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Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets CC CardioCare High Protein Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 16.5-lb bag
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets

CC CardioCare High Protein Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 16.5-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $5.58/lb

Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets CC CardioCare High Protein Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 16.5-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 51/100 (C) with Fair evidence. 1 controversial ingredient flagged. Primary concern: plant-protein-dominated formula. oat meal as the #1 ingredient..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

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

FQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.

ACF

Plant-protein-dominated formula. oat meal as the #1 ingredient.

PQI

Contains menadione. Banned for human OTC use but tolerated at AAFCO-permitted levels in pet food. The only AAFCO-permitted vitamin K source..

CIP

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • menadione
    Synthetic vitamin K3. Banned in human supplements due to toxicity concerns at high doses. Permitted in pet food but premium brands use natural vitamin K alternatives.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 29% ⓘ
Protein
25%
min (as fed)
Fat
14%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
12.5%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

48 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    oat meal

    Alternate spelling of oatmeal. Gentle whole grain, steady carb energy, soluble fiber.

  2. 2
    corn protein meal

    Concentrated corn protein. Similar in role to corn gluten meal, pads the protein number on the label without matching meat amino acids.

  3. 3
    rice

    Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.

  4. 4
    chicken meal

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

  5. 5
    animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols
  6. 6
    vegetable oil

    Unnamed plant oil. Could be soy, canola, corn, or a blend. Named oils like sunflower or canola are more transparent.

  7. 7
    cassava root flour
  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
    potato protein

    Concentrated potato protein. Like pea protein, it inflates the protein number without matching meat-quality amino acids.

  10. 10
    powdered cellulose

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

  11. 11
    liver flavor
  12. 12
    fish meal

    Concentrated fish protein, usually whitefish, herring, or mackerel. Strong amino acid profile.

  13. 13
    fish oil

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

  14. 14
    mono and dicalcium phosphate

    Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  15. 15
    natural flavor

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

  16. 16
    calcium carbonate

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

  17. 17
    l-lysine monohydrochloride

    Stable form of L-lysine, an essential amino acid. Common in plant-heavy formulas to balance the amino acid profile.

  18. 18
    dl-methionine

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

  19. 19
    potassium chloride

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

  20. 20
    magnesium sulfate

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

  21. 21
    potassium sorbate
  22. 22
    l-arginine
  23. 23
    salt

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

  24. 24
    vitamin e supplement

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

  25. 25
    taurine

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

Showing first 25 of 48. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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