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Hill's Prescription Diet h/d Heart Care Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 17.6-lb bag
Hill's Prescription Diet

h/d Heart Care Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 17.6-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $5.68/lb

Hill's Prescription Diet h/d Heart Care Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 17.6-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 49/100 (C) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Score capped at 49 due to CP_DM=16.1%, CF_DM=18.3%.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.

CQI

AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.

ACF

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

STACK

Score capped at 49 due to CP_DM=16.1%, CF_DM=18.3%.

CAP why?

Plant-protein-dominated formula. wheat as the #1 ingredient.

PQI

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
Protein
14.5%
min (as fed)
Fat
16.5%
min (as fed)
Fiber
2.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
n/a
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

30 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    wheat

    Whole wheat. Fine for most dogs, though a portion are sensitive. Not a quality concern, just a fit-for-your-dog question.

  2. 2
    whole grain corn

    Whole corn with the kernel intact. Decent fiber and B vitamins, though it can crowd out meat in cheaper recipes.

  3. 3
    chicken fat

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

  4. 4
    chicken by-product meal

    Ground organs, bone, and tissue. Nutritionally dense, especially the liver and gizzard fractions. Named species ('chicken') is what matters. Generic 'poultry by-product meal' is the one to worry about.

  5. 5
    cracked pearled barley

    Pre-cracked pearled barley for better digestibility. Same whole-grain story.

  6. 6
    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.

  7. 7
    soybean meal

    Concentrated soy protein. Cheap plant protein that pads the label number, common in budget formulas.

  8. 8
    chicken liver flavor

    Hydrolyzed chicken liver used as a flavor enhancer. Real ingredient, used in tiny amounts for palatability.

  9. 9
    soybean oil

    Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.

  10. 10
    lactic acid

    Natural acid used as a mild preservative and pH adjuster. Found in fermented foods too. Safe at typical inclusion.

  11. 11
    pork liver flavor

    Hydrolyzed pork liver used as a flavor enhancer. Same role as chicken liver flavor.

  12. 12
    calcium carbonate

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

  13. 13
    potassium citrate

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

  14. 14
    l-lysine

    Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.

  15. 15
    choline chloride

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

  16. 16
    taurine

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

  17. 17
    dl-methionine

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

  18. 18
    magnesium oxide

    Inorganic magnesium. Functional at AAFCO doses, less efficiently absorbed than chelated forms.

  19. 19
    ferrous sulfate

    Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.

  20. 20
    zinc oxide

    Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.

  21. 21
    copper sulfate

    Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.

  22. 22
    manganous oxide

    Inorganic manganese. Functional, cheaper than chelated forms, less efficiently absorbed.

  23. 23
    calcium iodate

    Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.

  24. 24
    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 →

  25. 25
    salt

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

Showing first 25 of 30. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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