The Science of Canine Nutrition Unpacking Hill s Science Plan Dog Food

MEDIUM ADULT DRY DOG FOOD

Additional info:

Great tasting nutrition for a long, happy life. With a wagging tail and licks on your face, no one can say hello like your dog. Because every moment you spend together is special, we strive to give you more of them. With wholesome ingredients and the right nutrients, HILL'S SCIENCE PLAN is precisely prepared to offer your dog the nutrition he needs for lifelong health and happiness.

We manufacture our pet foods with highest quality ingredients. These ingredients must meet our strict requirements for purity and nutrient content, which exceed industry standards.

You can make a difference in the lives of shelter pets. With every purchase of SCIENCE PLAN you help feed over 100,000 homeless pets every day, 365 days a year. Learn more at hillsfoodshelterlove.com.

Hills Science Diet Dog Food Review

Is Hill's Science Diet a good dog food?

In this review The Dog Food Advisor takes an in-depth look at Hills Science Diet and rates each of its 6 most important sub-brands.

And well also reveal:

1. Is Hills Science Diet made in the United States?
2. Has Science Diet been recalled?
3. Which flavors and recipes get our top ratings?

But first

Which Hills Science Diet sub-brand is right for you?

Science Diet offers 6 popular sub-brands. Well share what makes each one different. So, you can choose the option that best meets your dogs needs.

Science Diets most popular dry kibble. Each recipe is made with grain and optimized specifically for adult nutrition.

• 11 recipes just for small dogs
• 8 options for large breeds
• 4 recipes for sensitive stomach and skin
• Not recommended for puppies
• 26 recipes (ratings vary)

View all Recipe Ratings

This sub-brand includes Hills best-selling dry and fully balanced puppy recipes.

• Healthy grain-inclusive formula
• 2 large breed puppy foods. Lower risk of hip disease
• 6 recipes (ratings vary)

View all Recipe Ratings

This sub-brand offers Science Diets leading canned food thats optimized for puppies.

• Fully balanced, protein-rich blend
• Not suitable for large breed puppies
• 4 recipes (ratings vary)

View all Recipe Ratings

Hills Adult Plus dry formulas are made with grain. Each recipe is specifically optimized for senior dogs.

• 5 recipes designed for small breed seniors
• 2 formulas for large breed seniors
• 11 dry recipes (ratings vary)

View all Recipe Ratings

Hills Adult Wet formulas are ideal for dogs considered fully grown. They are not suitable for puppies.

• 3 recipes for sensitive stomach and skin
• Not for puppies of any breed
• 15 recipes (ratings vary)

View all Recipe Ratings

As you can tell by its name, this Science Diet dry sub-brand is designed for dogs who need to lose weight. Recipes are all grain-inclusive.

• Reduced caloric-density for controlled weight loss
• Contains L-carnitine to promote steady weight loss
• 4 recipes (ratings vary)

View all Recipe Ratings

Which Hills Science Diet Adult Dry Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?

Hills Science Diet Adult Dog Food receives the Advisors mid-tier rating of 3.5 stars.

The Hills Science Diet Adult product line includes the 26 dry dog foods listed below.

Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Hills Science Diet Adult Small Paws Chicken Meal and Rice was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The second ingredient is brewers rice. Brewers rice is a cereal grain by-product consisting of the small fragments left over after milling whole rice. Aside from the caloric energy it contains, this item is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The third ingredient is wheat. Like corn, wheat is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain. And aside from its energy content, this grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

For this reason, we do not consider wheat a preferred component in any dog food.

The next ingredient is soybean meal, a by-product of soybean oil production more commonly found in farm animal feeds.

Although soybean meal contains 48% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.

And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The fifth item is sorghum. Sorghum (milo) is a starchy cereal grain with a nutrient profile similar to corn.

Since it is gluten-free and boasts a smoother blood sugar behavior than other grains, sorghum may be considered an acceptable non-meat ingredient.

The sixth ingredient is chicken fat. This item is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesnt sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.

The seventh ingredient is barley, which is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The next item is corn. Corn is another cereal grain and subject to the same issues as wheat (previously discussed).

After the chicken and pork liver flavors, we find flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided theyve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.

However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Science Diet product.

