Adult Perfect Weight Management Hearty Vegetables & Salmon Stew Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, 12 count
Graded by The Sniff System
Hill's Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Management Hearty Vegetables & Salmon Stew is a wet food for adult dogs, featuring pork liver and salmon.
This formula uses pork liver and salmon, which contribute to good protein quality and amino acid diversity. It also has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance, which is a strong indicator of nutritional adequacy.
The overall score was capped due to very low protein and fat levels on a dry matter basis. There's also guar gum, an emulsifier with some emerging microbiome data, but no specific canine clinical evidence yet.
Good fit for adult dogs needing weight management. Less ideal if you prefer higher protein and fat levels, or want to avoid guar gum.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds like Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and English Setters navigating weight management. Working in its favor: crude fiber (5%) helps satiety. Caloric density is not declared, with crude fiber at 5% (above the catalog median, supports satiety), and the product name signals a weight-management design. 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. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
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 (+18.5 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.
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 overall Sniff Score in Hill's Science Diet's lineup (49/100)
- Bottom quartile for fat quality in Hill's Science Diet's lineup (7/16)
- Bottom quartile for carb quality in Hill's Science Diet's lineup (11/16)
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 Healthy Cuisine Variety Pack Adult Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
Scores 18 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 $5.75/lb (2% 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.
- 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 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.
- 4protein animalsalmon
Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 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.
- 6grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7corn starch
Position 7: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 8fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
Position 8: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 9oat fiber
Position 9: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 10grainbarley
Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.
Position 10: minor grain inclusion.
- 11dried tomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 11: trace fiber inclusion.
- 12othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 13protein 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 13: trace plant protein.
- 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.
- 15fatcoconut oil
Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.
Position 15: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 16potassium alginate
- 17calcium chloride
- 18mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 19soybean oil
Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.
- 20calcium sulfate
Source of calcium. Functional, required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 21fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
- 22mineralsodium tripolyphosphate
Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.
- 23potassium citrate
Source of potassium. Sometimes added in urinary-support formulas to help manage urine pH.
- 24lipoic acid
- 25mineralmagnesium oxide
Inorganic magnesium. Functional at AAFCO doses, less efficiently absorbed than chelated forms.
Showing first 25 of 35. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
20 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.