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

Hill's

Hill's z/d Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor Dog Food | Hill's Prescription Diet

Prescription purpose: allergy/skin careNot a standard star comparisonManufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Key points

Protein source

Practical pick

Named meal/dehydrated animal protein led

Top 3: Corn Starch, Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver, Hydrolyzed Chicken

Named dry animal protein gives a relatively clear protein source.

It can be clearer for actual protein contribution than a flashy fresh-meat label.

Ingredient guide

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide
Fish oilSkin and joint support ingredientCranberryUrinary support ingredientOmega-3Skin and joint support ingredientOmega-6Skin and coat support ingredientEPA+DHASkin, joint, and heart support ingredientL-carnitineHeart and weight support ingredientVitamin EAntioxidant and skin support ingredient
Needs context

Ingredient grade

C

Grade C

Top ingredient profile

Corn Starch
Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver
Hydrolyzed Chicken
No plant booster
Crude protein20.1%
Crude protein20.1%
Crude fat14.5%
Other 65%

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 is a prescription diet for allergy/skin care, so purpose fit comes before standard star ranking.

This is a prescription-diet candidate for allergy/skin care. Read purpose fit and veterinary guidance before treating it as a standard star-ranked food.

Nutritional strengths

  • Omega-3, Omega-6, EPA+DHA, Vitamin E are disclosed, which helps compare skin-barrier and coat-support markers.
  • Named animal ingredients appear after the first grain or starch source.
  • 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.
  • The first ingredient is still a grain or starch source, but named animal ingredients continue through the second and third positions. This is still not a meat-first recipe, yet it is not an especially weak animal-protein profile either.
  • Public data is usable, but not at the highest-trust tier.

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
1Corn Starch
Refined Carb · Mid
2Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver
Named Meal · Upper
3Hydrolyzed Chicken
Named Meal · Upper

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Corn Starch is a refined carbohydrate source. It usually reads as a starch and energy source rather than a protein driver. It reads as an mid-tier carb source.
  • •Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver 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.
  • •Hydrolyzed Chicken 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.
restaurantIngredient Grade CMixed

Full collected ingredient list

28 ingredients
Corn StarchHydrolyzed Chicken LiverHydrolyzed ChickenGround Pecan ShellsPowdered CelluloseFlaxseedDried Beet PulpHydrolyzed Chicken FlavorSoybean OilDried Citrus PulpDicalcium PhosphateLactic AcidCoconut OilFish OilCalcium CarbonatePressed CranberriesGlyceryl MonostearateDL-MethioninePotassium ChlorideIodized Saltvitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement)L-TryptophanCholine Chlorideminerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite)Magnesium OxideMixed Tocopherols for freshnessNatural FlavorsBeta-Carotene.
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
Neutral ingredients
Caution ingredients
High-caution ingredients

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) cohortUpper middle

Within the Kibble (Extruded) cohort, this recipe sits in the upper middle 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

Criteria to compare with this food

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Brand analysis

Royal Canin dog food analysis: veterinary diets, breed lines, and label checks

Royal Canin spans veterinary, breed, and daily lines, so product purpose matters first.

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.

Allergy criteria

Best dog food for dogs with allergies: protein history, hydrolyzed diets, and label checks

Allergy context depends on protein history, hydrolyzed formulas, and limited ingredients.

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.

Label basics

Best dog food criteria: ingredients, calories, disclosure, and health context

Before the brand claim, compare top ingredients, guaranteed analysis, kcal/kg, and disclosure.