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Purina Beneful Incredibites with Real Beef Recipe Pate Small Breed Wet Dog Food, 3-oz can, case of 24
Purina Beneful

Incredibites with Real Beef Recipe Pate Small Breed Wet Dog Food, 3-oz can, case of 24

Evidence Fair
wet $5.03/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Purina Beneful Incredibites with Real Beef Recipe Pate is a wet dog food for small breeds, featuring chicken and beef as its primary proteins.

This food has a strong protein profile, with chicken as the first ingredient, which offers high biological value. It also includes liver, adding diverse, high-bioavailability protein to the mix.

The score is capped because there's no AAFCO statement, meaning its nutritional completeness is unverified. Also, there's no declared omega-3 source, and it contains meat by-products, which are of unspecified species.

Good fit for small breed dogs who enjoy a pate texture. Less ideal if you want a food with a verified AAFCO statement or a clear omega-3 source.

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

Who this is for

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) . Strong fit for moderately active toy breeds, including the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus liver at position 3 (a natural taurine precursor).

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

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

  • FDA, 2022
    epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 4 claims
  • FDA, 2019
    cardiac · diet composition· cited in 3 claims
  • NRC, 2006
    nutrient bioavailability

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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

At 45/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 21.5 points to the final number: Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The ceiling on this score is 59, set 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). The cap isn't the binding constraint here. Fat quality would also need to improve to reach the next band.

What lifted the score

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

PQI

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

STACK
What pulled it down

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.

FQI

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF
What sets this apart
  • Lowest fat quality in Purina Beneful's lineup (4/16)
  • Top 10% for protein quality in Purina Beneful's lineup (21.3/27)
  • Bottom 3% for carb quality in Purina Beneful's lineup (9/16)

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.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Purina Pro Plan Adult Small Breed High-Protein Beef & Green Beans Entree in Gravy Shredded Wet Dog Food, 5.5-oz can, case of 24
Purina Pro Plan

Purina Pro Plan Adult Small Breed High-Protein Beef & Green Beans Entree in Gravy Shredded Wet Dog Food, 5.5-oz can, case of 24

59

Scores 14 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Purina Beneful Freshly Prepared Meals Beef Stew with Peas, Carrots, Rice & Barley Wet Dog Food, 10-oz, case of 8
Purina Beneful

Purina Beneful Freshly Prepared Meals Beef Stew with Peas, Carrots, Rice & Barley Wet Dog Food, 10-oz, case of 8

46

$3.60/lb vs your seed's $5.03/lb (28% less) at a comparable score.

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

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • meat by-products
    Unspecified species. AAFCO definition allows organs, blood, bone. but the lack of a named source means quality and consistency are not auditable.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 41% ⓘ
Protein
9%
min (as fed)
Fat
6%
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 41%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

17 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 and beef broth

    Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.

  3. 3
    liver

    Generic liver, usually chicken or beef. Among the most nutrient-dense ingredients a dog can eat. Named species is more informative.

  4. 4
    meat by-products Flagged

    Unnamed organ meats and tissue. Could be nutritious, but no species is listed, so quality varies by batch.

    Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  5. 5
    beef

    Real meat. Dense in protein and iron. Some dogs are sensitive to it, but for most it's an excellent base.

    Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  6. 6
    tomatoes

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

  7. 7
    carrots

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

    Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  8. 8
    spinach

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

    Position 8: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  9. 9
    potassium chloride

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

  10. 10
    zinc sulfate

    Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.

  11. 11
    ferrous sulfate

    Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.

  12. 12
    copper sulfate

    Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.

  13. 13
    manganese sulfate

    Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.

  14. 14
    potassium iodide

    Source of iodine, an essential trace mineral for thyroid function. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.

  15. 15
    sodium selenite Flagged

    Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →

  16. 16
    guar gum

    Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →

  17. 17
    choline chloride

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

16 of 17 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.