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Hill's Prescription Diet t/d Dental Care Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 5-lb bag
Hill's Prescription Diet

t/d Dental Care Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 5-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $8.20/lb

Hill's Prescription Diet t/d Dental Care Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 5-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 47/100 (C) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Score capped at 49 due to CP_DM=15.6%, CF_DM=13.3%.

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

Score capped at 49 due to CP_DM=15.6%, CF_DM=13.3%.

CAP why?

Plant-protein-dominated formula. brewers rice 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
14%
min (as fed)
Fat
12%
min (as fed)
Fiber
12.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
n/a
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

27 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    brewers rice

    Broken rice kernels left over from milling, usually destined for human beer-making. Cheaper than whole or even white rice. Same carbs, less nutrition than the brown version.

  2. 2
    whole grain corn

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

  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
    chicken fat

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

  6. 6
    soybean mill run
  7. 7
    egg product

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

  8. 8
    hydrolyzed chicken flavor

    Hydrolyzed chicken used as a palatability enhancer. Real ingredient, tiny inclusion, no quality signal either way.

  9. 9
    soybean oil

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

  10. 10
    lactic acid

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

  11. 11
    potassium chloride

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

  12. 12
    calcium sulfate

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

  13. 13
    salt

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

  14. 14
    l-lysine

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

  15. 15
    choline chloride

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

  16. 16
    dl-methionine

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

  17. 17
    ferrous sulfate

    Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.

  18. 18
    zinc oxide

    Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.

  19. 19
    copper sulfate

    Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.

  20. 20
    manganous oxide

    Inorganic manganese. Functional, cheaper than chelated forms, less efficiently absorbed.

  21. 21
    calcium iodate

    Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.

  22. 22
    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 →

  23. 23
    dicalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.

  24. 24
    taurine

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

  25. 25
    mixed tocopherols for freshness

Showing first 25 of 27. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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