With 6 notable exceptions

First, soybean oil is red flagged here only due to its rumored (yet unlikely) link to canine food allergies.

However, since soybean oil is high in omega-6 fatty acids and contains no omega-3s, its considered less nutritious than flaxseed oil or a named animal fat.

Next, we find peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, theyre rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

In addition, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.

This recipe also contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.

We also find no mention of probiotics, friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing to help with digestion.

And lastly, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher quality dog foods.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Hills Science Diet Adult looks like an average dry kibble.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 25%, a fat level of 16% and estimated carbohydrates of about 51%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 24% and a mean fat level of 15%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 53% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 60%.

Which means this Science Diet product line contains

Below-average protein. Near-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.

When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the soybean meal, flaxseed and peas in this recipe, and the corn gluten meal contained in other recipes, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing just a moderate amount of meat.

Hill's Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Hill's through April 2024.

No recalls noted.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Our Rating of Hill's Science Dog Food

Hills Science Diet Adult is a grain-inclusive dry dog food using a moderate amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 3.5 stars.

Recommended with Reservations

Who owns Hill's Science Diet and where is it made?

Hills Pet Nutrition is owned by the Colgate-Palmolive Company.

Hills Science Diet products are made in the United States. The company operates major facilities in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Topeka and Emporia, Kansas, Richmond, Indiana as well as the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.

What Do Others Say About Hill's Science Dog Food?

At the time of this update

Chewy customers rate Hills Science Diet Adult Large Breed 4.6 out of 5 stars and 94% say they would recommend it to others.

Heres an actual user review

Sample buyer review Ive tried 2 other brands for our German Shepherd and after 10 months her bathroom business continued to be a mess. So since she was almost a year old I switched her to the Hills Diet. After a couple weeks her poop was noticeably more solid so that we could easily pick it up on walks and in the yard. I think thats a great barometer to see if her body works well with this food and it does!

Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com

Does My Dog Have a Food Allergy?

Many dog foods on the market make claims about being good for allergies, but how well do these claims hold up? How common are dog food allergies? And is hypoallergenic dog food right for your dog? To learn the truth about food allergies in dogs and what hypoallergenic dog food really means, keep reading.

Are Dog Food Allergies to Blame?

While people are often quick to blame a dog's skin problems on what he eats, the truth, says Tufts University's Cummings Veterinary Center, is that food allergies in dogs are not all that common. The most common causes of allergies in pets are environmental including fleas, dust mites, grass, pollen, and other environmental causes. If your pup's allergies tend to clear up during the winter or become worse at the height of flea season, then it's likely his allergies are environmental. But because actual food allergies can cause skin and ear problems similar to those caused by environmental allergies, it's up to your veterinarian to help you rule out other types of allergies for certain before determining whether your dog's food is to blame.

Food Allergies vs. Food Intolerance

It's also important to note the difference between an allergy and an intolerance. If your dog is unable to tolerate a certain type of food, such as lactose, this means he lacks the digestive enzyme necessary to properly digest that food, and gastrointestinal problems, such as vomiting and diarrhea, may result. An allergy, on the other hand, is an immune response. When your dog comes into contact with something he's allergic to, his immune system goes into overdrive attacking the allergen, resulting in skin problems, itching, or hair loss. If your dog is suffering from a food intolerance rather than a food allergy, then hypoallergenic dog food is unlikely to help. We recommend seeing your veterinarian to get the best possible solution for your pet.

What Causes Food Allergies?

According to Tuft University, "Food allergies occur when an animal's immune system misidentifies a protein from a food as an invader rather than a food item and mounts an immune response. The end result of this response can be itchy skin or ear and skin infections in some pets, while it may cause vomiting or diarrhea in others." Once an immune response is triggered, it grows stronger every time that type of protein enters the body, which means your dog's allergy may worsen every time he eats that particular food.

Common Allergens in Dog Food

The most common foods to trigger an allergic response in dogs are animal proteins including chicken, beef, dairy, and eggs, says Tufts. Lamb, pork, and fish are less likely to cause allergies, although it is possible. While some dogs have proven to be allergic to wheat and corn, this is actually much more rare than common wisdom would have you believe. Instances of other grains, such as oats or rice, causing allergies are rare to nonexistent.

