Best Wet Grain Free Dog Foods

The following is a list of our best dog food brands… each found to contain at least one wet grain free dog food.

To qualify, each wet dog food product on the list must have been rated at least four stars by the Advisor.

And it must be grain free.

Did we miss your favorite?

If you know of a canned grain free dog food that you believe should have been included on this list, please feel free to share your suggestions in the Comments section below.

Or if you’re looking for some suggestions yourself, be sure to look through our readers’ Comments to find more good ideas.

To learn more about grain free dog food, be sure to check out these links…

Best Wet Grain Free Dog Foods

The following is a list of our top-rated wet dog food brands… each known to contain at least one grain free dog food.

Storm’s Mom

Would love to see a review of PetKind… any chance it’s “in the works”? (or is it somewhere on here and I’ve just missed it?!) I use it as a topper quite often..and it’s got some unusual protein varieties, like elk and pork tripe. I *think* it would be 5 star, but wouldn’t mind confirmation/to be shot down
Imari

Thanks so much for explaining all that, helped me out a lot
Hound Dog Mom

I’m so sorry to hear about your dog. For dogs diagnosed with cancer a fresh, natural diet is ideal, however canned would definitely be a better choice than kibble. You want to limit carbohydrates because tumors use glucose (a simple sugar found in most carbohydrates) as food. You want to increase protein levels because the cancer competes with the dog’s body for the amino acids that protein provides. Increasing the level of fat will increase the caloric-density of the food and help the dog to gain weight during cachexia. With this said – I’d recommend looking for a high protein, high fat, grain-free canned food. Some good options: Nature’s Logic (most varieties are over 40% protein and 35% fat), ZiwiPeak (most varieties are around 40% protein and 30% fat), EVO (most varieties are around 40% protein and 40% fat) and Nature’s Variety Instinct (most varieties are around 45% protein and 30% fat). You could also add a drizzle of extra virgin coconut oil to his food to add more calories. Some other supplements that have shown promise for dogs diagnosed with cancer:

-Omega 3′s: “Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) modifies the inflammatory response of the immune system to cancer activity, reducing tissue damage by decreasing certain inflammatory molecules. In addition, EPA and DHA decrease muscle and weight loss in cancer patients.” [Diets for the Cancer Patient – Pet MD]. It’s generally recommend to supplement with enough fish oil to provide 300 mg. combined DHA and EPA per 10 lbs.

-Bromelain: “Recent research indicates that Bromelain, an enzyme that comes from pineapples, may have an anti-cancer effect. Bromelain is used with dogs as an anti-inflammatory and for many other conditions, and should be safe to give. It may work best when given away from meals.” [Dog Aware].

-Turmeric: Studies have suggested that curcumin found in turmeric helps the body destroy mutated cancer cells, thus helping stop the spread of cancer. Curcumin has been shown to inhibit
transcription factors (the ‘master switch’ that regulates genes required for
tumor formulation). [Ottawa Valley Dog Whisperer]

-Medicinal Mushrooms: A rich source of anti-tumor and immunomodulating polysaccharides.
HelpPlease

I have a 13 year old jack russell terrier he just got diagnosed with cancer in his lymph nodes and has gone down to 13.7 from 17 pounds in a few months. Can anyone recommend a wet dog food that will help him gain weight back, he has never been on wet dog food before and has always had a sensitive stomach.
Pattyvaughn

It sounds like they might have been suggesting Darwin’s. Dogs with yeast issues benefit from a low carb diet, all carbs, but especially high glycemic carbs like grains and potatoes. They also benefit from probiotics and digestive enzymes. My dog has done very well on a combination of Darwins and Brothers Complete kibble.
ecottrell

I have a 4 1/2 year old female Shih Tzu. When she was about 2 years old, she developed some kind of allergies which have manifested as infected ears (particularly her right ear gets inflamed and full of crusty white gunk, the vet said it was a yeast infection), and inflamed /pink skin. I switched her over to a grain free kibble about year ago, but to no avail. I had her tested for allergies and have been giving her vaccines for the past couple of months, and still, no improvement. At one point, someone recommended a particular kind of raw grain-free organic diet. However, I do not remember the brand. It can only be ordered online. Any suggestions, or anyone have a similar problem with their dog?
Pattyvaughn

It is probably also 4 star. 4Health foods are only sold at TSC in the states where TSC is available. States that have Dels instead may be able to find 4Health but I’m not sure if they have the cans. The review for 4Health canned is for all the varieties listed above the yellow box. The food listed in the yellow box was chosen as an average representative of all of them.
http://www.facebook.com/kathie.judy Kathie Judy

