Adult Healthy Cuisine Hearty Beef, Carrots & Peas Stew Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Hill's Science Diet Adult Healthy Cuisine Hearty Beef, Carrots & Peas Stew is a wet food featuring beef, formulated for adult dogs.
This food has a strong protein profile, with beef as a primary ingredient, offering good biological value. It also includes pork liver, which adds diverse, highly bioavailable protein. The formula is substantiated for adult maintenance through AAFCO feeding trials.
The formula contains guar gum, an emulsifier. While there's emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers, there's no specific canine clinical evidence, and it's a minor penalty for canned food.
Good fit for adult dogs who enjoy a wet food stew. Nothing serious working against it.
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. Beef broth anchors position 1, with one pulse (green peas at position 5), plus pork liver at position 6 (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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 62/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+21.5 points): Strong protein profile with beef as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The biggest detractor was controversial-ingredient penalty (-5 points): Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food.
Strong protein profile with beef as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
- Bottom 2% for carb quality in Hill's Science Diet's lineup (9/16)
- Top 4% for crude fiber in wet foods (15.6% DMB)
- Bottom 10% for DMB protein in wet foods (25.0%)
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 Variety Pack Adult Wet Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
Scores 13 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stew Hearty Beef Stew Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
$3.76/lb vs your seed's $5.24/lb (28% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 25%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1beef broth
Real broth. Adds flavor and moisture, signals the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalbeef
Real meat. Dense in protein and iron. Some dogs are sensitive to it, but for most it's an excellent base.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3red bell pepper
- 4vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 4: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 5legumegreen peas
Same as peas. Useful in small amounts. The concern is when pulses dominate the top of the ingredient list. See why →
Position 5. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 6protein animalpork liver
Organ meat. Dense in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A. Among the most nutritious ingredients on any label.
Position 6. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 7grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 7: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 8rice starch
Position 8: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 9protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10protein 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 10: moderate plant-protein boost. Less likely to materially shift the protein profile.
- 11fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
Position 11: trace fiber inclusion.
- 12hydrolyzed chicken flavor
Hydrolyzed chicken used as a palatability enhancer. Real ingredient, tiny inclusion, no quality signal either way.
- 13soybean oil
Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.
Position 13: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 14fiberdried 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 14: trace fiber inclusion.
- 15grainbarley
Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.
Position 15: minor grain inclusion.
- 16potassium alginate
- 17fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
- 18calcium chloride
- 19fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
- 20mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 21fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
- 22calcium lactate
Calcium source from lactic acid fermentation. Functional, well-tolerated.
- 23calcium gluconate
- 24monosodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
- 25supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
Showing first 25 of 32. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
20 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.