EN Gastroenteric Wet Dog Food, 13.4-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Wet Dog Food is a wet formula for dogs, designed for gastrointestinal support, with chicken as a primary protein source.
This formula includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber, which can be beneficial for gut health. It also features quality fat sources, including marine oil for EPA and DHA. The food has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation.
The protein quality is a concern, as the formula relies on meat by-products, which deliver limited bioavailable amino acids. These meat by-products are flagged because they are from an unspecified species, making their quality hard to audit.
Good fit for dogs needing a veterinary diet for gastrointestinal support. Less ideal if you prefer foods with high-quality, traceable protein sources.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for adult Labrador Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating skin allergies. The protein deck is built around a single species (meat by-products), with fish oil at position 13 for EPA/DHA skin support. For Labrador Retrievers with suspected cutaneous adverse food reactions, a strict elimination diet trial must last a minimum of 8 weeks to reliably diagnose or rule out a food-based trigger. The National Research Council (2006) recommends a minimum of 2.6 grams of linoleic acid (an omega-6) per 1000 kcal of metabolizable energy to maintain skin barrier function in adult dogs (NRC, 2006) .
Looking at this for adult Labrador Retrievers or Labrador Retrievers with skin allergies ? 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.
Sniff scored this formula 46/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was carbohydrate quality (+16 points): Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. The biggest detractor was protein quality (-18 points): Low protein quality. meat by-products delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.
Low protein quality. meat by-products delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.
Contains meat by-products. Unnamed by-products lack species traceability. Named by-products (chicken by-products) are CLEAR..
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
- Top 4% for carb quality in wet foods (16/16)
- Bottom 10% for protein quality in grain-inclusive wet foods (6.8/27)
- Bottom quartile for DMB protein in grain-inclusive wet foods (32.0%)
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 Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Naturals Wet Dog Food, 13.4-oz, case of 12
Scores 16 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
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$3.53/lb vs your seed's $5.77/lb (39% less) at a comparable score.
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Systems Turkey & Oat Meal in Gravy Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
Turkey instead of chicken, 10 points higher, different brand.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Controversial ingredients · 1
- meat by-productsUnspecified 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 →
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 32%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalmeat by-products Flagged
Unnamed organ meats and tissue. Could be nutritious, but no species is listed, so quality varies by batch.
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.
- 4grainbarley
Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6soy protein isolate
- 7glycerin
Humectant used in soft-moist foods to keep them chewy. Safe in moderation but a signal of a processed semi-moist product.
- 8vegetable oil
Unnamed plant oil. Could be soy, canola, corn, or a blend. Named oils like sunflower or canola are more transparent.
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 10fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 10: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 11fiberinulin
Prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Same compound found in chicory root.
Position 11: trace fiber inclusion.
- 12mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 13fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
Position 13. Trace marine oil. Contributes some omega-3 but well below the level that drives EPA/DHA totals.
- 14calcium sulfate
Source of calcium. Functional, required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 15vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 16mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 17mineralmagnesium sulfate
Source of magnesium, a required mineral. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 18mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 19l-lysine monohydrochloride
Stable form of L-lysine, an essential amino acid. Common in plant-heavy formulas to balance the amino acid profile.
- 20mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 21mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 22vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 23vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 24mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 25vitamincalcium pantothenate
Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.
Showing first 25 of 35. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.