I recently came across 4-Health grain free wet Turkey & Sweet Potato food at Tractor Supply Company. You did review 4-Health beef & vegetables, but nothing on this particular grain free (it is also free of white potato). Could you check it out? I don’t know where else it is sold besides TSC.
Pipsqueak

What about Life’s Abundance food?
Pattyvaughn

It does look that way. And at only 6% carbs, it looks like one that I would like to try. The fat is a bit high to feed this as a sole meal, but as a topper, I think it sounds great.
leowong

I believe that Nature’s Logic (Canned) is grain free.
Cai’s Mom

My dog was diagnosed with mast cell cancer with 4 tumors removed. Cai, a Weimaraner, was 7 at the time. We we referred to Dr. Beebe integrative vet in Sacramento, CA. Dr Beebe practices eastern & western meds. Cai has been on chineses herbs and acupunture treatments. She is on SoJos, a freeze dried food that is grain AND kibble free. We make sure she does get any “treats from well meaning people” Cai has not developed any new tumors. She’s been great. Til she tore her ACL dr Beebe treated her with additional herbs and Prolotherapy the best alternative to surgery Cai went from bed ridden to now stalking & chasing squirrels. Also acupunture treatments continue. She’s returned to the happy athletic dog we’ve always had.
Try the SoJos especially try acupunture which can help with itching as well. Get a certified vet for acupunture.
Cosmo’s mom

Thank you for your reply Hound Dog Mom! He has enlarged lymph nodes all over him which shrunk a little after 2 treatments so far. Think he may be T-cell. His organs look ‘thickened’, I tried giving him a pinch of turmeric with his dinner last week a day after Chem#2 and he threw with blood hrs later. He’d thrown up a little earlier in the day. He’s on Prednisone, Flagyl, switched from Prilosec to Pepcid and just finish a week of Carafate(helped his tummy). Worried about what supplements to give him to help his organs, but not ‘feed’ the cancer, or his IBD/allergies.
Hound Dog Mom

Hi Cosmo’s mom –

A diet high in protein and fat and low in carbohydrates is best for a dog with cancer so a quality canned food would be the better choice as most canned foods are much higher in protein and fat and lower in carbohydrates than dry foods.

·
Tumors need glucose (a simple sugar found in most carbohydrates) to live, so feeding high levels of carbohydrates will feed the tumor. Dogs with cancer need high levels of high quality protein and amino acids as there is competition between the tumor and the dog’s body to utilize the amino acids found in protein. Two amino acids that are particularly beneficial are arginine and glutamine. Arginine supports the immune system and glutamine supports digestive health and can help with the vomiting and diarrhea associated with chemotherapy. [Dr. Gregory K. Ogilvie, from Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine, edited by Allen M. Schoen, D.V.M. MS and Susan Wynn, D.V.M. Mosby Press, St.Louis, 1999]

There’s some good information on this site:

http://dogaware.com/health/cancer.html
Cosmo’s mom

My 8 yr old cavalier king charles spaniel was recently diagnosed with lymphosarcoma. He’s had IBD since the summer. I have him on Wellness Simple grain free dry food, Salmon(since it’s a new protein for him). I’m concerned about him having dry kibble, his diet and nutrition while he is getting chemo. Should I switch to wet food? Which is best for a dog fighting cancer?
Pattyvaughn

Sometimes demodex break outs are stress related, including dietary stress and adding probiotics helps with that.
http://www.facebook.com/dkbshirk Donna Shirk

I feed my dog Wellness core, made in Massachusetts & evangers grain free, made in Illinois
http://www.facebook.com/dkbshirk Donna Shirk

I’m having the same issue with my 5 year old cane coral but he has food allergies & I found out the manufacturer changed ingredients to include wheat. I applied sensi-clense to the “hot spots” and stick to wellness core & barking at the moon dry. He also has the mange that starts with a d but doesn’t have breakouts often
Pattyvaughn

They tested several different ones of those treat and found that they didn’t all have in them what they were supposed to have in them.
Guest

She needs glucosimine that you can buy in a treat form. Worked very well on our lab. There are also prescribed pills that help also.
Patricia

I was reading labels on various dog food bags this week. Many of the foods listed above had…canola. This is GMO crop. How is that safe for any pet?