Diagnosing Dog Food Allergies

Unfortunately, there are no reliable ways to test your dog for food allergies. The only way to determine which foods your dog is allergic to is through the process of elimination. Typically, your vet will prescribe a special, limited-ingredient dog food containing types of meat and carbohydrates that aren't in your dog's usual meals and seeing how he does on it. If your dog's symptoms clear up on this special meal plan, after a period of time your vet may have you switch your dog back to his old food to see if the allergy symptoms reappear. If they do, that will confirm that you're dealing with a food allergy.

The next step is to identify the specific ingredient causing the allergic reaction in your dog. This requires changing back to the limited ingredient food. Once your dog's symptoms clear up, your vet may then have you add ingredients from his old food back to his meals one at a time and monitor the results in order to identify which ingredients trigger an allergic reaction.

During this elimination trial, it's extremely important to only feed your dog the prescribed food. The most frequently mentioned reason for failure in determining allergies in elimination tests is household sabotage. This consists of giving your dog food that was not directly recommended by your veterinarian including dog treats, table scraps, different dog foods, etc. During these trials, dogs can't have even one of these in order for the test to be effective at diagnosing the allergy. To put it in perspective, a human that is allergic to nuts cannot have even a single peanut. The same is true of your dog. To fully determine the cause of dog food allergies (if any does exist), you must be as strict as possible, and that includes everyone else in your household too. It's hard when your pup sits there with his big begging eyes, but it is worth it if you can determine if an allergy exists. These elimination tests typically take about 12-weeks after which your veterinarian will verify that your dog isn't experiencing any of the previous allergy signs.

Self-Diagnosis

It is important that if you believe your dog is experiencing allergies of any sort, food or environmental, that you check with your veterinarian to help you best diagnose your pup. Self-diagnosis can be unhelpful or even dangerous in certain cases. Because food allergies and environmental issues present some of the same signs, it is hard to know which is the cause without proper testing. Unlike in humans, dog allergy tests are much less reliable, which is why your veterinarian will likely give you specific instructions on what to expose your dog to and how to monitor his health over time to determine the specific cause for his health issues.

You may be tempted to do a limited-ingredient diet (LID) on your own as well. This is also not recommended for a couple of reasons. The first being the difference between intolerance and allergies. Without proper testing, it is hard to know the real cause. The second reason why LIDs aren't always great in self diagnosing your dog's condition is that even limited-ingredient foods can be subject to allergen contamination. For instance, if you suspect that your dog is allergic to chicken, and you switch him over to something like lamb or venison, he might start feeling better, but because many food companies will use the same machinery to make their chicken product dog foods and their lamb-filled food there is a chance that some of the chicken allergens make it into your dog's lamb food. Like mentioned before, any introduction of an allergen, even a small amount, can affect your dog overall. This is why it is best to follow your veterinarian's strict instructions when asking about allergies.

Hypoallergenic Dog Food

If food allergies are determined, your veterinarian may recommend hypoallergenic dog food and treats for your dog to eat. These types of foods take special precautions to avoid being cross-contaminated. Hypoallergenic dog foods may also be hydrolyzed, meaning that they go through a process of breaking down proteins on a molecular level so that they are too small for the dog's body to recognize them as allergens. This is often a prescription dog food, so you will need to talk to your veterinarian about this as an option for your dog.

While some companies sell over-the-counter foods that claim to be good for allergiesand some may contain supplements that can be helpful in controlling environmental allergiesthese foods are not ideal for treating food allergies. As with limited ingredient foods, there is nothing to guarantee that your dog won't become allergic to them in the future. These dog foods are also less regulated than prescription dog food and as such, might contain other contaminants that trigger an allergic response. It's also best to be wary of any hypoallergenic claims made by over-the-counter grain-free dog foods. Remember, it's animal proteins, not grains, that are most likely causing food allergies in dogs.

Dog food allergies are tricky business. Fortunately, they're also the type of allergy your dog is least likely to suffer from. If your dog is showing signs of allergies, talk to your vet before making any changes to his food. Even if it turns out that he does have a food allergy, changing his food without a vet's supervision could make it more difficult to diagnose.

Contributor Bio

Jean Marie Bauhaus

Jean Marie Bauhaus is a pet parent, pet blogger and novelist from Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she usually writes under the supervision of a lapful of furbabies.