Protein source
CautionProcessed plant protein in the top 3
Top 3: Corn Starch, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Powdered Cellulose
Even high crude protein can be strongly influenced by processed plant protein.
This is hard to read as meat-protein centered.
Public ReviewGrade DKibble (Extruded)Manufacturing: Kibble (Extruded)
Hill's
Hill's z/d Low Fat Hydrolyzed Soy Recipe Dry Dog Food | Hill's Prescription Diet
Prescription purpose: allergy/skin careNot a standard star comparisonManufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety
Key points
Ingredient guide
Included support ingredients
Nutrient guideFish oilSkin and joint support ingredientCranberryUrinary support ingredientTaurineHeart support ingredientL-carnitineHeart and weight support ingredientOmega-3Skin and joint support ingredientOmega-6Skin and coat support ingredientEPA+DHASkin, joint, and heart support ingredientVitamin EAntioxidant and skin support ingredient
Caution
Ingredient grade
D
Grade D
Top ingredient profile
Corn Starch
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Powdered Cellulose
Plant booster present
Crude protein27%
Crude protein27%
Crude fat7.4%
Other 66%
Protein position, fat position, and calorie density position are relative to foods in the same processing type cohort.
biotechProtein position
Typicalquery_statsFat position
Lowerlocal_fire_departmentCalorie density
LowerThis 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.
- Crude protein does not drop into a clearly low band.
- 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 sits in the top 3, so the crude-protein number clearly includes protein support beyond meat ingredients.
- 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
This section matters more than usual because the ingredient read is not strong enough to summarize in one line.
restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis
Ingredient Grade
Conservative
1Corn Starch
Refined Carb · Mid
2Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Processed Plant Protein · Lowest
3Powdered Cellulose
Fiber Filler · Lower
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 Soy Protein 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.
- •Powdered Cellulose reads as a filler-style fiber ingredient. It is harder to count as a stronger quality signal. It reads as an lower-tier carb source.
restaurantIngredient Grade DConservative
Full collected ingredient list
30 ingredientsCorn StarchHydrolyzed Soy ProteinPowdered CelluloseDicalcium PhosphateSoybean OilHydrolyzed Chicken FlavorGround Pecan ShellsCoconut OilLactic AcidPotassium ChlorideFlaxseedGlyceryl MonostearateDried Beet PulpDried Citrus PulpDL-MethionineFish OilCholine ChlorideCalcium SulfatePressed Cranberriesvitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement)Calcium CarbonateIodized SaltTaurineMagnesium Oxideminerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite)L-TryptophanMixed 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.
What to compare next
Criteria to compare with this food
These criteria come from the product name, brand, veterinary purpose, and disclosed nutrients, so you can compare similar foods after reading the review.
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 criteriaBest 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 criteriaBest 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 criteriaBest 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 basicsBest dog food criteria: ingredients, calories, disclosure, and health context
Before the brand claim, compare top ingredients, guaranteed analysis, kcal/kg, and disclosure.