Small Breed Variety Pack Non-GMO Wet Dog Food, 3-oz pouch, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Optimeal Small Breed Variety Pack Non-GMO Wet Dog Food is a wet food, primarily featuring deboned chicken and other animal proteins.
This wet food has a strong protein profile, with deboned chicken as the primary ingredient, which means high biological value for your dog. It also includes quality fat sources, like marine oil for EPA and DHA, and good carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
There are a couple of ingredients to watch out for, including carrageenan, a thickener linked to gastrointestinal inflammation, and menadione, a synthetic vitamin K3. Also, there's no AAFCO statement, so the nutritional completeness of this food is unverified.
Good fit for small breed dogs whose owners prioritize quality protein and fat. Less ideal if you prefer foods with an AAFCO statement or certain additives.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and similar moderately active toy breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken broth anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus pork liver at position 4 (a natural taurine precursor). The FDA's 2019 investigation update on diet-associated DCM included 13 reported cases in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, making them one of the top 15 most frequently reported breeds at that time (FDA, 2019) .
Looking at this for adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels or Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 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, 2022epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 4 claims
- FDA, 2019cardiac · diet composition· cited in 3 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 (+21.5 points): Strong protein profile with deboned chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. A hard cap of 59 also applied because the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement isn't disclosed on the retailer page (so our methodology can't verify the formula meets adult, growth, or all-life-stages standards). Even without the cap, the base component scores sit below the next band. The structural fix would need to address AAFCO compliance as well.
Strong protein profile with deboned chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
- Lowest crude fiber in Optimeal's lineup (3.1% DMB)
- Top 5% for protein quality in grain-inclusive wet foods (21.6/27)
- Lowest fat quality in Optimeal's lineup (12/16)
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 Adult Small Breed & Mini Breed Chicken & Beef Variety Pack Wet Dog Food, 5.8-oz can, case of 12
Scores 26 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Rachael Ray Nutrish Premium Pate Variety Pack Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
$2.94/lb vs your seed's $10.22/lb (71% less) at a comparable score.
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Small Breed Mini Meals Beef & Chicken Pate Dog Food Pouches, 3-oz, case of 12
Beef instead of chicken, 8 points higher, different brand.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Controversial ingredients · 2
- carrageenanSeaweed-derived thickener; some studies link it to gastrointestinal inflammation. Most common in wet foods but appears in some kibble gravies.
- menadioneSynthetic vitamin K3. Banned in human supplements due to toxicity concerns at high doses. Permitted in pet food but premium brands use natural vitamin K alternatives.
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 50%, 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 animaldeboned chicken
Real meat with the bones removed before grinding. The cleanest version of chicken on an ingredient label.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4protein animalpork liver
Organ meat. Dense in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A. Among the most nutritious ingredients on any label.
Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 5protein animalbeef heart
Position 5. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 6protein animalturkey
Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7pork lungs
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 8wheat flour
Refined wheat, usually used as a binder. Cheap, not harmful, not a nutrition contributor.
Position 8: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 9water sufficient for processing
The regulatory phrase for cooking water in wet food. Has no nutritional implication, just labeling formality.
- 10dried plasma
- 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.
- 12othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 13dried plain beet pulp
Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality. See why →
Position 13: trace fiber inclusion.
- 14glycine
- 15fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
Position 15. Trace marine oil. Contributes some omega-3 but well below the level that drives EPA/DHA totals.
- 16supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 17mineralsodium tripolyphosphate
Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.
- 18mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 19fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
- 20supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 21supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 22fruitcranberries
Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.
- 23othercarrageenan Flagged
Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed. See why →
- 24tapioca starch
Refined cassava starch, used as a binder. Easy to digest, low on nutrition.
- 25vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
Showing first 25 of 128. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.