Chicken Muttballs with Pasta Wet Dog Food, 8-oz tub, case of 8
Graded by The Sniff System
Rachael Ray Nutrish Chicken Muttballs with Pasta is a wet dog food that features chicken as its primary protein source.
This wet food offers reasonable protein quality, with chicken providing good amino acid coverage. It includes quality fat sources and adds egg for diverse, highly bioavailable protein.
A significant concern is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. The food also contains menadione, a synthetic vitamin K3.
Good fit for dogs whose owners are comfortable with unverified nutritional completeness. Less ideal if you prefer foods with a clear AAFCO statement.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Miniature Schnauzers have a high prevalence of idiopathic hypertriglyceridemia. One study found 32.6% of 192 apparently healthy Miniature Schnauzers had elevated triglyceride levels, a primary risk factor for pancreatitis. Good fit for moderately active small terriers, including the Miniature Schnauzer, navigating pancreatitis recovery. DMB fat sits at 9%, in the low-fat (post-recovery range), with chicken broth at position 1.
Looking at this for adult Miniature Schnauzers or Miniature Schnauzers with pancreatitis recovery ? 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 4 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- ACVIMfat content · recovery protocol· cited in 2 claims
- Watson, 2015fat content · risk factors· cited in 2 claims
- Hand et al., 2010protein
- IDEXXdiagnostics
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 49/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 18 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. The ceiling on this score is 59, set because the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement isn't disclosed on the retailer page (so our methodology can't verify the formula meets adult, growth, or all-life-stages standards). The cap isn't the binding constraint here. AAFCO compliance would also need to improve to reach the next band.
Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
Contains menadione. Banned for human OTC use but tolerated at AAFCO-permitted levels in pet food. The only AAFCO-permitted vitamin K source..
- Lowest carb quality in Rachael Ray Nutrish's lineup (6/16)
- Top quartile for DMB protein in Rachael Ray Nutrish's lineup (40.9%)
- Bottom 10% for DMB fat in Rachael Ray Nutrish's lineup (9.1%)
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.
Rachael Ray Nutrish Hearty Beef Stew Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 8-oz tub, case of 8
Scores 9 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Rachael Ray Nutrish Healthy Weight Real Turkey & Pumpkin Recipe Premium Pate Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
$2.66/lb vs your seed's $4.98/lb (47% less) at a comparable score.
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 →
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 41%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1chicken broth
Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4ground tapioca
Starch from cassava root. Highly digestible energy source, but pure starch with minimal nutrition beyond that.
- 5protein plantpea protein
Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.
Position 5. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 6vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7egg white
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 8mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 9rice pasta
Position 9: minor grain inclusion.
- 10othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 11fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 11: trace fiber inclusion.
- 12mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 13vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
Position 13: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 14mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 15supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 16mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 17fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
- 18caramel
- 19mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 20mineralmagnesium sulfate
Source of magnesium, a required mineral. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 21mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 22celery powder
- 23vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 24l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate
A stable form of vitamin C used in pet food. Provides antioxidant support and survives processing better than plain ascorbic acid.
- 25vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
Showing first 25 of 39. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.