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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

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

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
wet $5.73/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Purina Pro Plan Adult Small Breed High-Protein Beef & Green Beans Entree in Gravy Shredded Wet Dog Food is a wet food featuring beef as its primary protein, designed for adult small breed dogs.

The protein quality is reasonable, with beef providing solid amino acid coverage. It also uses quality carbohydrate sources that declare their fiber content. This formula has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.

One thing to watch is the inclusion of meat by-products, which are from an unspecified species, meaning their quality and consistency aren't auditable. Also, there's no declared source of omega-3s like fish or algae oil.

Good fit for adult small breed dogs. Less ideal if you prefer foods with specified meat sources and added omega-3s.

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 adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Beef anchors position 2, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus liver at position 4 (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 59/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 17.5 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. beef delivers solid amino acid coverage. Where it lost ground: fat quality, costing 8 points. No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent. This formula sits 1.0 points below the B-tier line. The most direct lever is fat quality.

What lifted the score

Reasonable protein quality. beef delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.

CQI

AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.

ACF
What pulled it down

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

FQI

Contains meat by-products. Unnamed by-products lack species traceability. Named by-products (chicken by-products) are CLEAR..

CIP
What sets this apart
  • Lowest fat quality in Purina Pro Plan's lineup (4/16)
  • Top 3% for DMB protein in Purina Pro Plan's lineup (52.8%)
  • Top quartile for crude fiber in Purina Pro Plan's lineup (8.3% DMB)

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.

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: 53%
Protein
9.5%
min (as fed)
Fat
3%
min (as fed)
Fiber
1.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
82%
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 53%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

22 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    water

    Just water. Counted on the label of any wet or fresh food. The number tells you the moisture content.

  2. 2
    beef

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

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

  3. 3
    wheat gluten

    Concentrated wheat protein. Like other plant gluten meals, it pads the protein number on the label without contributing meat-quality amino acids.

    Position 3: plant protein in the top 5. Stacked with animal protein, can inflate the crude protein number without matching the amino-acid quality of named animal sources.

  4. 4
    liver

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

  5. 5
    meat by-products Flagged

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

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

  6. 6
    green 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.

  7. 7
    chicken

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

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

  8. 8
    brown rice

    Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.

    Position 8: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.

  9. 9
    soy flour

    Refined soy. Cheap plant protein, common in budget formulas. Pads the protein percent without matching meat amino acids.

  10. 10
    corn starch-modified

    Position 10: minor grain inclusion.

  11. 11
    turkey

    Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.

    Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.

  12. 12
    fish
  13. 13
    tricalcium phosphate

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

  14. 14
    potassium chloride

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

  15. 15
    zinc sulfate

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

  16. 16
    ferrous sulfate

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

  17. 17
    copper sulfate

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

  18. 18
    manganese sulfate

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

  19. 19
    potassium iodide

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

  20. 20
    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 →

  21. 21
    choline chloride

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

  22. 22
    calcium carbonate. a482823

19 of 22 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.