AvoDerm Natural Vegetarian (Dry)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★☆☆☆

AvoDerm Natural Vegetarian dry dog food receives the Advisor’s second-lowest rating of two stars.

AvoDerm Natural Vegetarian is a meatless dry dog food designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.

AvoDerm Natural Vegetarian Adult

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 20% | Fat = 9% | Carbs = 63%

Ingredients: Ground whole rice, soy flour, ground pearled barley, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), avocado meal, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, potatoes, avocado oil, carrots, peas, flax seed, dried kelp, salt, lecithin, garlic oil, dried garlic powder, dried onion powder, Yucca schidigera extract, vitamins (choline chloride, a-tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), niacin, calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, ascorbic acid (source of vitamin C), pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, folic acid), minerals (zinc sulfate, zinc amino acid chelate, ferrous sulfate, iron amino acid chelate, manganous sulfate, manganese amino acid chelate, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, copper amino acid chelate, calcium iodate)

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

The first ingredient in this dog food is whole rice. Whole rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.

The second ingredient is soy flour… a high-protein by-product of soybean processing.

Compared to meat, soy protein has a notably low biological value. Yet it is still capable of raising the protein content of this food.

The third item is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike other grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs.

The fourth ingredient lists canola oil. Most applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content… while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.

Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.1

The fifth ingredient is avocado meal… a dried by-product obtained after removing all the oil from the fruit.

It seems avocado products might 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 sick.2

Based upon our own review of the literature, it is our opinion that the anxiety over avocado ingredients in dog food (in reasonable amounts, of course) is probably unjustified.

The next two items include dicalcium phosphate and calcium carbonate… likely used here as dietary calcium supplements.

The eighth ingredient is potato. Assuming they’re whole, potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.

After the avocado oil (see our prior comments), we find flaxseed… 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.

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 product.

With three notable exceptions…

First, garlic and onion are both controversial items. Although the majority of experts favor the ingredient for its numerous health benefits, garlic (in rare cases) has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.3

Most of the professional literature we surveyed did not provide any conclusive warnings regarding the use of garlic or onion… especially in small amounts (as they are here).

Next, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.

And lastly, this food does contain 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.

AvoDerm Natural Vegetarian Dry
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, AvoDerm Natural Vegetarian looks like a typical meatless dog food.

Just the same, this is the point in our review where we normally try to figure out how much meat is present in the dog food.

But (of course) here that will not be necessary. AvoDerm Natural Vegetarian is by design a 100% vegan product. There is no meat.

Now, before we continue…

Please understand 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 any vegetarian dog food found on this website can never exceed two stars.

That said, and before we determine our final rating, we need to estimate how much plant-based protein is actually present.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 20%, a fat level of 9% and estimated carbohydrates of about 63%.

Low protein. Low fat. And high carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.

No surprises here. This is clearly the profile of a kibble containing no meat. But unfortunately, this is also the profile of a dog food containing very little protein… of any kind.

Bottom line?

AvoDerm Natural Vegetarian is a plant-based dry dog food using soybean meal as its main source of protein… thus earning the brand two stars.

Not recommended.

Those looking for a wet meatless product from the same company may wish to visit our review of AvoDerm Natural Vegetarian canned dog food.

A Final Word

This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in a specific health benefit for your pet.

For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”

Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.

Have an opinion about this dog food… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.

Notes and Updates

02/13/2010 Original review
09/18/2010 Review updated

  1. Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005) ↩
  2. Craigmill AL, et al. Toxicity of avocado (Persea americana, Guatamalan variety) leaves: review and preliminary report, Vet Hum Toxicol 1984;26:381 ↩
  3. Yamato et al, Heinz Body hemolytic anemia with eccentrocytosis from ingestion of Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum) and garlic (Allium sativum) in a dog, Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 41:68-73 (2005) ↩
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  • Victoria

    I wonder how the dogs would do on a vegetarian kibble if it wasnt supplemented with vitamins. I cant imagine them being in good condition. People like to impose their moral beliefs on animals, if you dont want a carnivorous pet, get a rabbit.

  • Lauren

    I am by no means a vegetarian and neither was my black lab until earlier this year. He has very bad allergies and was running up the vet bills because he kept getting bacterial infections in between his toes from licking and chewing them. I started off by removing grains from his diet but he still had the same issues. I then removed beef and chicken [which are 2 of the most common things related to dog allergies] and he was on a salmon based diet. But none of that worked. He is now on a vegetarian diet and his symptoms have improved. I hate that he doesnt get meat but I also want him to be comfortable and I also want my credit card to receive a break from the vets office! So dont bash all people who have their dogs on a vegetarian diet. Sometimes its because the dog HAS to be on it. :)

  • Jonathan

    Liegh, I tried a vegetarian diet for a while for the sake of 1) losing weight and 2) reducing my part in the over-consumption of meat. I wasn’t super-strict and did eat fish once and a while.

    I do not believe it is necessary to eat a completely vegan diet, because we are not herbivores. In fact, we evolved our big brains BECAUSE we started using meat. The protein in animal tissue is an incredible brain-fuel for an evolving species, and a bigger brain is required to be developed if an animal with no natural weapons is going to learn to hunt. Eating meat is why we evolved.

