HA Hydrolyzed Vegetarian Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets HA Hydrolyzed Vegetarian Dry Dog Food is a hydrolyzed vegetarian dry formula, with corn starch as its first ingredient.
The formula has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation, which means it has been tested to ensure it meets nutritional requirements. This is a basic standard for commercial dog food.
This formula is plant-protein-dominated, with corn starch as the first ingredient. It contains menadione, a synthetic vitamin K3 with toxicity concerns, and tbhq, a preservative with emerging immunotoxicity signals.
Good fit for dogs requiring a hydrolyzed vegetarian diet. Less ideal if you prefer formulas without synthetic vitamin K3 or tbhq.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Corn starch leads the deck, with zero pulses in the top 15. 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
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 20/100, landing in F-tier (avoid). The biggest contributor was AAFCO compliance (+8 points): AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated. 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 protein quality as well.
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.
Plant-protein-dominated formula. corn starch as the #1 ingredient.
Contains tbhq. Prohibited in Japan. Less data than BHA/BHT; emerging immunotoxicity signals..
- Bottom 3% for DMB protein in Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets's lineup (20.2%)
- Bottom 3% for overall Sniff Score in Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets's lineup (20/100)
- Bottom 2% for carb quality in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (9/16)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
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Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Controversial ingredients · 1
- 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 →
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1corn starch
Position 1 grain: primary carbohydrate base. This is a grain-inclusive formula with corn starch as the dominant carb.
- 2hydrolyzed soy protein isolate
- 3fatcoconut oil
Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.
Position 3: primary fat source. Drives the formula's caloric density and omega-6 content.
- 4partially hydrogenated canola oil preserved with tbhq
Position 4: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 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.
- 6mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 7mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 8corn oil
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.
- 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.
- 11supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 12mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 13mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 14mineralmagnesium oxide
Inorganic magnesium. Functional at AAFCO doses, less efficiently absorbed than chelated forms.
- 15supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 16supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 17mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 18vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 19mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 20mineralmanganese sulfate
Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.
- 21soybean oil
Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.
- 22vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 23mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 24vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 25vitamincalcium pantothenate
Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.
Showing first 25 of 36. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.