Adult Perfect Digestion Chicken, Vegetable & Rice Stew Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Hill's Science Diet Adult Perfect Digestion Chicken, Vegetable & Rice Stew is a wet food for adult dogs, featuring chicken and pork liver.
This formula offers a strong protein profile with chicken as a primary ingredient, which means good biological value for your dog. It also includes quality fat sources, like named fat with marine oil, providing beneficial EPA and DHA. Plus, it has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.
The score is capped at 49 due to very low protein and fat content on a dry matter basis. It also contains guar gum, an emulsifier with emerging microbiome data, but no canine clinical evidence.
Good fit for adult dogs needing AAFCO feeding trial substantiation. Less ideal if you are looking for a high-protein or high-fat diet.
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. Chicken broth anchors position 1, with one pulse (green peas at position 7), plus pork liver at position 3 (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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 49/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was protein quality (+20 points): Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. A hard cap of 49 also applied because the guaranteed analysis falls below AAFCO's minimum nutrient profile. If a formula update that meets AAFCO minimums were on the label, the cap would lift and this formula could clear the B-band threshold (60).
Strong protein profile with chicken 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 adult maintenance.
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
- Bottom 1% for crude fiber in Hill's Science Diet's lineup (1.7% DMB)
- Top quartile for protein quality in Hill's Science Diet's lineup (20/27)
- Bottom 2% for overall Sniff Score in Hill's Science Diet's lineup (49/100)
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 Science Diet Adult Perfect Digestion Small Breed & Mini Breed Chicken & Vegetables Entree Wet Minced Wet Dog Food, 5.8-oz can, 24 count
Scores 18 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Hill's Prescription Diet ONC Care Chicken & Vegetable Stew Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, case of 12
Pork instead of chicken, matched score, 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.
- 1chicken broth
Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you 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 animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalpork liver
Organ meat. Dense in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A. Among the most nutritious ingredients on any label.
Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 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.
- 5grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6rice starch
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7legumegreen peas
Same as peas. Useful in small amounts. The concern is when pulses dominate the top of the ingredient list. See why →
Position 7. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 8chicken liver flavor
Hydrolyzed chicken liver used as a flavor enhancer. Real ingredient, used in tiny amounts for palatability.
Position 8. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 9hydrolyzed chicken flavor
Hydrolyzed chicken used as a palatability enhancer. Real ingredient, tiny inclusion, no quality signal either way.
- 10potassium alginate
- 11ground pecan shells
- 12fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 12: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 13calcium chloride
- 14fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 14: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 15fiberdried 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 15: trace fiber inclusion.
- 16dried citrus pulp
- 17fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
- 18fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
- 19mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 20oat fiber
- 21vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
- 22calcium lactate
Calcium source from lactic acid fermentation. Functional, well-tolerated.
- 23calcium gluconate
- 24mineralsodium tripolyphosphate
Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.
- 25supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
Showing first 25 of 29. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
18 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.