Royal Canin Veterinary Diets Selected Protein Dog Food Review (Dry)

Royal Canin Veterinary Diets Selected Protein Dog Food is not rated due to its intentional therapeutic design.

The Royal Canin Veterinary Diets Canine Selected Protein product line includes 5 dry dog foods, each designed to help in treating food sensitivities that cause skin or digestive conditions.

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

Recipe and Label Analysis

Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Selected Protein Adult PR was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food 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 second ingredient is rabbit meal. Rabbit meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh rabbit.

The third ingredient is coconut oil, a natural oil 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.

The fourth ingredient is hydrolyzed soy protein. Soy protein isolate is a highly refined form of soybean protein with a protein content of about 90%.

In this case, the soy protein has been hydrolyzed which means it has been broken down into its individual amino acid components.

Hydrolyzed protein is valued by veterinary professionals because of its proven and effective hypoallergenic properties.

The fifth ingredient is potato protein, the dry residue remaining after removing the starchy part of a potato.

Even though it contains over 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.

And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label – a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

After the natural flavors, we find vegetable oil, a generic oil of unknown origin. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in any oil is nutritionally critical and can vary significantly (depending on the source).

Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of an item so vaguely described. However, compared to a named animal fat, a generic vegetable oil cannot be considered a quality ingredient.

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 Royal Canin product.

With 4 notable exceptions…

First, we find no mention of probiotics, friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing to help with digestion.

Next, 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.

In addition, this recipe includes 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.

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

Although this is a prescription product, our review has nothing to do with the accuracy of claims made by the manufacturer as to the product’s ability to treat or cure a specific health condition.

So, to find out whether or not this dog food is appropriate for your particular pet, it’s important to consult your veterinarian.

With that understanding…

Based on its ingredients alone, Royal Canin Veterinary Diets Canine Selected Protein looks like an average dry kibble.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 21%, a fat level of 11% and estimated carbohydrates of about 60%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 23% and a mean fat level of 11%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 58% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 49%.

Below-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.

When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the potato and soy proteins, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a limited amount of meat.

Royal Canin Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Royal Canin through December 2024.

No recalls noted.

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

Our Rating of Royal Canin Dog Food

Royal Canin Veterinary Diets Selected Protein is a prescription dry dog food using a limited amount of named meat and named meat by-product meals as its dominant source of animal protein.

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