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Wellness CORE Grain-Free Turkey, Chicken Liver & Turkey Liver Formula Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Wellness

CORE Grain-Free Turkey, Chicken Liver & Turkey Liver Formula Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
wet $5.61/lb

Wellness CORE Grain-Free Turkey, Chicken Liver & Turkey Liver Formula Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12 earns a Sniff Score of 57/100 (C) with Fair evidence. 2 controversial ingredients flagged. Primary concern: contains carrageenan. plausible rodent colitis mechanism, no direct canine clinical evidence at food-grade levels. concern elevated for dogs with ibd...

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

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

STACK

Contains carrageenan. Plausible rodent colitis mechanism, no direct canine clinical evidence at food-grade levels. Concern elevated for dogs with IBD..

CIP

Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..

CIP

Controversial ingredients · 2

  • carrageenan
    Seaweed-derived thickener; some studies link it to gastrointestinal inflammation. Most common in wet foods but appears in some kibble gravies.
  • 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: 50% ⓘ
Protein
11%
min (as fed)
Fat
7%
min (as fed)
Fiber
1%
max (as fed)
Moisture
78%
max

Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 50%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

41 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
    turkey

    Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.

  3. 3
    chicken broth

    Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.

  4. 4
    chicken liver

    Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.

  5. 5
    turkey liver

    Organ meat. Same nutrient-density story as chicken or beef liver: protein, iron, B vitamins, vitamin A.

  6. 6
    turkey heart
  7. 7
    sweet potato

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

  8. 8
    ground flaxseed

    Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.

  9. 9
    chicken heart

    Organ meat. Dense in taurine, B vitamins, and CoQ10. One of the best ingredients dogs can eat.

  10. 10
    carrageenan Flagged

    Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed.

  11. 11
    guar gum

    Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet.

  12. 12
    carrots

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

  13. 13
    apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  14. 14
    spinach

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

  15. 15
    parsley

    Real herb. Trace amount of vitamins K and C. The dose in kibble is small, mostly there for label appeal.

  16. 16
    blueberries

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

  17. 17
    broccoli

    Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.

  18. 18
    kale

    Leafy green with antioxidants and fiber. Small dose in kibble, but it's not just for marketing.

  19. 19
    potassium chloride

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

  20. 20
    salt

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

  21. 21
    dried chicory root

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

  22. 22
    yucca schidigera extract

    Plant extract added to reduce stool odor. Functional, not nutritional. Fine in trace amounts.

  23. 23
    choline chloride

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

  24. 24
    zinc proteinate

    Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.

  25. 25
    iron proteinate

    Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.

Showing first 25 of 41. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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