Skip to main content
Sniff
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Vegetarian Dry Dog Food, 17.6-lb bag
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet

Adult Vegetarian Dry Dog Food, 17.6-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $5.51/lb

Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Vegetarian Dry Dog Food, 17.6-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 44/100 (D) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Primary concern: plant-protein-dominated formula. oat groats as the #1 ingredient..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.

ACF

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

MNI

Plant-protein-dominated formula. oat groats 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
Dry-matter protein: 19% ⓘ
Protein
17%
min (as fed)
Fat
8%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5.3%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

31 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    oat groats

    Whole oats with only the inedible hull removed. The most intact form of oats available.

  2. 2
    brewers rice

    Broken rice kernels left over from milling, usually destined for human beer-making. Cheaper than whole or even white rice. Same carbs, less nutrition than the brown version.

  3. 3
    potato protein

    Concentrated potato protein. Like pea protein, it inflates the protein number without matching meat-quality amino acids.

  4. 4
    coconut oil

    Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.

  5. 5
    natural flavors

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

  6. 6
    dried plain beet pulp

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

  7. 7
    pea fiber

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

  8. 8
    tomato pomace

    The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.

  9. 9
    flaxseed

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

  10. 10
    monocalcium phosphate

    Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard mineral inclusion in complete dog foods.

  11. 11
    calcium carbonate

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

  12. 12
    potassium chloride

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

  13. 13
    calcium sulfate

    Source of calcium. Functional, required for AAFCO-complete formulas.

  14. 14
    salt

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

  15. 15
    fructooligosaccharides

    Prebiotic fiber, often called FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria, similar in function to inulin.

  16. 16
    dl-methionine

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

  17. 17
    taurine

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

  18. 18
    choline chloride

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

  19. 19
    zinc proteinate

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

  20. 20
    zinc oxide

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

  21. 21
    ferrous sulfate

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

  22. 22
    manganous oxide

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

  23. 23
    manganese proteinate

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

  24. 24
    copper sulfate

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

  25. 25
    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 →

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

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