Gastrointestinal Puppy Ultra Soft Mousse in Sauce Wet Dog Food, 5.1-oz can, case of 24
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal Puppy Ultra Soft Mousse in Sauce Wet Dog Food, 5.1-oz can, case of 24 earns a Sniff Score of 52/100 (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
Reasonable protein quality. chicken by-products delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for growth.
Contains carrageenan. Plausible rodent colitis mechanism, no direct canine clinical evidence at food-grade levels. Concern elevated for dogs with IBD..
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
Controversial ingredients · 2
- carrageenanSeaweed-derived thickener; some studies link it to gastrointestinal inflammation. Most common in wet foods but appears in some kibble gravies.
- sodium seleniteSynthetic 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 →
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 41%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1water sufficient for processing
The regulatory phrase for cooking water in wet food. Has no nutritional implication, just labeling formality.
- 2chicken by-products
- 3pork by-products
Generic pork organs and tissue without species-specific traceability. Named by-products are more transparent.
- 4protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
- 5protein animalchicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
- 6brewers rice flour
- 7gelatin
- 8fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
- 9hydrolyzed poultry by-products aggregate
- 10pork plasma
- 11fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
- 12casein
- 13mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 14mineralsodium tripolyphosphate
Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.
- 15hydrolyzed yeast
Yeast broken down with enzymes. Strong palatant plus a real source of B vitamins and amino acids.
- 16othercarrageenan Flagged
Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed.
- 17sodium aluminosilicate
Anti-caking agent that keeps powder ingredients flowing. Functional, not nutritional.
- 18othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 19fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet.
- 20supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 21mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 22mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 23glycine
- 24supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 25sodium carbonate
pH buffer used in food processing. Functional, no quality signal.
Showing first 25 of 34. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
18 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.