Merrick FULL SOURCE Puppy Chicken & Duck Stew With Healthy Grains

Brand: Full Source Wet, Merrick

Overall Score

The overall score is an average of the ingredient quality and ingredient safety concerns. For more information, see our evaluation criteria.

Merrick FULL SOURCE Puppy Chicken & Duck Stew With Healthy Grains

Overall Score

The overall score is an average of the ingredient quality and ingredient safety concerns. For more information, see our evaluation criteria.

Brand: Full Source Wet, Merrick

Ingredient Quality

7 out of 10

Evalutation Criteria

Product is calculated to contain 17% carbohydrate ^ⓘDogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrate but they are used for energy, texture and taste. Starch is also required for extrusion in dry foods. Excessive carbohydrate is an indicator of food quality as it can be used to reduce manufacturing cost. Foods that are high in carbohydrate can raise insulin and cause obesity. Some studies also show that dogs fed a high carbohydrate content have changes to their gut bacteria. Learn more
Is fortified with excessive vitamins ^ⓘWhen vitamins come from whole food sources, they include the full spectrum of cofactors, which makes them safe and bioavailable. While a couple of added vitamins are acceptable, five or more implies the food is of poor nutritional value. Learn more
Is fortified with excessive minerals ^ⓘFive or more added minerals indicate a lower quality food that’s lacking naturally occurring minerals from whole food sources.

Ingredient Safety

5 out of 10

Evalutation Criteria

Product is highly processed ^ⓘCanned foods are heated before and during canning, which will cause significant losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Learn more
Contains ingredients known to contain higher pesticide/herbicide residues including oatmeal ^ⓘPesticides, herbicides and fertilizers pose a significant health risk to plants, animals and soils. Foods with the largest reported amount of residue will be penalized, including crops that are known to be spray-dried with glyphosate. Learn more
Contains rice ^ⓘArsenic contamination is a significant concern with rice since it naturally absorbs arsenic and the water it's grown in can be contaminated with arsenic. Arsenic is linked to chronic health issues. Learn more
Contains natural flavor ^ⓘNatural flavors are often animal digest or MSG, which are low quality ingredients with limited safety studies. Learn more

Other Concerns

Notable product facts

Omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is not provided. ^ⓘDiets rich in omega-6 fats can cause chronic inflammation and disease. Learn more
Product doesn't specify whether the fish is farmed or wild caught ^ⓘFarmed fish is less nutritious than wild caught fish and does not contain the same healthy fatty acid balance. Fish farming also threatens wild fish species. Learn more
Ingredient splitting ^ⓘSplitting is a technique of manipulating the ingredient list to move certain ingredients higher or lower on the ingredient list. This is often used to diguise the amount of lower quality ingredients in the food, such as corn or peas. Learn more

How It Compares

Food Type

Food Function

Life Stage

Ingredients On Package

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Bone Broth, Turkey Bone Broth, Chicken Cartilage, Deboned Duck, Oatmeal, Duck Liver, Dried Egg Product, Chicken Liver, Brown Rice, Natural Flavor, Tapioca Starch, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Flaxseed Oil, Salmon Oil, Potassium Chloride, Gum Ghatti, Salt, Cassia Gum, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate), Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Iodate, Cobalt Glucoheptonate, Sodium Selenite), Agar-Agar, Ground Flaxseed, Locust Bean Gum, Taurine, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Yucca Schidigera Extract.

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein (min)	8%
Crude Fat (min)	4%
Crude Fiber (max)	1.5%
Moisture (max)	82%

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