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

Hill's

Hill's r/d Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food | Hill's Prescription Diet

Prescription purpose: weight managementNot a standard star comparisonManufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Key points

Protein source

Caution

Unclear animal protein source

Top 3: Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal

Animal-based does not always mean clearly sourced.

Unspecified animal protein is read conservatively.

Ingredient guide

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide
TaurineHeart support ingredientL-carnitineHeart and weight support ingredientOmega-3Skin and joint support ingredientOmega-6Skin and coat support ingredientVitamin EAntioxidant and skin support ingredient
Caution

Ingredient grade

D

Grade D

Top ingredient profile

Whole Grain Corn
Corn Gluten Meal
Chicken By-Product Meal
Plant booster present
Crude protein33.9%
Crude protein33.9%
Crude fat8.6%
Other 57%

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

biotechProtein position
Higher
query_statsFat position
Lower
local_fire_departmentCalorie density
Lower

This is a prescription diet for weight management, so purpose fit comes before standard star ranking.

This is a prescription-diet candidate for weight management. Read purpose fit and veterinary guidance before treating it as a standard star-ranked food.

Nutritional strengths

  • Crude Protein, Crude Fat, Calories are disclosed, so calorie density, fat load, and satiety-support context can be compared.
  • Crude protein is on the higher side.
  • 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

  • By-product meal is a rendered ingredient that can include parts such as heads, feet, and organs. It can still provide protein, but it is harder to tell exactly what parts are included and in what proportion, so ingredient transparency is read more conservatively.
  • Plant proteins can lift crude protein on the label, but the real animal-protein share still needs a closer check.
  • By-product meal and grains both sit high in the recipe, so this does not read as a meat-centered formula.

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

This section matters more than usual because the ingredient read is not strong enough to summarize in one line.

restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis

D1.5/6
Ingredient Grade
Conservative
1Whole Grain Corn
Whole Grain · Upper
2Corn Gluten Meal
Processed Plant Protein · Lowest
3Chicken By-Product Meal
By-product Meal · Lowest

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Whole Grain Corn is a whole or coarse grain ingredient. It usually plays more of a carbohydrate and fiber role than a core protein role. It reads as an upper-tier carb and fiber source.
  • •Corn Gluten Meal is a processed plant-protein booster. It can lift crude protein without the same animal-protein share, so the animal-protein read should stay separate. It reads as an bottom-tier plant protein booster.
  • •Chicken By-Product Meal is a by-product meal. It can still contribute protein, but the primary-ingredient read should stay conservative. It reads as an bottom-tier protein source.
restaurantIngredient Grade DConservative

Full collected ingredient list

28 ingredients
Whole Grain CornCorn Gluten MealChicken By-Product MealPowdered CelluloseSoybean MealSoybean Mill RunChicken Liver FlavorDried Beet PulpPork Liver FlavorSoybean OilLactic AcidCaramel colorFlaxseedChicken FatL-LysineCalcium CarbonatePotassium ChlorideCholine ChloridePotassium CitrateIodized Saltvitamins (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-Methionineminerals (Manganese Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, 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

No fails

No major red flag jumps out first, though undisclosed rows still define the limits of this safety read.

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

What to compare next

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Heart criteria

Best dog food for heart disease: sodium, taurine, L-carnitine, omega-3, and DCM context

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

Joint criteria

Best dog food for joint support: weight control, EPA/DHA, glucosamine, and mobility checks

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

Weight criteria

Best dog food for weight loss: calories, fiber, protein, satiety, and treat control

Weight intent should connect calorie density, fiber, and treat calories.

Label basics

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