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Hill's Prescription Diet ONC Care Dry Dog Food, 15-lb bag
Hill's Prescription Diet

ONC Care Dry Dog Food, 15-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $6.87/lb

Hill's Prescription Diet ONC Care Dry Dog Food, 15-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 76/100 (A) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

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
Protein
25%
min (as fed)
Fat
21%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
n/a
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

37 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    chicken

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

  2. 2
    wheat

    Whole wheat. Fine for most dogs, though a portion are sensitive. Not a quality concern, just a fit-for-your-dog question.

  3. 3
    corn gluten meal

    Concentrated corn protein. Inflates the protein percent on the label without matching meat-quality amino acids.

  4. 4
    chicken fat

    Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid.

  5. 5
    hydrolyzed chicken liver
  6. 6
    soybean meal

    Concentrated soy protein. Cheap plant protein that pads the label number, common in budget formulas.

  7. 7
    brown rice

    Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.

  8. 8
    cracked pearled barley

    Pre-cracked pearled barley for better digestibility. Same whole-grain story.

  9. 9
    egg product

    Processed whole eggs. Same nutritional profile as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

  10. 10
    chicken liver flavor

    Hydrolyzed chicken liver used as a flavor enhancer. Real ingredient, used in tiny amounts for palatability.

  11. 11
    coconut oil

    Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.

  12. 12
    fish oil

    Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.

  13. 13
    ground pecan shells
  14. 14
    pork liver flavor

    Hydrolyzed pork liver used as a flavor enhancer. Same role as chicken liver flavor.

  15. 15
    lactic acid

    Natural acid used as a mild preservative and pH adjuster. Found in fermented foods too. Safe at typical inclusion.

  16. 16
    calcium carbonate

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

  17. 17
    potassium citrate

    Source of potassium. Sometimes added in urinary-support formulas to help manage urine pH.

  18. 18
    flaxseed

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

  19. 19
    dried beet pulp

    Soluble fiber from sugar-beet processing. Sometimes treated as a filler, but it's actually one of the better fiber sources in kibble.

  20. 20
    dried citrus pulp
  21. 21
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

  22. 22
    salt

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

  23. 23
    dl-methionine

    Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.

  24. 24
    pressed cranberries
  25. 25
    choline chloride

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

Showing first 25 of 37. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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