Too GMO crops right now: sugar beets aka beet pulp, corn, soy, tomatoes, peas, rapeseed aka canola, cottonseed oil, zucchini, white rice, papaya, potato

http://m.naturalnews.com/news/035734_GMOs_foods_dangers.html

Please research your foods well!
indianmt

At http://nz.butch.co.nz/page/10/ it is mentioned that Butch Pet Foods Ltd & Co. makes fresh meat rolls that need to be refrigerated once opened and need to be used within 7-10 days. Their importers are from Taiwan, China, UAE, India, Japan, Tahiti, Rarotonga and Fiji. Further information can be had at info@bpf.co.nz
Hound Dog Mom

Hi indianmt –

I doubt Dr. Mike will do a review on it if it’s only available in New Zealand as there are so many reviews that need to be done on products available in the United States. I just checked out the website – looks interesting. There are, however, some questionable ingredients. Quite a few of the dog formulas contain soy which is a big red flag ingredient that should be avoided. The foods contain “selected cereals”, what is this? Cereal food fines? Corn? It’s hard saying but it doesn’t sound like anything quality if they fail to specify what the “cereals” are. The formulas appear to contain menadione (vitamin k). The foods contain “gel blend” – what is that? Doesn’t sound too appetizing. It’s also impossible to tell the dry matter protein and fat content of the food as I can’t see where they disclose the moisture content. Is this a shelf stable product? Or is it refrigerated or frozen?
indianmt

What about Butch, New Zealand?
Claysmom88

Get your dog started on milk thistle capsules from the heath food store. It is well documented to improve liver function. I gave it to my dog for 7 years. He was about 75 lbs. gave him 1 175 mg. cap everyday.
InkedMarie

Marc, head over to the new forum….find the dog food ingredients and look at the sticky of grain/potato free foods.
Dave’s Hounds

I give my senior dogs GNC Ultra Mega Joint Supplement Stage 3 for dogs (they will actually eat the tablets with their meals). 2 tablets contain 750mg of glucosamine, 600mg of chondroitin and 500mg of MSM. I give one of my dogs 3 tabs in AM and 2 in PM the other gets 2 at each meal. You can also use human joint supplements but you will have to get them to swallow large pills. As HDM said the Omegas are important and Turmeric helps with inflammation and pain. I give 800 mgs in the am. You can find online or even at petsmart.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12174353&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo
Hound Dog Mom

Hi Marc –

I’ve fed Instinct dry and canned in the past with great results. You’re correct that rotating foods is beneficial – I’d pick two or three brands to rotate between. I feed homemade raw now. Raw is great for dogs with arthritis because there’s a lot of naturally occurring glucosamine and chondroitin in raw meaty bones and things like trachea and gullet. Wysong has two supplements that, if used together, may help a lot – they have Arthegic (which I’m currently giving my senior dog) which has a wide variety of natural anti-inflammatories and pain relievers (boswellia, sea cucumber, turmeric, ginger, devil’s claw, yucca, red pepper and cetyl myristoleate) and Joint Complex which has proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans and MSM (the building blocks of joints that dogs would normally get in raw meaty bones). High doses of omega 3′s can can act as an anti-inflammatory as well. I’d also recommend keeping her very lean. Any excess weight is just excess stress on the joints. Good luck!
Marc

My Lab was diagnosed with Osteo Arthritis and I need some
advice on nutrition. I have been looking
over new grain free foods to give her.
I’ve been looking for food that doesn’t have potato, tomato, or
grains. Instinct seems to fit but I’m
not sure about the raw thing. I would
most likely get the dry version of their food.
I also looked at Blue and Wellness grain free. I’ve read that it’s good to get a few
different dog foods to make sure all the nutritional needs are met. Some say that it’s good to use can foods in
combination. I’ve been giving her
veggies that I’ve read help with arthritis. However, I just don’t know exactly
how much to give her per day. She’s an 80 lbs Lab and she is 9 years old.

Thanks

Marc
Plzwrite2me

Precise makes a holistic grain-free wet canned food for dogs. I’d love to see a review from you on this product.
http://www.facebook.com/kenneth.kalligher Kenneth Kalligher

Hound & Gatos is probably the best canned single source dog food available today. It is 98% meat; I use it and it is the most eager eater with my dogs. I use others as well, which are excellent, and on the list. Hound & Gatos is not on the list and it is not available widely; I buy it online.
Costas

hi, do you have any comments about the quality of Lily’s kitchen wet dog food??
TerryR

Dear Rita,

If your dog is itching and chewing, this is a yeast problem, more than anything else. Check out nzymes.com, they can really show you what is happening to most of our dogs!
Sharon Ours

