Kasiks Dog Food Review (Canned)

Mike Sagman  Julia Ogden

By

Mike Sagman
Mike Sagman

Mike Sagman

Founder

Dr Mike Sagman is the creator of the Dog Food Advisor. He founded the website in 2008, after his unquestioning trust in commercial dog food led to the tragic death of his dog Penny.

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&
Julia Ogden
Julia Ogden

Julia Ogden

Content Director

Julia is the content director at the Dog Food Advisor and responsible for the overall strategy of the website.

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Updated: March 21, 2024

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Rating:
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Which Kasiks Canned Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?

Kasiks canned dog food receives the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.

The Kasiks product line includes the 4 canned dog foods listed below.

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

Product Rating AAFCO
Kasiks Cage Free Turkey Formula 2.5 A
Kasiks Wild Coho Salmon Formula 5 A
Kasiks Fraser Valley Grub Formula 5 M
Kasiks Cage Free Chicken Formula 4.5 A

Recipe and Label Analysis

Kasiks Wild Coho Salmon Formula 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.


Kasiks Wild Coho Salmon Formula

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

50%

Protein

13.6%

Fat

28.4%

CarbsCarbohydrates

Boneless/skinless salmon, water sufficient for processing, pea starch, minerals (salt, calcium carbonate, monodicalcium phosphate, choline chloride, potassium chloride, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, calcium iodate), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, niacin, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, d-calcium pantothenate), taurine, kale, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, coconut


Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 0.2%

Red denotes any controversial items

Estimated Nutrient Content
Method Protein Fat Carbs
Guaranteed Analysis 11% 3% NA
Dry Matter Basis 50% 14% 28%
Calorie Weighted Basis 45% 30% 26%

Ingredient Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is salmon. Salmon is an oily marine and freshwater fish not only high in protein but also omega 3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.

The second ingredient is water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.

The third ingredient is pea starch, a paste-like, gluten-free carbohydrate extract probably used here as a binder for making kibble. Aside from its energy content (calories), pea starch is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The next ingredient is salt (also known as sodium chloride). Salt is a common additive in many dog foods. That is because sodium is a necessary mineral for all animals — including humans.

However, since the actual amount of salt added to this recipe isn’t disclosed on the list of ingredients, it’s impossible to judge the nutritional value of this item.

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 Kasiks product.

With 3 notable exceptions

First, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.

Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.

Next, we find coconut. Depending upon the quality of the raw material, coconut is rich in medium chain fatty acids.

Medium-chain triglycerides have been shown to improve cognitive function in older dogs.1

Because of its proven safety2 as well as its potential to help in the treatment of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) and chronic skin disorders, MCT can be considered a positive addition to this recipe.

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, Kasiks canned dog food looks like an above-average wet product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 50%, a fat level of 14% and estimated carbohydrates of about 28%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 44% and a mean fat level of 21%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 27% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 54%.

Which means this FirstMate product line contains…

Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.

Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a wet product containing a significant amount of meat.

Our Rating of Kasiks Canned Dog Food

Kasiks is a grain-free canned dog food using an abundance of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

Enthusiastically recommended.

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

Kasiks Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to FirstMate through November.

No recalls noted.

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

Get Free Recall Alerts

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More FirstMate Brand Reviews

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

Sources

1: Pan Y et al, Dietary supplementation with medium-chain TAG has long-lasting cognition-enhancing effects in aged dogs, British Journal of Nutrition, Volume 103, Issue 12, June 2010, pp 1746-1754

2: Matulka RA et al, Lack of toxicity by medium chain triglycerides (MCT) in canines during a 90-day feeding study,Food Chem Toxicol, Jan 2009, 47(1) 35-9.

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.

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For more information, please visit our Disclaimer and Disclosure page.

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