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Natural Balance Specialized Nutrition Digestive & Immune Health Adult Lamb & Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
Natural Balance

Specialized Nutrition Digestive & Immune Health Adult Lamb & Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $3.41/lb

Natural Balance Specialized Nutrition Digestive & Immune Health Adult Lamb & Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 76/100 (A) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage.

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
Dry-matter protein: 27% ⓘ
Protein
24%
min (as fed)
Fat
14%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

53 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    lamb

    Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.

  2. 2
    chicken meal

    Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken.

  3. 3
    oatmeal

    Gentle on the stomach. Slow-release carbs and soluble fiber that supports stool quality.

  4. 4
    sorghum

    Whole grain with a low glycemic index. Gluten-free, well-tolerated, decent fiber content.

  5. 5
    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.

  6. 6
    dried yeast

    Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.

  7. 7
    chickpeas

    Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

  8. 8
    pumpkin

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

  9. 9
    chicken fat

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

  10. 10
    flaxseed

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

  11. 11
    turkey meal

    Turkey with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh turkey.

  12. 12
    brown rice

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

  13. 13
    sweet potato

    Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

  14. 14
    dried plain beet pulp

    Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality.

  15. 15
    chicken

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

  16. 16
    natural flavor

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

  17. 17
    carrots

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

  18. 18
    spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

  19. 19
    cranberries

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

  20. 20
    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

  21. 21
    dried chicory root

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

  22. 22
    malted barley flour
  23. 23
    vitamin e supplement

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

  24. 24
    ascorbic acid

    Vitamin C. Pulls double duty as a natural antioxidant preservative.

  25. 25
    niacin supplement

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

Showing first 25 of 53. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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