Rating: 
AvoDerm Natural Vegetarian Dog Food (dry) receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.
Currently, the AvoDerm Natural Vegetarian brand includes just one dry kibble… designed to meet AAFCO1 nutrient guidelines for adult maintenance.2
Now, before we continue…
Please be aware 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 cannot exceed three stars.
AvoDerm Natural Vegetarian Adult
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
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, choline chloride, lecithin, garlic oil, dried garlic powder, dried onion powder, dried yucca schidigera, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B complex), pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), folic acid, biotin, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, ferrous proteinate, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite
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 decent ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The second ingredient is soybean flour… a high-protein by-product of soybean processing.
Soy protein has a low biological value compared to meat. Yet it is still capable of providing needed protein to any dog food.
The third item lists barley. Barley is another starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs. This is a quality grain ingredient.
The fourth item is 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.3
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.4
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.
Following calcium, three of the next four items include a series of nutrient-rich and fiber-filled vegetables…
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Peas
After the avocado oil (see our prior comments), we find flaxseed… one of the best vegetable sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. And it’s naturally rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber.
However, we find it strange to see flaxseed here in its whole seed form. Whole flax seeds are almost impossible to digest (at least for us humans) unless they are first ground to a usable powder before they are consumed.
Garlic and onion are both controversial items. In rare cases, the two have been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs5.
Most of the professional literature we surveyed did not produce any conclusive guidance regarding the use of garlic or onion… especially when supplied in small amounts.
Although we see no reason to be overly concerned here, we do feel it is a mistake to include such emotionally charged (and suspicious) ingredients in any dog food product.
This dog food also contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to proteins. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are generally found in better dog foods.
AvoDerm Natural “Dry” Vegetarian… the Bottom Line
OK… This is a vegetarian dog food. There’s zero meat. No surprises there.
But the question is still crucial… just how much protein does this AvoDerm Natural dry dog food actually contain?
The dashboard reports a dry matter protein reading of 20%, a fat level of 9% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 63%.
Very low protein. Low fat. And high carbohydrates. Just what you’d expect from a meat-free kibble.
Bottom line?
AvoDerm Natural Vegetarian is entirely a plant-based dry dog food using soy flour as its primary source of protein… thus earning the product a (marginally) acceptable three star rating.
Recommended.
Some Final Thoughts
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult your veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself?
Please feel free to share your comments below.
- American Association of Feed Control Officials ↩
- AvoDerm, 2/13/2010 ↩
- Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005), retrieved 12/05/2009 ↩
- Craigmill AL, et al. Toxicity of avocado (Persea americana, Guatamalan variety) leaves: review and preliminary report, Vet Hum Toxicol 1984;26:381 ↩
- 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) ↩
