Sport High Protein Turkey, Duck & Quail Entrée Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Purina Pro Plan Sport High Protein Turkey, Duck & Quail Entrée is a wet dog food featuring turkey, chicken, duck, and quail.
This formula offers reasonable protein quality, with turkey providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality fat sources, like marine oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA. The food has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation.
The formula contains meat by-products, which lack species traceability, making quality hard to audit. It also includes carrageenan, a thickener some studies link to gastrointestinal inflammation.
Good fit for active adult dogs. Less ideal if your dog has a sensitive stomach or you prefer fully traceable ingredients.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
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) . Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Turkey anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus liver at position 4 (a natural taurine precursor).
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
MethodologyThe Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- FDA, 2022cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
- FDA, 2019diet composition· cited in 2 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 52/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 17 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. turkey delivers solid amino acid coverage. The ceiling on this score is 64, set because three or more WATCH-tier ingredients appear in the deck. The cap isn't the binding constraint here. Controversial-ingredient penalty would also need to improve to reach the next band.
Reasonable protein quality. turkey delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.
Contains carrageenan. Plausible rodent colitis mechanism, no direct canine clinical evidence at food-grade levels. Concern elevated for dogs with IBD..
Contains meat by-products. Unnamed by-products lack species traceability. Named by-products (chicken by-products) are CLEAR..
- Bottom 3% for carb quality in Purina Pro Plan's lineup (9/16)
- Top 10% for DMB fat in grain-inclusive wet foods (31.8%)
- Bottom quartile for overall Sniff Score in Purina Pro Plan's lineup (52/100)
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.
Purina Pro Plan Sport High Protein Beef & Bison Entrée Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
Scores 7 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult Turkey & Vegetables Entree Slices in Gravy Canned Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
$3.53/lb vs your seed's $4.26/lb (17% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Controversial ingredients · 2
- meat by-productsUnspecified species. AAFCO definition allows organs, blood, bone. but the lack of a named source means quality and consistency are not auditable.
- carrageenanSeaweed-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 →
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 45%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalturkey
Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2water
Just water. Counted on the label of any wet or fresh food. The number tells you the moisture content.
- 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.
- 4liver
Generic liver, usually chicken or beef. Among the most nutrient-dense ingredients a dog can eat. Named species is more informative.
- 5protein animalmeat 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.
- 6protein animalduck
Real meat. Often used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities to chicken or beef.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7quail
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 8grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 8: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 9mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 10mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 11mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 12mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 13mineralmanganese sulfate
Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.
- 14mineralpotassium iodide
Source of iodine, an essential trace mineral for thyroid function. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 15mineralsodium 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 →
- 16fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
- 17fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
- 18mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 19othercarrageenan Flagged
Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed. See why →
- 20choline chloride. b438224
18 of 20 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.