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Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet GI Gastrointestinal Support Low Fat Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet

GI Gastrointestinal Support Low Fat Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12

Evidence Fair
wet $5.86/lb

Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet GI Gastrointestinal Support Low Fat Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12 earns a Sniff Score of 48/100 (C) with Fair evidence. 3 controversial ingredients flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. whitefish delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Contains carrageenan. Plausible rodent colitis mechanism, no direct canine clinical evidence at food-grade levels. Concern elevated for dogs with IBD..

CIP

Controversial ingredients · 2

  • carrageenan
    Seaweed-derived thickener; some studies link it to gastrointestinal inflammation. Most common in wet foods but appears in some kibble gravies.
  • sodium selenite
    Synthetic selenium source. Selenium is essential, but sodium selenite has a narrower safety margin than organic alternatives like selenium yeast. Better-formulated foods use the organic form.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 36% ⓘ
Protein
8%
min (as fed)
Fat
1.5%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
78%
max

Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 36%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

48 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    whitefish

    Real fish meat. Lean protein with a clean amino acid profile.

  2. 2
    potato

    Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

  3. 3
    chicken broth

    Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.

  4. 4
    water

    Just water. Counted on the label of any wet or fresh food. The number tells you the moisture content.

  5. 5
    chicken liver

    Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.

  6. 6
    chicken

    Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.

  7. 7
    pea flour

    Powdered peas, usually used as a binder or filler. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA flagged.

  8. 8
    dried egg product

    Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

  9. 9
    pea protein

    Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.

  10. 10
    pea fiber

    Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.

  11. 11
    natural flavor

    Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

  12. 12
    pumpkin

    Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.

  13. 13
    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

  14. 14
    calcium sulfate

    Source of calcium. Functional, required for AAFCO-complete formulas.

  15. 15
    apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  16. 16
    guar gum

    Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet.

  17. 17
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  18. 18
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  19. 19
    dried chicory root

    Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.

  20. 20
    cassia gum

    Thickener common in wet food. Functional, no major concerns at typical inclusion.

  21. 21
    carrageenan Flagged

    Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed.

  22. 22
    taurine

    Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.

  23. 23
    cranberries

    Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.

  24. 24
    l-tryptophan

    Essential amino acid. Sometimes added in calming or weight-management formulas.

  25. 25
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

Showing first 25 of 48. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.