Hi Gretchen
They told me my dog had cancer and needed surgery immediately and I put her on vitamins and all of the growths disappeared in 7 days. They even had her scheduled for surgery. The biggest one was bigger than any donut you have seen. If you would like any information on this you can email me or call.
sharon.ours@frontier.com
304 613 9088
That was in 2007 and she is still here today. They also saved her eyesite a few years before this happened to her.
Gretchen5689

We just learned our 11 year od 53 lb dog has cancer, which seems to be osteosarcoma, in his pelvis. It looks to be inoperable so we’re thinking “keep him comfortable” mode. After doing some reading I’m now in “improve his quality of life” mode with a change of dog food in mind. We’re currently using Purina Active Senior + Seven and think it’s not what we need to be giving him. Does anyone have experience with one of these grain free foods (wet or dry) helping to shrink tumor sizes? We’d greatly appreciate your advise. Thanks.
Pamela Moe

Do you have any information on Instinti>
Mia Inman

Thank you. I appreciate the reply. I do see that it is quite rich, so good tip for the tablespoon.
melissa

Hi Mia-

All my dogs, even the finicky eaters just LOVE the Health Extension canned duck. It does give one fat sensitive one loose stool if I over indulge that particular dog, so I limit her to a teaspoon at a time. Can’t say enough good things about it however. My crew gets that one probably 6-8 days during the month.
Mia Inman

Has anyone tried Holistics Health Extension Duck entree canned food? I’ve heard great reviews about it, but would rather hear from someone who has actually tried it.
trigirl9

does pinnacle have a grain-free canned formula?
http://www.brotherscomplete.com/ best dog food

thanks man for awesome post
hounddogmom12

I had never heard of this brand but I just looked it up and it looks like a great topper. 45% protein on a dry-matter basis and a good fat-to protein ratio. It would be a great protein-boost to top kibble with. Reminds me of EVO’s 95% canned meats, but this is much lower in fat.
Wgratrix

What about Hounds & Gatos. It’s 98% Beef or Salmon. My dogs love it as a Topper on Kibble.
http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

Merrick is made in Texas.
Jan_Mom2Cavs

I would recommend contacting the companies of the foods you’re interested in and asking them who manufacturers them. That is the best way to find out the information.
Sherryelgan

which of these canned dog foods are made/processed in the USA?
TollerMa

I highly recommend The Honest Kitchen products. They are freeze-dried and you add water, so not sure if they belong on the dry list or wet list, but they should be somewhere on your list! Great products. I have used them for many years with great results. Their website is full of info on their formulations. They even have suggestions for certain digestive disorders.
SparkysMom

I agree with bonitabanana about Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets. I think they are very underrated. I’ve had several dogs w/ sensitivities and these foods have been a godsend.

Allergies and sensitivities are very individual. Whether a food will agree depends on the dog. I haven’t tried the newest Natural Balance cans because I’m keeping my baby on grain-free and he does best with chicken. If a dog can tolerate rice, the newest offerings will probably be very good as all their Limited Ingredient Diets have been.
bonitabanana

Has anyone tried the new Natural Balance Rabbit & Brown Rice and Wild Boar & Brown Rice cans? My dogs are allergic to chicken and I give them the Venison & Sweet Potato L.I.D. but would like to try these. I’m surprised Natural Balance cans aren’t on your list – they helped my dogs with allergies so much – after seeing how my dogs were when I rescued them and how healthy and beautiful they are now, I think they have to be the best cans on the market. Just sayin.
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com/ Mike Sagman

Hi Schaudill596,

I’m so sorry to hear your dog has liver disease. However, liver disease is not a specific diagnosis.

In any case, most liver diseases are serious health conditions requiring strict dietary control and not typically treated with standard store-bought dog food or even homemade recipes.

My strongest recommendation: find a veterinarian you trust, get a specific medical diagnosis and follow his/her advice.

This is one issue where prescription dog foods are typically the best treatment for your pet.

