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Public ReviewGrade DKibble (Extruded)Manufacturing: Kibble (Extruded)

Hill's

Hill's Adult 7+ Chicken Meal, Barley & Rice Recipe Dog Food | Hill's Science Diet

2.0★Public ScoreManufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Key points

Protein source

Moderate caution

Processed plant protein after the top 3

Top 3: Chicken Meal, Cracked Pearled Barley, Brewers Rice

The protein number includes processed plant protein support.

Even when it appears later, the protein number is read more conservatively.

Ingredient guide

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide
FOSGut support ingredientTaurineHeart support ingredientL-carnitineHeart and weight support ingredientOmega-3Skin and joint support ingredientOmega-6Skin and coat support ingredientGlucosamineJoint support ingredientChondroitinJoint support ingredientVitamin EAntioxidant and skin support ingredient
Needs context

Ingredient grade

C

Grade C

Top ingredient profile

Chicken Meal
Cracked Pearled Barley
Brewers Rice
Meal-basedPlant booster present
Crude protein18.7%
Crude protein18.7%
Crude fat13.5%
Other 68%

Protein position, fat position, and calorie density position are relative to foods in the same processing type cohort.

biotechProtein position
Lower
query_statsFat position
Typical
local_fire_departmentCalorie density
Lower

This food can stay in comparison, but ingredient quality still needs a more conservative read.

There is enough public data to keep this food in comparison, but the top ingredient structure does not support a stronger positive claim yet.

Nutritional strengths

  • Calorie density is on the lower side.
  • Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.

What still needs work

  • Refined carbohydrates lose fiber, vitamins, and minerals during processing, and mainly act as starch and energy sources. Because of that, our engine reads ingredient quality more conservatively than it would with whole grains.
  • Processed plant protein appears after the top 3, so some protein support is still built into the label number.
  • Calcium:Phosphorus Ratio sits near the upper end of the preferred range, so a more conservative read makes sense.

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall history confirmed

Founded in 1907 in the United States. This brand has a confirmed recall history. The most recent public recall noted here was the 2019 vitamin D incident.

Ingredient analysis

The top ingredients are still usable, but this is the part to inspect more carefully before calling the recipe a clear strength.

restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis

C3/6
Ingredient Grade
Mixed
1Chicken Meal
Named Meal · Upper
2Cracked Pearled Barley
Semi-Refined Grain · Mid
3Brewers Rice
Refined Carb · Lower

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Chicken Meal is a species-named animal meal ingredient. It is rendered rather than fresh, but the species source is still clearly identified. It reads as an upper-tier protein source.
  • •Cracked Pearled Barley is disclosed, but its role is not explicit enough to count as a strong quality signal. It reads as an mid-tier carb source.
  • •Brewers Rice is a refined carbohydrate source. It usually reads as a starch and energy source rather than a protein driver. It reads as an lower-tier carb source.
restaurantIngredient Grade CMixed

Full collected ingredient list

28 ingredients
Chicken MealCracked Pearled BarleyBrewers RiceWhole Grain WheatWhole Grain CornWhole Grain SorghumWhole Grain OatsChicken FatDried Beet PulpSoybean MealChicken Liver FlavorSoybean OilLactic AcidFlaxseedPotassium ChlorideCalcium CarbonateIodized SaltFructooligosaccharides (FOS)Choline Chloridevitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement)DL-MethionineL-Lysineminerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite)TaurineMixed Tocopherols for freshnessNatural FlavorsL-CarnitineBeta-Carotene.
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
Neutral ingredients
Caution ingredients
High-caution ingredients

Why processed plant proteins are reviewed cautiously

Ingredient lists are ordered by input weight, not protein contribution. Fresh meat 100g and Soybean Meal 50g can both contribute about 20g of protein, and Pea Protein can deliver a similar amount at around 30g. So these ingredients can materially lift crude protein even outside the top three. The review treats processed plant-protein boosters cautiously because they can weaken the animal-protein-centered profile most guardians expect from a high-protein food.

Why did the base review land here?

Ingredient qualityNutrient disclosure levelManufacturing & trust

This review score combines ingredient composition, nutrient disclosure, manufacturing trust, and core nutrient caution signals.

Nutrient disclosure

Partial disclosure

Core guaranteed analysis is usable, but deeper rows still need a more cautious read.

Safety verification

1 warnings

There is no immediate hard stop here, but a few caution rows are still worth checking.

Public data trust (ETF)

C1 tier

There is a usable disclosure baseline, but the public record is still fairly thin.

Where it sits in the same processing cohort

Kibble (Extruded) cohortCompare-first

Within the Kibble (Extruded) cohort, this recipe sits in the compare-first band.

Final word

Treat this review as an early screen. If the food stays interesting, verify it again with your dog-specific context before acting.

Back to all foods

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Heart criteria

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Heart context should connect sodium, taurine, L-carnitine, and omega-3 disclosure.

Joint criteria

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Joint context should connect weight control, EPA+DHA, and disclosed support ingredients.

Label basics

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