Label analysisGrade BKibble (Extruded)

Nutro

Nutro Ultra Senior Dry Dog Food

Editor ingredient insight

Nutro Ultra Senior starts with chicken and chicken meal, then grains, lamb meal, salmon meal, and egg. I would use it for seniors that tolerate mixed proteins and grains, not for allergy troubleshooting or simplified diets.

Logic-based verdict

This food offers a stable basic protein structure.

Manufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Protein source

Ingredient guide

Fresh-meat led with no plant protein support

Animal protein

Chicken (#1), Chicken Meal (source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate) (#2), Lamb Meal (#8), Salmon Meal (#9), Dried Egg Product (#21)

It clears the protein floor without plant-protein boosting.

This is the kind of structure a premium food should have.

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide

Omega-3

Skin and joint support ingredient

Omega-6

Skin and coat support ingredient

Glucosamine

Joint support ingredient

Chondroitin

Joint support ingredient

Vitamin E

Antioxidant and skin support ingredient

View full ingredients
Solid build

Ingredient grade

B

Grade B

Top ingredient profile

Chicken
Chicken Meal
Whole Grain Sorghum
Fresh-meat leadNo plant booster
Crude protein26%
Crude protein26%
Crude fat13%
Other 61%

Calcium

1.5%

Phosphorus

1%

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

biotechProtein position
Typical
query_statsFat position
Typical
local_fire_departmentCalorie density
Lower

The first and second ingredients are both animal-based, so baseline protein quality stays stable. A whole-grain ingredient appears in the third slot, so this reads more like a mixed recipe than a fully animal-led one.

Nutritional strengths

  • The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat.
  • 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

  • Phosphorus is 1% on the label, at or above 1%. Senior dogs or dogs with kidney concerns should have phosphorus restriction reviewed with a veterinarian before using it as a staple food.
  • Public data trust is usable, but it does not sit in the highest-trust tier.

Alternative foods

Smart chicken alternatives

Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.

77 alternativesKibble (Extruded) · protein type/family cohort

Other recipes from the same brand

Other recipes from the same brand with a different purpose or feeding target.

Nutro

Natural Choice Large Breed Adult Chicken & Brown Rice

Adult · Large breed

Label score

3.5/5

Grade B

Nutro

Natural Choice Adult Chicken & Brown Rice

Adult · All sizes

Label score

3.5/5

Grade B

Nutro

Natural Choice Small Breed Adult Chicken & Brown Rice

Adult · Small breed

Label score

3.5/5

Grade B

Nutro

Ultra Adult Dry Dog Food

Adult · All sizes

Label score

3.5/5

Grade B

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall history confirmed

Founded in 1926 in the United States. This brand has a confirmed public recall history.

Ingredient analysis

The top ingredients give this recipe a strong first protein read, so the ingredient section starts from a favorable position.

restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis

B4.5/6
Ingredient Grade
Good
1Chicken
Fresh Meat · Top
2Chicken Meal
Named Meal · Upper
3Whole Grain Sorghum
Whole Grain · Mid

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Chicken is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
  • •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.
  • •Whole Grain Sorghum 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 mid-tier carb source.
restaurantIngredient Grade BGood

Full collected ingredient list

49 ingredients
ChickenChicken Meal (source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate)Whole Grain SorghumWhole Grain OatmealWhole Grain Brown RiceWhole Grain BarleyBrewers RiceLamb MealSalmon MealDried Plain Beet PulpNatural FlavorsChicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols)Whole FlaxseedSaltPotassium ChlorideCholine ChlorideCitric Acid (preservative)Mixed Tocopherols (preservative)Whole Chia SeedDried CoconutDried Egg ProductDried Tomato PomaceDried KaleDried PumpkinDried SpinachDried BlueberriesDried ApplesDried CarrotsDL-MethionineVitamin E SupplementFerrous SulfateZinc OxideSodium SeleniteL-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C)Manganese SulfateCopper SulfateD-Calcium PantothenateBiotinThiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1)Vitamin B12 SupplementVitamin A SupplementNiacin SupplementRiboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2)Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)Vitamin D3 SupplementPotassium IodideManganous OxideFolic AcidRosemary Extract
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
Alternative protein
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)

D tier

Only basic guaranteed analysis is visible, so deeper nutrition comparison stays hard to trust.

Final word

This is a credible shortlist food, but the personalized step is where the final order should be decided.

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