Wish I could be more help.
Scaudill596

So confused!! Can anyone suggest a good dry and canned dog food for a dog with liver disease? I prefer organic.
Janie

Mike was wondering if you have seen the new dry and wet food that blue buffalo just came out with and if so have you rated it ? It is Blue Freedom grain free ..looks pretty good ..thanks for your hard work.
Millicentmacchione

Have they checked for yeast? The paws are the perfect spot…….My dog chewed all the fur off all four paws!
http://www.whosyourvet.com sandi

Rita – re: Party Animal – I’d like to add my 2 cents. I noticed the review was done in 2010. Sometimes manufacturers change ingredients, sometimes without telling the consumer. Make sure the ingredients you are looking at in your can match what Mike has. This holds true for dry food as well. Wellness changed their formula but did have a brochure at the bottom of the bag – no notice on their website though. Who knows if everyone read the brochure. They removed deboned chicken and added peas. Perhaps Party Animal changed their formula and your dog is allergic to one of the ingredients. A food could be rated 5 stars, but it doesn’t mean your dog will do well on it. I always use any pet food review as a springboard.
http://www.facebook.com/Toxed2loss Toxed2loss

Oh, shoot, I forgot medications, lie Heartworm or other worm Meds, and vaccination adjuvants ( the crap they mix in with the killed virus to irritate your pets immune system, to get a more pronounced response)
http://www.facebook.com/Toxed2loss Toxed2loss

Hi Rita,
I’m with Jan, I looked at the ingredients for the chicken Party Animal that Mike S. has reviewed and it looks pretty good. I’d suspect environmental toxins. Here’s the preliminary list: pesticide based flea and tick treatments, pesticides used in and around the home (ant, flea, roach, mosquito, spider dusts, sprays or baits – weed n feed, fertilizers, herbicides), fragranced products (air fresheners or deodorizers, laundry products, people’s personal care products, dog shampoo) cleaning products, petroleum products, spills she walks through (think oil stains on the pavement, etc.) need more help, let me know.
Jan (Mom to Cavs)

Rita, it could by any of those things or something else environmental. What kind of dry food are you feeding? It could possibly be an intolerance or allergy to the chicken. What flavor of Party Animal are you using? I admit I’ve never fed Party Animal, but it seems to look pretty good.
Rita Pesini

I have a senior rescued dog who is having itching and chewing on her feet. She has hot spots and sores on her body. I have had her to the vet and use all kinds of creams and sprays on her. She is currently eating Party Animal wet mixed with a little dry and some chicken thighs. I can’t seem to stop the itching and chewing on her feet. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
sandy

Hi meredith,

Some foods you might consider for the diabetes is raw food (many brands to chose from), Dogswell Nutrisca http://nutrisca.dogswell.com/, Amicus http://www.horizonpetfood.com/, certain Merrick cans are certified (although many of the recipes are similar to lots of other can foods), or other higher protein food so there is not so many carbs. This site has a story about a dog put on raw food: http://www.k9natural.com/component/wordpress/?Itemid=12 Read Nala’s story. Also add a good probiotic to help with his immune system (for his mange) and a good digestive enzyme to help digestion and help with normal everyday bodily functions (including intestinal health to aid his immune system also). http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/products.aspx
meridith

Silkie is a dog who has had 3 major surgeries, is fighting demodex mange, diabetes, allergies, colitis, and hypothyroidism! But other then that, hes great! He had a TPLO knee procdure, herniated disk back surgery, and cataract lense implatation (he was blind and now sees!) Uy Vey, getting old sucks!
meridith

Thanks! that makes sense. You are so smart. Glad you are here to help!
meridith

I read the diabetes article. I see the food on it I just might try.
It is a very helpful article. My husband thinks I should cook my Silkie’s meals. Just dont know
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Meridith… Home cooking (including even raw food) can be the very best way to feed your dog. But improperly executed, home cooking can also be one of the worst.

Unbalanced meals can rob your dog of proper nutrition.

For example, in the wild, dogs would naturally consume calcium form consumption of the entire animal. But some well-meaning folks forget to allow for calcium in the diet. So, erroneously feed boneless meats. Or, they overdose their pet by supplementation with the wrong form and too much calcium.

A nutritionally balanced, quality commercial dog food can be superior to an unbalanced home cooked diet.

If you haven’t already done so, be sure to see Dr. Karen Becker’s video on my website, “The Best and Worst Types of Dog Foods“. Hope this helps.
meridith

How do feel about home cooking?
(chicken, brown rice, brocoli) instead of wet food?

