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Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet KS Kidney Support Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet

KS Kidney Support Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12

Evidence Fair
wet $5.86/lb

Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet KS Kidney Support Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12 earns a Sniff Score of 31/100 (D) with Fair evidence. 2 controversial ingredients flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

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

FQI

Premium micronutrient forms such as chelated minerals or natural vitamin E.

MNI

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

Score capped at 49 due to CP_DM=13.6%, CF_DM=11.4%.

CAP why?

Low protein quality. chicken delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.

PQI

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: 14% ⓘ
Protein
3%
min (as fed)
Fat
2.5%
min (as fed)
Fiber
3%
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 14%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

40 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
    chicken broth

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

  3. 3
    water

    Just water. Counted on the label of any wet or fresh food. The number tells you the moisture content.

  4. 4
    potato starch

    Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.

  5. 5
    potato

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

  6. 6
    carrots

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

  7. 7
    peas

    Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

  8. 8
    pea fiber

    Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.

  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
    natural flavor

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

  12. 12
    fish oil

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

  13. 13
    guar gum

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

  14. 14
    potassium citrate

    Source of potassium. Sometimes added in urinary-support formulas to help manage urine pH.

  15. 15
    carrageenan Flagged

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

  16. 16
    cassia gum

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

  17. 17
    calcium carbonate

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

  18. 18
    blueberries

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

  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
    choline chloride

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

  21. 21
    zinc amino acid chelate

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

  22. 22
    iron amino acid chelate

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

  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
    copper amino acid chelate

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

Showing first 25 of 40. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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