HA Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor Wet Dog Food, 13.3-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets HA Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor is a wet dog food featuring hydrolyzed chicken liver and soy protein isolate.
This formula offers reasonable protein quality, with pea starch contributing to solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality fat sources like coconut oil and fish oil, which provides beneficial EPA and DHA. The product has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation, which is a good sign for nutritional adequacy.
The formula contains carrageenan, a thickener linked to gastrointestinal inflammation in some studies. It also includes menadione, a synthetic vitamin K3 that is banned in human supplements due to toxicity concerns.
Good fit for dogs needing a hydrolyzed protein diet for sensitivities. Less ideal if your dog has gastrointestinal issues or you prefer natural vitamin 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 (chicken), with fish oil at position 12 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 40/100, landing in D-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+18.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. pea starch delivers solid amino acid coverage. A hard cap of 64 also applied because three or more WATCH-tier ingredients appear in the deck. Even without the cap, the base component scores sit below the next band. The structural fix would need to address controversial-ingredient penalty as well.
Reasonable protein quality. pea starch 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 menadione. Banned for human OTC use but tolerated at AAFCO-permitted levels in pet food. The only AAFCO-permitted vitamin K source..
- Bottom 3% for carb quality in Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets's lineup (7/16)
- Top 4% for crude fiber in grain-free wet foods (15.9% DMB)
- Bottom 1% for DMB protein in grain-free wet foods (22.7%)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
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$3.53/lb vs your seed's $6.82/lb (48% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Controversial ingredients · 2
- carrageenanSeaweed-derived thickener; some studies link it to gastrointestinal inflammation. Most common in wet foods but appears in some kibble gravies.
- menadioneSynthetic vitamin K3. Banned in human supplements due to toxicity concerns at high doses. Permitted in pet food but premium brands use natural vitamin K alternatives.
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 23%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1water
Just water. Counted on the label of any wet or fresh food. The number tells you the moisture content.
- 2pea starch
Refined starch from peas, mostly carbs after the protein is removed. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA examined.
Position 2. Pulse-family ingredient this high in the deck is a notable build choice. When stacked with other pulses in the top 10, matches the formulation pattern the FDA flagged in its diet-associated DCM investigation.
- 3hydrolyzed chicken liver
- 4hydrolyzed soy protein isolate
- 5fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
Position 5: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 6mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 7fatcoconut oil
Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.
Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 8fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 8: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 9mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 10othercarrageenan Flagged
Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed. See why →
- 11soybean oil
Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.
Position 11: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 12fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
Position 12. Moderate marine-oil inclusion. Supplements EPA/DHA without being the primary fat.
- 13supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 14mineralmagnesium sulfate
Source of magnesium, a required mineral. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 15mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 16supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 17l-threonine
Essential amino acid. Sometimes added when plant proteins dominate, since threonine is naturally lower in plants than meat.
- 18supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 19fiberxanthan gum
Thickener common in wet food and gravies. Same emulsifier-microbiome conversation as guar gum, not a clear flag. See why →
- 20vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 21l-cysteine
- 22mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 23glycine
- 24mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 25vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
Showing first 25 of 40. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.