    That being said, I am aware that we humans are eating far more than our share of meat (especially in America) and that the meat packing industry is not always kind to animals. I know pumping cattle full of corn makes them sick, creates new diseases (mad cow anyone?), and creates an unnatural imbalance of omega-6 versus omega-3. I know that chickens are forced to grow so fast that they sometimes die under their own body weight.

    If everyone ate one serving of pasture-raised beef, free-range chicken, or fresh fish just once a day, that would be responsible and healthful consumption of meat.

  • Jonathan

    Antonio, a wolf WILL scavenge. But the fact is, a wolf pack is a very good hunting unit with an 80% success rate… which is much higher than many big cats.

  • Antonio

    Wolfs and dogs a like are pretty much scavengers and can survive on almost anything. A wolf serves a vital roll in the eco system, his responsibility is to keep the earth’s floor clean by eating dead animal carcasses, and he also keeps the herbivours herds population at a healthy level by killing off the sick & dying or the young weak herd animals that would have struggled later in life anyway.

  • Leigh

    Jonathan – Many dogs eat kibble which contain ingredients that they did not evolve eating. The reason a vegetarian diet can now work for a dog (with the right food, of course) is that we can find the plant-based foods that are needed for a dog to thrive. I have two vegetarian dogs and my vet tells me that they are two of the healthiest dogs he has ever seen. I laugh when people say it is not a healthy lifestyle for a dog. Also, I am glad you are not anti-vegetarian. However, using the “I did the vegetarian thing for 6 months in college” gets you more enemies than fans in the vegan world. If you understood the tenets of the lifestyle, it would not have been a “thing” for you to try.

  • Jonathan

    Rachel… a dog is not a TRUE omnivore like us. They are carnivores with amazing omnivorous capabilities. Think of them as an intermediate between obligate carnivores and omnivores. No wolf in history has survived exclusively on vegetable based protein in nature. There is no enough calorically dense vegetable protein sources in nature to sustain an animal with no saliva amylase, a short, acidic intestinal track, and a jaw that cannot grind. Wolves have no access to soybeans. Wolves do not eat nuts or other legumes. Plant protein is not as easy for a dog’s body to use efficiently. And I am NOT anti-vegetarian. I actually did the vegetarian thing for about 6 months when I was in college. I agree that we (people) over-consume meat. But I do not agree that a dog should be feed things they did not evolve eating.

  • Rachel

    “Dogs eating vegetarian kibble are just miserable. They need meat sources.”

    Amazing that you know every single vegetarian dog out there and what their well being is! WOW.

    I have 2 dogs who have been vegetarian for years. One from a puppy. As healthy and happy as can be. Some of you anti vegetarians seem to forget that plants and grains also have protein; meat is by no means the only protein source. Dogs are NOT obligate carnivores. Don’t be so ignorant and judgmental.

  • Shelby

    Dogs eating vegetarian kibble are just miserable. They need meat sources.

  • Jonathan

    Very nicely said, Cliff.

  • Cliff

    Dogs are, in fact, NOT omnivores. Dogs are what is referred to as hypercarnivores. A hypercarnivore is an animal whose (natural) diet consists of at least 70% meat. Canines have limited omnivorous traits, however, such as the production of amylase in their gut, and the ability to create their own taurine. This allows them to survive on a vegan diet- but not thrive. Dogs are equipped with this function so that in times of lean, they can survive on plant matter until their next meal. To force a dog to live on a vegetarian/vegan diet is a step away from cruelty.

  • Jonathan

    Sheila… you show me a wolf that eats a diet of simple carbs and veggies and passes on the meat, and then I would believe you. Dogs cannot thrive on plant matter alone. Nor do they have any evolved need for carbohydrates. Their teeth and jaws are for tearing flesh and crushing bone, and their digestive tracks are short and acidic for rapidly processing meat, not breaking down the high cell walls of plant matter. Humans do better on vegetarian diets, for sure. But dogs; WOLVES, are carnivores.

  • Sheila

    Jonathon – with all due respect, you don’t have your facts straight. Dogs, in fact are omnivores and can, like humans, do well on a vegetarian diet. Cats, on the other hand, are obligate carnivores and generally do poorly without meat. Our golden of 15 years ate just about everything that came her way and loved her veggies! I have not personally raised a dog vegetarian, but know a few people who have and their dogs did well and, in some cases, had long term health problems clear up.

  • Jonathan

    Why must people push their lifestyle choices on their pets? Dogs are carnivores. Period. They do not have the dental work to chew vegies, nor the digestive track and enzymes to break down the thick cell wall of plant material. PERIOD. If you have something against meat eatting, then don’t have a carnivore as a pet. Your cute fluffy pup would be grinning ear to ear if he got the chance to rip up some other cute little animal and consume it. Vegitarianism is a potentialy healthful lifestyle for omnivors like people and much more sustainable for our growing populations. But for cryin out loud leave your dogs and cats outta it. They should be eatting foods with MORE meat. Not none.