Castor and Pollux Organix (Canned)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★★☆

Castor and Pollux Organix canned dog food receives the Advisor’s above-average rating of 4 stars.

The Castor and Pollux Organix product line includes 4 canned dog foods, each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.

The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.

  • Castor and Pollux Organix Chicken and Potato
  • Castor and Pollux Organix Turkey and Vegetable
  • Castor and Pollux Organix Chicken and Brown Rice
  • Castor and Pollux Organix Turkey, Carrots and Potatoes

Castor and Pollux Organix Chicken and Potato was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Castor and Pollux Organix Chicken and Potatoes Adult

Canned Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 34% | Fat = 30% | Carbs = 28%

Ingredients: Organic chicken. water sufficient for processing, organic brown rice, organic chicken liver, organic carrots, organic potatoes, organic apples, organic guar gum, organic flaxseed meal, salt, tricalcium phosphate, minerals (iron amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, cobalt amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, potassium iodide), organic garlic, vitamins (vitamin E, A, B12, D3 supplements, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, riboflavin supplement) potassium chloride

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.5%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

Estimated Nutrient Content
MethodProteinFatCarbs
Guaranteed Analysis8%7%NA
Dry Matter Basis34%30%28%
Calorie Weighted Basis25%53%21%

The first ingredient in this dog food is organic chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1

Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The second ingredient is water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.

The third item lists organic brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest.

The fourth item lists organic chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

The next three items include a series of organic vegetables and fruit…

  • Carrots
  • Potatoes
  • Apples

The eighth ingredient is organic guar gum, a gelling or thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.

The ninth item includes organic flaxseed meal, 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 two notable exceptions…

First, garlic can be a controversial item. 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.2

Most of the literature we surveyed offered no conclusive evidence against the use of garlic… especially in small amounts (as it is here).

And lastly, 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.

Castor and Pollux Organix Canned Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Since Castor and Pollux Organix dog food contains an abundance of quality organic ingredients, we feel compelled to grant the product favored status when determining its rating.

That’s because organic ingredients are produced under controlled government standards — standards which greatly restrict the use of any synthetic pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, hormones or antibiotics.

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 34%, a fat level of 30% and estimated carbohydrates of about 28%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 34% and a mean fat level of 28%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 28% for the overall product line.

Below-average protein. Above-average fat. And average carbs as compared to a typical canned dog food.

Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a wet food containing a moderate amount of meat.

Yet because of the organic nature of its ingredients and the lack of any critical Red Flag items, this dog food is entitled to an upgrade to our next category.

Bottom line?

Castor and Pollux Organix canned dog food is a meat-based wet product using a moderate amount of chicken or turkey as its main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.

Highly recommended.

Those looking for an organic kibble from the same company may wish to visit our review of Castor and Pollux Organix 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

The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.

Although it's our goal to ensure all the information on this website is correct, we cannot guarantee its completeness or its accuracy; nor can we commit to ensuring all the material is kept up-to-date on a daily basis.

Each review is offered in good faith and has been 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 specific health benefits for your pet.

For a better understanding of how we analyze each product, please 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 qualified veterinary professional for help.

In closing, we do not accept money, gifts or samples from pet food companies in exchange for special consideration in the preparation of our reviews or ratings.

To learn how we support the cost of operating this website, please visit our public Disclosure and Disclaimer page.

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

Notes and Updates

04/07/2010 Original review
11/08/2010 Review updated
12/13/2011 Review updated
04/20/2012 Last Update

  1. Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
  2. 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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  • Chrissy

    You found intestine in which brand? The brand I refer to in my post, or the Castor and Pollux? Just curious…I know that mine is not for this actual brand, but I could not find that brand on here – Thanks for the info!
    Christine

  • Sbailey

     Just bought some and found intestine in it. Looks like they are not discriminating in the “parts” they throw in so I am returning it tomorrow.

