Adult Sensitive Stomach & Sensitive Skin Grain-Free Salmon & Vegetable Entree Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Hill's Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Sensitive Skin Grain-Free Salmon & Vegetable Entree is a wet food featuring salmon and turkey, designed for adult dogs.
This formula offers good protein quality, with salmon providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber and named fat sources like chicken fat, which is a plus.
The formula contains carrageenan, a seaweed-derived thickener. Some studies link it to gastrointestinal inflammation, and this concern is elevated for dogs with IBD.
Good fit for adult dogs with sensitive stomachs or skin. Less ideal if your dog has IBD or you prefer to avoid carrageenan.
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. Chicken broth anchors position 1, with one pulse (pea protein at position 8), plus salmon at position 2. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Solid grade. 64/100 (B) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+19 points): Reasonable protein quality. salmon delivers solid amino acid coverage. What we'd flag for vet discussion: controversial-ingredient penalty (-5 points). Contains carrageenan. Plausible rodent colitis mechanism, no direct canine clinical evidence at food-grade levels. Concern elevated for dogs with IBD. A-tier is 11 points up. Controversial-ingredient penalty is where to find them.
Reasonable protein quality. salmon delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Quality fat sources: named fat with declared fat sources.
Contains carrageenan. Plausible rodent colitis mechanism, no direct canine clinical evidence at food-grade levels. Concern elevated for dogs with IBD..
- Bottom 1% for DMB protein in grain-free wet foods (18.2%)
- Top quartile for protein quality in Hill's Science Diet's lineup (19.2/27)
- Bottom quartile for DMB fat in grain-free wet foods (13.6%)
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 Beef & Barley Entree Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
Scores 8 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Hill's Science Diet Adult Chicken & Beef Entree Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
$4.54/lb vs your seed's $5.11/lb (11% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Controversial ingredients · 1
- carrageenanSeaweed-derived thickener; some studies link it to gastrointestinal inflammation. Most common in wet foods but appears in some kibble gravies.
Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 18%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
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 animalsalmon
Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 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 animalturkey
Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5vegetablepotato
Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.
Position 5: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 6green beans
Real vegetable. Fiber and a small amount of vitamins. Often used in weight-management formulas because it bulks up a meal without adding calories.
- 7potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 8protein plantpea protein
Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.
Position 8. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 9sugar
Added sugar. No nutritional purpose for dogs. Most often found in budget semi-moist foods. See why →
- 10egg whites
Position 10: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 11fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 11: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 12dried whey
- 13fiberdried 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 13: trace fiber inclusion.
- 14soybean oil
Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.
Position 14: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 15hydrolyzed chicken flavor
Hydrolyzed chicken used as a palatability enhancer. Real ingredient, tiny inclusion, no quality signal either way.
- 16mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 17othercarrageenan Flagged
Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed. See why →
- 18supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 19mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 20dried apple pomace
- 21supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
18 of 21 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.