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Hill's Prescription Diet r/d Weight Reduction/Management Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 8.5-lb bag
Hill's Prescription Diet

r/d Weight Reduction/Management Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 8.5-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $6.12/lb

Hill's Prescription Diet r/d Weight Reduction/Management Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 8.5-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 55/100 (C) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Primary concern: plant-protein-dominated formula. whole grain corn as the #1 ingredient..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.

ACF

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

STACK

Plant-protein-dominated formula. whole grain corn as the #1 ingredient.

PQI

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
28%
min (as fed)
Fat
6.5%
min (as fed)
Fiber
16%
max (as fed)
Moisture
n/a
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

44 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    whole grain corn

    Whole corn with the kernel intact. Decent fiber and B vitamins, though it can crowd out meat in cheaper recipes.

  2. 2
    corn gluten meal

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

  3. 3
    chicken by-product meal

    Ground organs, bone, and tissue. Nutritionally dense, especially the liver and gizzard fractions. Named species ('chicken') is what matters. Generic 'poultry by-product meal' is the one to worry about.

  4. 4
    powdered cellulose

    Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.

  5. 5
    soybean meal

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

  6. 6
    soybean mill run
  7. 7
    chicken liver flavor

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

  8. 8
    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.

  9. 9
    pork liver flavor

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

  10. 10
    soybean oil

    Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.

  11. 11
    lactic acid

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

  12. 12
    caramel color

    Artificial coloring made by heating sugars. Cosmetic. Some forms contain trace 4-MEI, a compound the IARC lists as possibly carcinogenic.

  13. 13
    flaxseed

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

  14. 14
    chicken fat

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

  15. 15
    l-lysine

    Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.

  16. 16
    calcium carbonate

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

  17. 17
    potassium chloride

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

  18. 18
    choline chloride

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

  19. 19
    potassium citrate

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

  20. 20
    salt

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

  21. 21
    vitamin e supplement

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

  22. 22
    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.

  23. 23
    niacin supplement

    B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.

  24. 24
    thiamine mononitrate

    B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.

  25. 25
    vitamin a supplement

    Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.

Showing first 25 of 44. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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