runs on the moderate side, with crude fiber at 8% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). The 2014 AAHA Weight Management Guidelines define overweight as a Body Condition Score (BCS) of 6-7 on a 9-point scale. A score of 8 or 9 indicates obesity, representing 20-30% and >30% above ideal body weight, respectively (Brooks et al., 2014) .
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 49/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 22 points to the final number: Strong protein profile with corn starch as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. 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.
Strong protein profile with corn starch as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.
- Top 5% for protein quality in Hill's Prescription Diet's lineup (21.8/27)
- Bottom 1% for DMB protein in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (17.2%)
- Top 10% for crude fiber in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (8.9% 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 Sensitive Stomach & Sensitive Skin Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag
Scores 26 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Hill's Prescription Diet Metabolic Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 27.5-lb bag
$4.87/lb vs your seed's $5.44/lb (10% 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.
- 1corn starch
Position 1 grain: primary carbohydrate base. This is a grain-inclusive formula with corn starch as the dominant carb.
- 2hydrolyzed chicken liver
- 3hydrolyzed chicken
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4ground pecan shells
- 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.
- 6fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 6: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 7fiberdried 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 7: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 8hydrolyzed chicken flavor
Hydrolyzed chicken used as a palatability enhancer. Real ingredient, tiny inclusion, no quality signal either way.
- 9soybean oil
Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.
Position 9: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 10dried citrus pulp
- 11mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 12lactic acid
Natural acid used as a mild preservative and pH adjuster. Found in fermented foods too. Safe at typical inclusion.
- 13fatcoconut oil
Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.
Position 13: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 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.
- 15mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 16pressed cranberries
- 17glyceryl monostearate
- 18supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 19mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 20mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 21supplementl-tryptophan
Essential amino acid. Sometimes added in calming or weight-management formulas.
- 22supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 23mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 24zinc oxide
Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.
- 25mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
Showing first 25 of 32. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
18 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.