Lamb & Rice Formula Pate Wet Dog Food or Topper, 13.2-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
VICTOR Lamb & Rice Formula Pate is a wet dog food or topper, featuring lamb and beef liver, formulated for puppies in their growth stage.
This formula offers good protein quality, with lamb providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber. The addition of beef liver and dried egg product brings diverse, highly bioavailable protein to the mix.
Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for puppies in their growth stage, and can be used as a full meal or a topper. Nothing serious working against it.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for puppy Golden Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Lamb anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus beef liver at position 3 (a natural taurine precursor). Goldens appeared disproportionately in the FDA's DCM reports. Pulse-heavy grain-free formulas warrant extra caution; named animal protein with organ meat or marine sources is the safer fit.
Looking at this for puppy 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 2 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- FDA, 2022epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 4 claims
- FDA, 2019diet composition· cited in 2 claims
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 65/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+19 points): Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage. Also adding to the lift: carbohydrate quality (+13). Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber. The 10-point gap to A-tier sits mostly in fat-quality declaration (6 of 16 possible). Full fat-quality declaration requires a named-species animal fat (e.g., chicken fat, salmon oil) plus a marine oil with declared EPA/DHA milligram content.
Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Lowest fat quality in VICTOR's lineup (6/16)
- Top 4% for DMB fat in VICTOR's lineup (36.4%)
- Bottom quartile for crude fiber in grain-inclusive wet foods (4.5% DMB)
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.
ACANA Premium Chunks Lamb in Bone Broth Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz can, case of 12
Scores 9 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Eukanuba Adult with Lamb & Rice Canned Dog Food, 13.2-oz, case of 12
$3.26/lb vs your seed's $3.68/lb (11% less) at a comparable score.
CANIDAE All Life Stages Chicken, Lamb & Fish Formula Canned Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
Chicken instead of lamb, matched score, different brand.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
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.
- 1protein animallamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2beef broth
Real broth. Adds flavor and moisture, signals the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalbeef liver
Organ meat. Among the most nutrient-dense ingredients available, rich in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A.
Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4grainbrown rice
Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6grainbarley
Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7fatsunflower oil
Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.
Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 8mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 9flaxseed meal
- 10grainoatmeal
Gentle on the stomach. Slow-release carbs and soluble fiber that supports stool quality.
Position 10: minor grain inclusion.
- 11mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 12mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 13mineralsodium tripolyphosphate
Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.
- 14fiberagar agar
Position 14: trace fiber inclusion.
- 15supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 16mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 17mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 18vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 19mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 20vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 21mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 22mineralsodium selenite Flagged
Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →
- 23vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 24vitamind-calcium pantothenate
B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 25vitaminbiotin
B vitamin that supports skin and coat health. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
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.
formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for Growth and Maintenance, including the growth of large size dogs weighing 70 pounds or more as an adult.