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Royal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Digestive Care Loaf in Sauce Canned Dog Food, 13.5-oz, case of 12
Royal Canin

Canine Care Nutrition Digestive Care Loaf in Sauce Canned Dog Food, 13.5-oz, case of 12

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
wet $4.85/lb

Royal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Digestive Care Loaf in Sauce Canned Dog Food, 13.5-oz, case of 12 earns a Sniff Score of 58/100 (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 fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

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: 37% ⓘ
Protein
7.1%
min (as fed)
Fat
4.5%
min (as fed)
Fiber
2.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
81%
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 37%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

31 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    water sufficient for processing

    The regulatory phrase for cooking water in wet food. Has no nutritional implication, just labeling formality.

  2. 2
    chicken

    Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.

  3. 3
    pork by-products

    Generic pork organs and tissue without species-specific traceability. Named by-products are more transparent.

  4. 4
    chicken by-products
  5. 5
    pork liver

    Organ meat. Dense in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A. Among the most nutritious ingredients on any label.

  6. 6
    chicken liver

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

  7. 7
    wheat flour

    Refined wheat, usually used as a binder. Cheap, not harmful, not a nutrition contributor.

  8. 8
    powdered cellulose

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

  9. 9
    dried plain beet pulp

    Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality.

  10. 10
    carrageenan Flagged

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

  11. 11
    carob bean gum
  12. 12
    calcium carbonate

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

  13. 13
    sodium silico aluminate

    Same role as sodium aluminosilicate. Anti-caking agent at trace inclusion.

  14. 14
    natural flavors

    Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.

  15. 15
    citric acid

    Natural antioxidant preservative. Helps keep fats from going rancid.

  16. 16
    potassium chloride

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

  17. 17
    pork plasma
  18. 18
    sodium tripolyphosphate

    Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.

  19. 19
    taurine

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

  20. 20
    guar gum

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

  21. 21
    fish oil

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

  22. 22
    magnesium oxide

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

  23. 23
    sodium carbonate

    pH buffer used in food processing. Functional, no quality signal.

  24. 24
    marigold extract
  25. 25
    zinc oxide

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

Showing first 25 of 31. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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