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Review of AvoDerm Natural Canned Dog Food

Avoderm Natural canned dog food receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of 3.5 stars.

The AvoDerm Natural product line includes the 6 canned dog foods listed below.

Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

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Recipe and Label Analysis

AvoDerm Chicken and Rice Recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.

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Ingredient 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”.²

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 next ingredient is ocean fish. This item is typically sourced from clean, undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings of commercial fish operations.³

Unfortunately, the phrase “ocean fish” is vague and does little to adequately describe this ingredient. Since some fish are higher in omega-3 fats than others, it’s impossible for us to judge the quality of this item.

In any case, fish meat is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

Rice is the fifth ingredient. Is this whole grain rice, brown rice or white rice? Since the word “rice” doesn’t tell us much, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this item.

The sixth ingredient is potato. Potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The seventh ingredient includes carrots, which are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.

The eighth ingredient lists peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

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 AvoDerm product.

With 3 notable exceptions…

First, flaxseed is one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.

However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

Next, we note the inclusion of avocado meal and avocado oil, both of which can be somewhat controversial.

Supporters claim the ingredient to be nutrient rich and beneficial to a dog’s skin and coat — while others worry over what are mostly unsubstantiated concerns over potential toxicity.

These fears appear to originate from a 1984 study in which goats (not dogs) consumed the leaves (not the fruit) of the Guatemalan (not the Mexican) avocado and became ill.⁴

Based upon our own review of the literature, it is our opinion that the anxiety over avocado ingredients in dog food appears to be unjustified.

And lastly, this food contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, AvoDerm Natural looks like an above-average canned dog food.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 36%, a fat level of 32% and estimated carbohydrates of about 24%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 34% and a mean fat level of 26%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 32% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 77%.

Which means this AvoDerm product line contains…

Near-average protein. Above-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to other canned dog foods.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas and flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a wet product containing a moderate amount of meat.

However, with 56% of the total calories in our example coming from fat versus just 27% from protein, some recipes may not be suitable for every animal..

Our Rating of Avoderm Natural Canned Dog Food

AvoDerm Natural is a grain-inclusive canned dog food using a moderate amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 3.5 stars.

Recommended.

Please note that certain recipes may have been given a higher or lower rating based upon our estimate of their total meat content and (when appropriate) their fat-to-protein ratios.

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Has AvoDerm Natural Brand Dog Food Been Recalled?

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls since 2009 related to AvoDerm.

• AvoDerm Dog Food Recall (9/11/2012)

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

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More AvoDerm Brand Reviews

The following AvoDerm dog food reviews are also posted on this website:

• AvoDerm Grain Free Dog Food Review (Dry)
• AvoDerm Grain-Inclusive Dog Food Review (Dry)
• AvoDerm Natural Revolving Menu Dog Food Review (Dry)