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Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Variety Pack Adult High Protein Lamb & Vegetables, Turkey & Vegetables Slices in Gravy Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
Purina Pro Plan

Complete Essentials Variety Pack Adult High Protein Lamb & Vegetables, Turkey & Vegetables Slices in Gravy Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
wet $3.53/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Variety Pack is a wet dog food featuring turkey and chicken as primary proteins, designed for adult dogs.

This food offers reasonable protein quality, with turkey providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources that declare their fiber content. Plus, it has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance, which is a good sign of its nutritional completeness.

One thing to note is the absence of a declared omega-3 source. It also contains 'meat by-products,' which are from an unspecified species, meaning their quality and consistency aren't auditable.

Good fit for adult dogs needing a complete wet food. Less ideal if you prefer a declared omega-3 source or fully specified animal ingredients.

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

Who this is for

Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Turkey & vegetables entrée: water anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus liver at position 6 (a natural taurine precursor). 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

Methodology

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

  • FDA, 2022
    cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
  • FDA, 2019
    diet composition· cited in 2 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

Sniff scored this formula 57/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was protein quality (+17.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. turkey delivers solid amino acid coverage. The biggest detractor was fat quality (-8 points): No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent. The gap to B-tier is small (3.0 points). Addressing fat quality would likely close it.

What lifted the score

Reasonable protein quality. turkey 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 quartile for DMB protein in Purina Pro Plan's lineup (50.0%)
  • Bottom quartile for DMB fat in Purina Pro Plan's lineup (13.9%)

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 2 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Worth a look
Different brand, different protein
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Savory Selects Gastroenteric with Chicken in-Gravy & Lamb Chunks-in-Gravy Variety Pack Wet Adult Dog Food, 13.3-oz can, case of 12
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets

Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Savory Selects Gastroenteric with Chicken in-Gravy & Lamb Chunks-in-Gravy Variety Pack Wet Adult Dog Food, 13.3-oz can, case of 12

49

Chicken instead of turkey, 8 points lower, different brand.

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: 50% ⓘ
Protein
9%
min (as fed)
Fat
2.5%
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 50%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

39 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    turkey & vegetables entrée: water

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

  2. 2
    turkey

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

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

  3. 3
    chicken

    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.

  4. 4
    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 4: 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.

  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
    liver

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

  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
    potato

    Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

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

  9. 9
    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.

  10. 10
    corn starch-modified

    Position 10: minor grain inclusion.

  11. 11
    potassium chloride

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

  12. 12
    zinc sulfate

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

  13. 13
    ferrous sulfate

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

  14. 14
    copper sulfate

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

  15. 15
    manganese sulfate

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

  16. 16
    potassium iodide

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

  17. 17
    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 →

  18. 18
    tricalcium phosphate

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

  19. 19
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  20. 20
    choline chloride

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

  21. 21
    lamb

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

  22. 22
    liver

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

  23. 23
    wheat gluten

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

  24. 24
    chicken

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

  25. 25
    meat by-products Flagged

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

Showing first 25 of 39. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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