Highly Recommended
DogFoodAdvisor is reader supported See how
All reviews are 100% impartial but if you buy using links on this page, we may earn a referral fee.
Our Verdict
Carna4 product range is made up of six recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 5 stars.
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Carna4 Grain-Free Duck | 5 | A |
| Carna4 Chicken | 5 | A |
| Carna4 Easy-Chew Lamb | 5 | A |
| Carna4 Easy-Chew Goat | 5 | A |
| Carna4 Easy-Chew Venison | 5 | A |
| Carna4 Easy-Chew Fish Grain-Free | 5 | A |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Carna4 Chicken recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Carna4 Chicken
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Fresh chicken, chicken liver, eggs, organic sprouted barley seed, salmon, sweet potato, whole brown rice, organic sprouted flaxseed, organic sprouted lentils, organic sprouted peas, potato starch, apples, carrots, sea salt, kelp
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 28% | 17% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 31% | 19% | 42% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 26% | 39% | 35% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The second ingredient is chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
The third ingredient includes eggs. Eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The fourth ingredient is sprouted barley seed. Unlike whole seeds, sprouted seeds are rich in digestible energy, vitamins, amino acids, proteins, and phytochemicals. And many of the minerals they contain can be naturally chelated.
What’s more, sprouted seeds can be expected to have a lower glycemic index than their refined grain counterparts.
The fifth ingredient is salmon. Although it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, raw salmon contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The sixth ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.
The seventh ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.
With two notable exceptions…
First, the company claims their sprouted seed ingredients, barley, flaxseed, green lentils and peas, contain “high levels of naturally-occurring, live probiotics”.
Probiotics are known to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
And lastly, although we find no mention of added vitamins or minerals on the ingredients list, we’re reassured to find a detailed list of naturally present nutrients on the company’s website.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Carna4 Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 32%, a fat level of 17% and estimated carbohydrates of about 43%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 32% and a mean fat level of 17%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 43% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 52%.
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a dry product containing a significant amount of meat.
In addition, we commend Carna4 for its unique use of sprouted seeds as opposed to the standard cereal grains found in most commercial kibbles.
As previously mentioned, these types of ingredients have the potential to provide additional nutritional benefits not found in their ground grain counterparts.
Carna4 Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Carna4 through November 2024.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Carna4 Dog Food
Carna4 has both grain-inclusive and grain-free dry dog foods that use a significant amount of named meats as their dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Compare Carna4 Dog Food
How does Carna4 compare with The Dog Food Advisor's most recommended brands?
A Final Word
The Dog Food Advisor does not accept money, gifts, samples or other incentives in exchange for special consideration in preparing our reviews.
However, we do receive a referral fee from online retailers (like Chewy or Amazon) and from sellers of perishable pet food when readers click over to their websites from ours. This helps cover the cost of operation of our free blog. Thanks for your support.
For more information, please visit our Disclaimer and Disclosure page.
