Rating: 
Azmira canned dog food receives the Advisor’s second-highest tier rating of 4 stars.
The Azmira Dog Food product line lists three canned formulas, each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review:
- Azmira Ocean Fish Formula
- Azmira Lamb and Barley Formula
- Azmira Beef and Chicken Formula
Azmira Beef and Chicken Formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Azmira Beef and Chicken Formula
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Beef, beef broth, chicken, chicken liver and kidney, ocean fish, tuna, oat bran, whole brown rice, kelp, alfalfa, calcium carbonate, lecithin, garlic, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, iron amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, manganese amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, vitamin B12 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), folic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, calcium pantothenate, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.5%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 10% | 5% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 46% | 23% | 24% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 37% | 44% | 19% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1
Beef is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second item is beef broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
The third ingredient is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.2 Another nutrient-rich ingredient.
The fourth ingredient lists chicken liver and kidney. These are organ meats sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The fifth ingredient lists ocean fish. Like beef and chicken, fish is yet one more high protein ingredient rich in all ten amino acids needed by a dog for life.
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. Because various fish contain different types of fats, we would have preferred to have known the source species.
The sixth item is tuna. Like most oily fish, tuna is naturally rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
The seventh item is oat bran, a nutritious by-product obtained from milling whole grain oats. The bran is the fiber-rich outer layer of the grain containing starch, protein, vitamins and minerals.
The eighth item is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
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 can be a controversial item. Although most experts favor the ingredient for its numerous health benefits, garlic (in rare cases) has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.3
However, the limited professional literature we surveyed provided no definitive warnings regarding the use of garlic — especially when used in small amounts (as it likely is here).
Next, this food also 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.
And lastly, this Azmira dog food product also contains menadione, a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.
Since vitamin K isn’t required by AAFCO in either of its dog food nutrient profiles, we question the use of this substance in any canine formulation.
Azmira Canned Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Azmira Dog Food looks like an above-average canned product.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 46%, a fat level of 23% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 24%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 46% and a mean fat level of 23%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 24% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 50%.
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs as compared to a typical canned dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this is the profile of a wet food containing a generous amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Azmira Dog Food is a meat-based canned product using a generous amount of lamb, beef, fish and chicken as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a nice kibble from the same company may want to check out our review of Azmira Dry Dog Food.
Special Alert
Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.
A Final Word
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However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.
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Notes and Updates
05/25/2010 Original review
12/24/2010 Review updated
10/04/2012 Last Update
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
- 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) ↩
