UR Urinary Ox/St Wet Dog Food, 13.3-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets UR Urinary Ox/St Wet Dog Food is a veterinary diet wet food formulated for urinary health, with chicken as its primary protein source.
This formula has undergone AAFCO feeding trials, which is a strong indicator of nutritional adequacy. It also includes liver in the top ingredients, adding diverse, highly bioavailable protein.
This food contains meat by-products, from an unspecified species, and carrageenan, which some studies link to gastrointestinal inflammation. The protein quality is also considered low.
Good fit for dogs needing a veterinary diet for urinary health. Less ideal if you prefer foods without unspecified meat ingredients or carrageenan.
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. Chicken anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus liver at position 5 (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
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 37/100, landing in D-tier territory. 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.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
Low protein quality. chicken delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
- Bottom 1% for fat quality in grain-inclusive wet foods (4/16)
- Top 10% for DMB fat in Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets's lineup (20.5%)
- Bottom 10% for overall Sniff Score in grain-inclusive wet foods (37/100)
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 Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Naturals Wet Dog Food, 13.4-oz, case of 12
Scores 25 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Variety Pack Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
$3.53/lb vs your seed's $5.81/lb (39% less) at a comparable score.
Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Beef & Rice Entree Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
Beef instead of chicken, 6 points higher, different brand.
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 34%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2water sufficient for processing
The regulatory phrase for cooking water in wet food. Has no nutritional implication, just labeling formality.
- 3grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4protein animalmeat by-products Flagged
Unnamed organ meats and tissue. Could be nutritious, but no species is listed, so quality varies by batch.
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5liver
Generic liver, usually chicken or beef. Among the most nutrient-dense ingredients a dog can eat. Named species is more informative.
- 6fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
Position 6: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 7fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 7: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 8othercarrageenan Flagged
Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed. See why →
- 9mineralmagnesium sulfate
Source of magnesium, a required mineral. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 10mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 11potassium citrate
Source of potassium. Sometimes added in urinary-support formulas to help manage urine pH.
- 12natural smoke flavor
- 13added color
Generic coloring. Doesn't say if natural or artificial. Dogs are color-blind, so any added color is for the human shopper.
- 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.
- 16mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 17vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 18mono and dicalcium phosphate
Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 19mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 20vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 21mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 22vitamincalcium pantothenate
Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.
- 23mineralmanganese sulfate
Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.
- 24vitaminpyridoxine hydrochloride
B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.
- 25vitamin b-12 supplement
Showing first 25 of 32. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.