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Blue Buffalo Basics Skin & Stomach Care Adult Grain-Free Duck & Potato Recipe Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, 12 count
Blue Buffalo

Basics Skin & Stomach Care Adult Grain-Free Duck & Potato Recipe Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, 12 count

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
wet $4.77/lb

Blue Buffalo Basics Skin & Stomach Care Adult Grain-Free Duck & Potato Recipe Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, 12 count earns a Sniff Score of 45/100 (C) with Fair evidence. 2 controversial ingredients flagged. Primary concern: low protein quality. duck delivers limited bioavailable amino acids..

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 formulation inferred from declared adult maintenance. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.

ACF

Low protein quality. duck delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.

PQI

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: 32% ⓘ
Protein
7%
min (as fed)
Fat
6%
min (as fed)
Fiber
1.5%
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 32%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

35 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    duck

    Real meat. Often used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities to chicken or beef.

  2. 2
    duck broth
  3. 3
    potato

    Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

  4. 4
    pea protein

    Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.

  5. 5
    flaxseed

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

  6. 6
    fish oil

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

  7. 7
    pumpkin

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

  8. 8
    carrageenan Flagged

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

  9. 9
    salt

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

  10. 10
    cassia gum

    Thickener common in wet food. Functional, no major concerns at typical inclusion.

  11. 11
    potassium chloride

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

  12. 12
    guar gum

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

  13. 13
    cranberries

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

  14. 14
    blueberries

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

  15. 15
    choline chloride

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

  16. 16
    zinc amino acid chelate

    Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.

  17. 17
    iron amino acid chelate

    Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.

  18. 18
    vitamin e supplement

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

  19. 19
    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.

  20. 20
    copper amino acid chelate

    Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.

  21. 21
    manganese amino acid chelate

    Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.

  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
    thiamine mononitrate

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

  24. 24
    cobalt amino acid chelate

    Cobalt bound to amino acids for better absorption. Trace mineral needed for B12 synthesis.

  25. 25
    niacin supplement

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

Showing first 25 of 35. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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