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Nutro Ultra Grain-Free Trio Protein Chicken, Lamb & Whitefish Pate with Superfoods Senior Wet Dog Food Trays, 3.5-oz tray, case of 24
Nutro

Ultra Grain-Free Trio Protein Chicken, Lamb & Whitefish Pate with Superfoods Senior Wet Dog Food Trays, 3.5-oz tray, case of 24

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
wet $13.67/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Nutro Ultra Grain-Free Trio Protein Chicken, Lamb & Whitefish Pate is a wet food featuring chicken and chicken liver.

This food has a strong protein profile, with chicken as the primary ingredient, which means good bioavailability for your dog. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources that provide fermentable fiber. Plus, the formula adds egg, lamb, and whitefish for diverse, high-bioavailability protein.

Watch out for carrageenan, a seaweed-derived thickener that some studies link to gastrointestinal inflammation. This formula also contains guar gum, an emulsifier with emerging microbiome data, though canine clinical evidence is not yet established.

Good fit for dogs who do well with a chicken-based wet food. Less ideal if your dog has a sensitive stomach or IBD.

Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.

Who this is for

Strong fit for senior Golden Retrievers navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus chicken liver at position 2 (a natural taurine precursor) and whitefish at position 9. Goldens appeared disproportionately in the FDA's DCM reports. Pulse-heavy grain-free formulas warrant extra caution; named animal protein with organ meat or marine sources is the safer fit.

Looking at this for senior 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

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 2 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

  • FDA, 2022
    epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 4 claims
  • FDA, 2019
    diet composition· cited in 2 claims

Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

Sniff scored this formula 55/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was protein quality (+21.5 points): Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The biggest detractor was 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. The gap to B-tier is small (5.0 points). Trimming controversial-ingredient penalty would likely close it.

What lifted the score

Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK
What pulled it down

Contains carrageenan. Plausible rodent colitis mechanism, no direct canine clinical evidence at food-grade levels. Concern elevated for dogs with IBD..

CIP

Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..

CIP
What sets this apart
  • Top 10% for protein quality in grain-free wet foods (21.5/27)
  • Bottom quartile for DMB protein in grain-free wet foods (36.4%)
  • Top quartile for DMB fat in Nutro's lineup (22.7%)

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.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Nutro Ultra Grain-Free Trio Protein Chicken, Lamb & Whitefish Pate with Superfoods Adult Wet Dog Food Trays, 3.5-oz, case of 12
Nutro

Nutro Ultra Grain-Free Trio Protein Chicken, Lamb & Whitefish Pate with Superfoods Adult Wet Dog Food Trays, 3.5-oz, case of 12

56

Scores 1 point higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Nutro Premium Loaf Turkey, Sweet Potato & Green Bean Grain-Free Adult Canned Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Nutro

Nutro Premium Loaf Turkey, Sweet Potato & Green Bean Grain-Free Adult Canned Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12

51

$4.20/lb vs your seed's $13.67/lb (69% less) at a comparable score.

Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • carrageenan
    Seaweed-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 →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 36% ⓘ
Protein
8%
min (as fed)
Fat
5%
min (as fed)
Fiber
1.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
78%
max

Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 36%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

46 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    chicken

    Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.

    Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.

  2. 2
    chicken liver

    Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.

    Position 2. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.

  3. 3
    chicken broth

    Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.

    Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  4. 4
    spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

    Position 4: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  5. 5
    tomatoes

    Real fruit. Lycopene and trace antioxidants. Different from tomato pomace, which is the fiber byproduct.

  6. 6
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

    Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  7. 7
    dried egg product

    Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

    Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  8. 8
    lamb

    Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.

    Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  9. 9
    whitefish

    Real fish meat. Lean protein with a clean amino acid profile.

    Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  10. 10
    tricalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.

  11. 11
    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

    Position 11: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  12. 12
    dried apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  13. 13
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

    Position 13: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  14. 14
    carrageenan Flagged

    Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed. See why →

  15. 15
    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

    Position 15: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.

  16. 16
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  17. 17
    calcium carbonate

    Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.

  18. 18
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  19. 19
    sunflower oil

    Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.

  20. 20
    chia seed

    Plant source of omega-3 and fiber. Like flaxseed, useful in trace amounts.

  21. 21
    dried yam

    Yam with the moisture removed. Complex carb, fiber, similar role to sweet potato.

  22. 22
    dried coconut
  23. 23
    tomato pomace

    The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.

  24. 24
    pumpkin

    Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.

  25. 25
    dried spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

Showing first 25 of 46. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.