Meri
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Alicia… Unfortunately, due to the biological uniqueness of each pet, I cannot provide customized product comparisons for each reader. For more help, please check out my reviews and visit our FAQ page. Look for the topic, “Help Me Choose a Dog Food”. Or check back for a possible response from one of our other readers. Wish I could be more help.
Alicia Matteo

I would like to see how The Honest Kitchen dehydrated grain free food compares with the others…Thanks
Gordon

That was a good question Rain. I actually noticed it was missing before, but forgot to ask Mike the same question. I’ve been eyeing ZiwiPeak canned for sometime now. I think I’ll be adding it to my dogs’ 2 thirds varying raw diet soon, and phasing out the 1 third of their remaining grain free kibble diet.
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Rain… I agree. ZiwiPeak canned should be on this list, too. When I wrote the review I forgot to “tag” it as grain free. So, our filtering software has passed over it. I’ve noew added the tag “grain-free” to the bottom of the review. So, you should now see it on the list of Best Wet Grain Free Dog Foods”. Thanks for the tip.
Rain

Shouldn’t ZiwiPeak Canned be on this list?
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Mari Smith… After reading your comment, I noticed the Addiction canned dog food was never tagged as “grain free” in our database. I must have been up past my bedtime when I wrote the review. In any case, I’ve now tagged this product properly. And you should now see Addiction canned in our list of Best Wet Grain Free dog foods. Thanks for the tip.
Mari Smith

I was surprised that Addiction was not listed, since it has four stars on the regular canned food list. My Teddy really enjoys them and I believe that all their varieties of canned food are grain free. The salmon and potatos is harder to get but I order it by the case from my local dog food boutique for less than the online price.
Mike P

Glenna I live 40 miles from peoria … try super pets … you can find great pet stores in peoria , galesburg , moline just to name a few. find a food you like and go to the company store food finder . i’m sure you will find a food you like in peoria …
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Glenna… Thanks for the kind words. Unfortunately, I have no way to track the current availability of the many dog food brands in each geographical area. That’s why I just launched The Advisor’s “Where to Buy Dog Food” directory of retail stores. I’ve designed the system to permit each retailer to create his/her own listing. But the system is brand new. And only contains a limited number of listings. As time goes on and more retailers learn about our directory, it will become much easier for you to search for specific dog food brands in your area. So, check back often.
Glenna

I really appreciate you putting all this work into helping so many people chose the best foods for their pets, I am finding that we may not be feeding our much beloved baby the best we can. Unfortunately I am not finding anything (5 star canned) available in our area that is a complete meal (I did find a couple supplimental foods). Do you have any suggestions? We live in Peoria, IL. Once or twice a week I suppliment Molly’s food with cooked chicken breast, brown rice and some chopped carrots, also an occational eggs for breakfast, but I would like to find a canned food (or three) so we can switch them out as you suggested we can give her on a day to day basis. Thank you so much.
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Simone… I’m not sure I know the answer to your question. There are over 500 brands representing more than 2,000 recipes on my website. And besides, we don’t track caloric content of the products. However, try to stick with one of the 4 or 5-star foods and choose one that comes closest to what you’re looking for. Hope this helps.
Simone

Hello, first of all thank you for this site..what is your opinion on the highest calorie, highest protein, low carb wet food (I am asking for my old cancer dog who is not a candidate for chemo)? thank you!!!
sandy

Manny,

Merrick has over a dozen different flavors of cans and it’s consistency is great for mixing into kibble. Also, Weruva cans make a great topper and for some unique tastes, there’s Addiction cans. I just bought some rabbit, eel, brushtail and duck confit.
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Daniel… You’re right. Somehow, I never tagged this dog food as grain free. So, Tripett never made my Best Wet Grain Free Dog Food list. It’s now been fixed. Thanks for the tip.
DANIEL POULSON

Is Tripett Beef Tripe, Duck & Salmon grain-free? most sites say it is and wondering why it isn’t on the grain-free wet food list.
Manny

Hi: I have a two year old 7 lbs Male Yorkie. Which would be the best dog food(wet and dry) to alternate with Holistic Health Extension dog food. He seems to get bored after sometime and I do give him hard boiled 2 to 3 egg whites once a week as an alternative. Any recommendations will help.

Thank you.
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Virginia… Congratulations on your new Minpin. Please try using our website. I’d recommend you first decide whether you want a dry, wet or raw dog food. Then visit the links at the left side of this page to help you narrow down your choices. And please be sure to visit our FAQ page and look for the topic, “Help Me Choose a Dog Food”. Hope this helps.
Virginia

Just adopted a mini pincher, she’s having so many problems
Does anyone know what’s the best food to feed her? Is there any tips I should know how to care for her?
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Lori… Oops, you’re right. I forgot to tag this food properly. So, it didn’t show up on any dog food list that included a wet dog food. I’ve corrected this oversight and you should now see it on the recommended grain free wet dog foods list. Thanks for the tip.
Lori

