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Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet HF Hydrolyzed for Food Intolerance Salmon Recipe Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, 12 count
Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet

HF Hydrolyzed for Food Intolerance Salmon Recipe Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, 12 count

Evidence Fair
wet $7.03/lb

Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet HF Hydrolyzed for Food Intolerance Salmon Recipe Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, 12 count earns a Sniff Score of 35/100 (D) with Fair evidence. 2 controversial ingredients flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

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

STACK

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

Low protein quality. salmon hydrolysate delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.

PQI

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • 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
2%
min (as fed)
Fiber
3%
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.

36 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    salmon hydrolysate
  2. 2
    water

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

  3. 3
    potato starch

    Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.

  4. 4
    natural flavor

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

  5. 5
    pea fiber

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

  6. 6
    cane molasses

    Added sugar from sugar cane. Used for palatability or texture. Dogs don't need added sugar.

  7. 7
    tricalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.

  8. 8
    flaxseed

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

  9. 9
    agar-agar

    Seaweed-derived gel used as a thickener. Functional alternative to carrageenan, generally well-tolerated.

  10. 10
    sunflower oil

    Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.

  11. 11
    guar gum

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

  12. 12
    calcium carbonate

    Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.

  13. 13
    calcium sulfate

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

  14. 14
    salt

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

  15. 15
    potassium chloride

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

  16. 16
    choline chloride

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

  17. 17
    magnesium sulfate

    Source of magnesium, a required mineral. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  18. 18
    vitamin e supplement

    Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.

  19. 19
    l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate

    A stable form of vitamin C used in pet food. Provides antioxidant support and survives processing better than plain ascorbic acid.

  20. 20
    l-tryptophan

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

  21. 21
    zinc amino acid chelate

    Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.

  22. 22
    iron amino acid chelate

    Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.

  23. 23
    copper amino acid chelate

    Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.

  24. 24
    manganese amino acid chelate

    Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.

  25. 25
    sodium 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 →

Showing first 25 of 36. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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