Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
4Health canned product range is made up of seven recipes with ratings varying from 3.5 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 4.5 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 4Health Salmon and Potato Adult | 4 | M |
| 4Health Chicken and Rice Adult | 4.5 | M |
| 4Health Chicken and Vegetable Stew Adult | 4.5 | M |
| 4Health Beef and Vegetable Stew Adult | 5 | M |
| 4Health Mature Adult 7+ | 3.5 | M |
| 4Health Beef and Rice Adult | 4.5 | M |
| 4Health Puppy Formula | 4 | G/M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
4Health Chicken and Rice Adult was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
4Health Chicken and Rice
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, brown rice, barley, egg product, dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, guar gum, carrageenan, cassia gum, salt, kelp, rosemary extract, cranberry powder, lecithin, Yucca schidigera extract, ascorbic acid (source of vitamin C), zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, manganese sulfate, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, biotin supplement, folic acid supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 9% | 6% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 41% | 27% | 24% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 31% | 51% | 18% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1
Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common addition component in many canned products.
The third ingredient is chicken liver, an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The fourth 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.
The next ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The sixth item is egg product, an unspecified (wet or dry?) form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries — from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The seventh ingredient is dicalcium phosphate, likely used here as a dietary calcium supplement.
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 Tractor Supply product.
With three notable exceptions…
First, carrageenan is a gelatin-like thickening agent extracted from seaweed. Although carrageenan has been used as a food additive for hundreds of years, there appears to be some recent controversy regarding its long term biological safety.
The article, The Carrageenan Controversy, published in Scientific American, does a good job of addressing this topic.
Next, the the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher quality dog foods.
And lastly, this recipe contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, 4Health canned dog food looks like an above-average wet product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 41%, a fat level of 27% and estimated carbohydrates of about 24%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 40% and a mean fat level of 25%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 27% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 64%.
Which means this 4Health product line contains…
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a canned dog food containing a notable amount of meat.
4Health Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to 4Health through November 2024.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of 4Health Dog Food
4Health is a grain-inclusive canned dog food using a notable amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.
Compare 4Health Dog Food
How does 4Health compare with The Dog Food Advisor's most recommended brands?
A Final Word
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