Hi, I’ve recently starting feeding the new “Organic” Beef and then a few times a week the “Beef and Liver” Neman’s own canned food. I am surpised this did not make your list. The broth is even organic. I use it as a mixer for my grain free food. Impressed and dogs go nuts over this. Next to raw or just buying human grade canned chicken think this food is tops..any opinions on it?
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Sasha… Please note that Blue Buffalo makes different types of dog foods. Some with and some without grains. For example, Blue Buffalo Wilderness (listed here) is grain free.
sasha

I just checked Blue Buffalo dry dog food and read that it contains wholesome grains. In the list of grain free foods it is listed. Is it or is it not grain free?
Maura

Thanks for the speedy response, Mike.
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Maura… I’ve heard rumors and Internet chatter about almost every brand you can think of. And Wellness is no exception. That’s why I intentionally ignore most of this subjective gossip and focus on government-regulated labels only. HOwever, I do like to monitor many of the reports and discussions of our readers.
Maura

We just switched our 12 year old mutt off Nutro Max kibble because she had sudden GI inflammation (bloody diarrhea and vomiting). She recovered quickly on a bland diet of canned food which we bought at the hospital. After reading glowing reviews on this site and other sites, we introduced Wellness Core dry food and a little Wellness Core canned food and she loves it and seems to be tolerating it well (no diarrhea or vomiting). However, she seems more much tired than she had been on the bland canned food. I searched whether Wellness causes some pets to be sluggish and I found some extremely unflattering comments about the Wellness brand, saying that it used to be good, but it had gone downhill recently and warning people not to feed it to their pets. I’m frustrated and confused! Have you heard any of these negative comments about the Wellness brand? Thanks for any insight.
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Dr. Espersen… The chance of storage mite contamination would most likely be minimized by feeding a grain-free dog food (unless of course, an infestation had occurred after manufacture). For that reason, it would also seem that wet or raw foods present the best choice when trying to specifically minimize the potential for storage mite issues. Unfortunately, since we limit our evaluations to ingredient quality and estimated meat content only, I don’t have any specific knowledge regarding the efficacy of ZiwiPeak for treating atopic animals. Wish I could be more help.
DVM Mia Espersen

Do you have any knowledge about Ziwipeak for atopic dogs.
I am dealing with a lot of atopic dogs and many of them have storage mites allergy. Therefore I want to be able to recommend a grain free product that is available here in Denmark. I also wanna be sure the it fulfills the needs of EFAs.
Best regards
DVM Mia Espersen
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Lydia… That’s an excellent suggestion. However, we don’t currently track the constantly changing caloric content of the many dog food recipes in our database. Maybe we’ll consider your tip for a future upgrade.
Lydia Jorgenson

I have a Silken Windhound and I have a hard time keeping weight on him, especially during racing and lure coursing season. Might you be able to add a high-calorie or weight-gain category to your site?
Lilly

Barbara, I cannot say that this could contribute to bloat in canines but I have read in numerous places that kibble should not be fed in the same meal as raw – especially if it has grains but even the grain free variety should be avoided when feeding raw. It doesn’t sound like you were feeding much raw if it was an appetizer but you may still want to heed that advice. I haven’t found any notable evidence of this but it is also commonly believed dogs on raw diets have a far less incidence of bloat. I’m glad your pup (they’ll always be our pups no matter what age!) Was able to pull through – consider yourselves lucky! Perhaps it was his.good.diet thus far that helped him pull through.
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Barbara… I’m so sorry to hear about your dog’s bloat incident. Unfortunately, since I’m not a veterinarian, you’ve asked a question I don’t feel qualified to answer. So, it would be inappropriate for me to assure you feeding a specific product would eliminate the risk of another bloat incident.

In any case, I’ve never found any credible report blaming bloat on the protein content of a dog food. But I have seen a number of good articles linking the issue to a dog’s breed as well as the size and number of meals fed each day. For more information, you may wish to visit this article about canine bloat.