  • Chrissy

    Has anyone ever heard of Hound and Gatos  (sp?) canned foods? Just curious. I saw them this weekend at a store and it looked pretty wonderful, especially for one of our dogs. We are still deciding which way to go for our little girl with the orthopedic needs and our 9 year old with the skin issues. We have considered raw, and then saw this can line…then our other little guy began vomiting bile (since Wed), so we have to take him to the vet tomorrow. He gets sick 1 time daily, he is eating, drinking, playing, taking treats, behaving just fine-other than the 1 episode a day. He is super skinny, yet is our most hyper active, so gets fed the most. He is currently on Fromm Four Star and has loved it. It is odd. We saw those cans and thought the ingredients were all meat- no fillers, or rice. Still thinking about foods for the pugs-always. Thank you for everything everyone has done for us! Appreciated always!

  • Addie

    were* giving him canned food only

    Just a side note, the dog couldn’t keep down any kibble at all. 

  • Addie

    A customer’s dog was having dietary issues after being on medication, so they was giving him canned food only to help his stomach better digest the food (after being on rice&chicken, and taking two different probiotics from the vet for a week) For some reason anytime he gets this food, he has to urinate a ton, once even doing so in the house which he hasn’t done in the three years they’ve owned him. Merricks, Evangers, and Weruva were all fine, no problems. Just wondering if there’s any ideas what makes this food different to cause that reaction? Needless to say they stopped feeding this food just to play it safe. 

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Margie… Castor and Pollux Grain Free is already on my To Do list. However, due to my current backlog of products for review, it could be a while longer before I get to it. Thanks for the suggestion.

  • Margie

    There is a Castor and Pollux grain free Organix can food now, I just bought 4 cans at Petco in California, just thought I would let you all know.

  • goldenwds

    When we adopted our rescue Cocker Spaniel, he had been through a terrible time. He was recovering from malnourishment and from a family that a solider went off to Iraq. I was impressed with Organix’s list of ingredients and the absence of preservatives or fillers and believe the best food available to get him on the road to a healthy state. I believe mixing a cup Organix and cup home made dog food consisting of brown rice, ground Turkey, & Peas & Carrots. He shifts through his bowl picking out the ground Turkey, brown rice, Organix food while sparing eating the Peas & Carrots. He scatters his food around his bowel. I am absolutely impressed and slightly annoyed that I have to pick up the left over pieces from my floor. He is the apple of my mother-laws eye and loyally deserving dog and he is much happier with us and so are we with him.

  • nancy jo

    I have a six-year old boxer who has a very sensitive stomach.
    The vet recommended Hills Science Diet and he wouldn’t even touch it. I bought the Castor and Pollux Organic dry dog food and canned dog food and he just loves it. He hasn’t vomited at all since he has been eating this dog food and it’s been about 6 weeks since he started eating it.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Paige… I’d love to be able to help. But since I’m not a veterinarian, it would be misleading for me to suggest a particular food would be appropriate for a specific health condition. In any case, most vets recommend low fat foods to prevent pancreatitis (but not certain if that’s your vet’s diagnosis, here).

  • Paige

    I have been told by vets to feed my dog Hill Prescription Diet
    i/d canned food. According to the vets, my little Havanese, Dalilah has a weak pancreas. She does throw up very easily and cannot have any beef. She does not like the Hills food, and the ingredients are not quality foods. Do you have any suggestions?

  • Donna Prevett

    THE OUTFACING LABEL ON THE ‘ORGANIC TURKEY & ORGANIC VEGETABLES FORMULA’ dogfood should be re-printed to state ORGANIC TURKEY AND CHICKEN… since the fourth ingredient is Organic Chicken.

    I assumed that turkey was the only protein since the name of the flavor doesnt mention Chicken unless one looks at the ingredient lablel. THIS IS UNFORTUNATE SINCE MY DOG IS ALLERGIC to CHICKEN,-after she was fed this food, she fell ill.