Adult Ultamino Dry Dog Food, 19.8-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Ultamino is a dry food for adult dogs, featuring hydrolyzed poultry by-products aggregate as its main protein source.
This formula includes quality fat sources, like marine oil, which provides EPA and DHA. It also uses premium micronutrient forms, such as chelated minerals. The food has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.
A key watch item is that this is a plant-protein-dominated formula, with corn starch listed as the first ingredient. Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for adult dogs with sensitivities or allergies. Less ideal if you prefer a meat-first diet.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
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) . Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Corn starch leads the deck, with zero pulses in the top 15.
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 50/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from fat quality, worth 12 points to the final number: Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). Where it lost ground: protein quality, costing 18 points. Plant-protein-dominated formula. corn starch as the #1 ingredient. The path to B-tier is about 10 points; protein quality is the structural lever.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.
Premium micronutrient forms such as chelated minerals or natural vitamin E.
Plant-protein-dominated formula. corn starch as the #1 ingredient.
- Bottom 3% for DMB protein in Royal Canin Veterinary Diet's lineup (18.0%)
- Bottom 2% for fat quality in Royal Canin Veterinary Diet's lineup (12/16)
- Bottom 10% for caloric density in dry kibbles (323 kcal/cup)
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.
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Scores 10 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Mature Consult Medium Breed Dry Dog Food, 19.8-lb bag
$4.90/lb vs your seed's $7.22/lb (32% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
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 poultry by-products aggregate
- 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.
- 4vegetable oil
Unnamed plant oil. Could be soy, canola, corn, or a blend. Named oils like sunflower or canola are more transparent.
Position 4: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 5othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 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.
- 7fiberdried chicory root
Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.
Position 7: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 8sodium aluminosilicate
Anti-caking agent that keeps powder ingredients flowing. Functional, not nutritional.
- 9mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 10monocalcium phosphate
Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard mineral inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 11l-tyrosine
- 12fiberfructooligosaccharides
Prebiotic fiber, often called FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria, similar in function to inulin.
Position 12: trace fiber inclusion.
- 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.
- 14supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 15supplementl-lysine
Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.
- 16mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 17supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 18supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 19supplementl-tryptophan
Essential amino acid. Sometimes added in calming or weight-management formulas.
- 20histidine
- 21mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 22mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 23zinc oxide
Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.
- 24mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 25mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
Showing first 25 of 33. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.