Hope this helps.
Barbara

We just about lost our 14 year old Golden Retriever to bloat on Christmas eve. We had been feeding him Orijen’s senior kibble with raw meat as an appetizer but now the vet says we should switch him to a canned food that is easily digestible. Some websites have suggested it should be high in protein although the vet didn’t know about that. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Akita Mom… Thanks to your suggestion, I’ve added Tripett to my To Do list. However, due to our current backlog of products to review, it could be a while longer before we get to it. Look for our review of this product in the not too distant future. Thanks for the tip.
Akita mom

Hi Mike,
I noticed that Tripett wasn’t included on the grain-free canned list. I think this would also be a good candidate for inclusion in the 5 star rated category, since it doesn’t seem to have any grains (or carbs for that matter) just tripe from either beef, venison, or lamb ….but I’d really like to read what you think.
Thanks for sharing information with all us dog-people out there.
Jonathan

Correction; “…that wants to pretend that their best friend *wouldn’t* eat Bambi…”
Jonathan

Stacy, i am more curious as to why you need a vegetarian food for your chosen carnivorous companion. While I agree entirely that a vegetarian, or at least, a low meat diet is very healthful for humans, it is just the opposite for dogs. Your lifestyle choice is not one that should be pushed on your dog unless he has a food allergy to every know meat (which I’ve never heard of). It would be unfair to your carnivorous friend to make him eat things his body cannot fully use. There is simply no denying what a dog is… and millions of years of evolution leading to the dog being a carnivore cannot be undone in a few months by a dog owner that wants to pretend that their best friend would eat Bambi without a second thought. If your dog has a specific medical reason for needing a vegetarian diet, than good luck to you and your pup. But if you just seek to make your wolf eat salad, well then, good luck to your pup!
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Stacey… The concept of a vegetarian dog food can be a controversial subject in the dog community. On this website, we do recognize the need for some dog owners to provide (for whatever reason) a completely meat-free diet. However, we also respect a dog’s natural carnivorous bias. For this reason, the highest rating awarded to a vegetarian dog food found anywhere on this website can never exceed three stars.

Not to be facetious, but about the only thing a dog food company could put in a vegetarian dog food to give it a higher rating would be meat. If you’d like to find what we believe to be the best vegetarian dog foods, click on the link at the top of this page labeled “Tags”. Then select the “vegetarian” link. This should give you a list of all the vegetarian foods currently included in our database. Look through those and try to pick one that is rated 3 stars (our highest for any vegan product). Hope this helps.
Stacey

Hi,
I was wondering what is the best canned vegetarian food to buy? If there is no good ones what is the best and in order to make it better what should the company of put in it to make it better?
Pingback: Best Grain Free Foods for Dogs List Recommended by Tripawds Canine Amputee Community | Tripawds Nutrition | Best Canine Cancer Dog Amputation Diet Supplements Health Help
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Charlene… You’re right. But they also have to rate at least four stars.
Charlene

Natural Balance Chicken & Sweet Potato & a bunch more by Natural Balance are grain free.
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Kat… You’re right. However, Merrick releases different products with nearly every season of the year. And when they do, they change the availability of the different products. I’ve now added the grain-free tag to this product line so you should see Merrick “canned” in the grain-free list. Hope this helps.
Kat Mayes

Hi Mike…I recently came across the Merrick canned foods and was happy to see that 8 of the flavors are now grain-free! I noticed that they weren’t on the list above but did get a five-star rating.

Thanks,
Kat
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Dian… Please read these two articles. They should provide some of the answers to your questions.

“Suggested Hypoallergenic Dog Foods”

“Dangerous Canine Diseases Linked to Grains in Dog Food”

Hope this helps.
Dian Goss

Hi, am really looking for an answer to my dogs itching and scratching. She is a LH doxie rescue around 1 1/2 yrs. We have been feeding Blue Buffalo homestyle canned and Basic dry. Besides the question about the itching when she’s not getting grains, she also has 2-4 large BM’s per day. I thought premium foods should make smaller, less frequent stools. Suggestions?
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Michael… I also would love to know the answer to that question myself. However, I’ve not been able to find a pet food industry organization that collects or shares this information with the public. You may want to try asking one of the companies. Sorry I can’t be more help.
Michael Hoye

Excellent recap.

What is your best estimate of the relative size (share of category $, not units) of Grain Free Dog Foods?

Thanks.
APRIL NEFF

HI MIKE,

BLESSINGS TO YOU FOR DOING THE HOMEWORK TO KEEP OUR DOGS BRIGHT-EYED AND BUSHY-TAILED!

MANY THANKS,
APRIL AND EDWIN NEFF JR.
http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

Hi Janice… Oops, you’re right. Thanks to your tip, I’ve corrected the error and you should now see Canine Caviar (Canned) on our “Best Canned Grain Free Dog Foods” list. Thanks, Janice.
Janice McCollam

Hi! I just wanted to tell you that Canine Caviar isn’t listed and all their canned food is grain-free. In fact, my dogs had their kibble topped with their Turkey can food tonight for dinner.
Thanks!