Rating: 
Country Vet Premium dog food earns the Advisor’s second-lowest rating of 2.5 stars.
The Country Vet Premium product line lists three dry dog foods. Although each recipe appears to be named for specific life stage or lifestyle, we found no AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these dog foods on the Country Vet website.
- Country Vet Premium Puppy Formula
- Country Vet Premium Active Formula
- Country Vet Premium Maintenance Formula
Country Vet Premium Active Formula Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Country Vet Premium Active Formula
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Poultry by-product meal, pearled barley, ground corn, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), whole grain brown rice, beet pulp, poultry flavors, dicalcium phosphate, flax seed, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, bentonite, ferrous sulfate, calcium carbonate, zinc oxide, egg product, brewers dried yeast, yucca schidlgera extract, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, vitamine E supplement, niacinamide, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamine A supplement, calcium pantothenate, biotin, thiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), ethylenediamine dihydroiodide, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, cobalt carbonate, sodium selenite, mineral oil, calcium proprionate, lecithin
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.9%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is poultry by-product meal… a dry rendered product of slaughterhouse waste. It’s made from what’s left of slaughtered poultry after all the prime cuts have been removed.
In a nutshell, poultry by-products are those unsavory and inedible leftovers deemed “unfit for human consumption”.
This stuff can contain almost anything — feet, beaks, undeveloped eggs.
We consider poultry by-products lower in quality than a single species ingredient (like chicken by-products).
On the brighter side, by-product meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh poultry.
The second ingredient is barley. Barley is a 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 third item lists corn. Corn is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
For this reason, we do not consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.
The fourth ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken… a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid… an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The fifth item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The sixth item includes beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient… a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.
After the poultry flavor, we find dicalcium phosphate… likely used here as a dietary calcium supplement.
The ninth ingredient is 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 four notable exceptions…
First, brewers dried yeast. Brewers yeast can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient contains about 45% protein… and is rich in other healthy nutrients.
Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.
Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.
What’s more, a vocal minority insist yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is something we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.
In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can be considered a nutritious addition.
Next, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Thirdly, the listed minerals do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower quality dog foods.
And lastly, this Country Vet product line contains menadione… a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.
Country Vet Premium Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Country Vet Premium Dog Food appears to be a below-average kibble.
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 29%, a fat level of 20% and estimated carbohydrates of about 43%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 29% and a mean fat level of 17%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 46% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.
However, it’s unfortunate the company chose to include menadione in its recipes. Without this controversial supplement and if these recipes had included probiotics and chelated minerals, we’d have been compelled to award this brand a higher rating.
Bottom line?
Country Vet Premium dog food is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of poultry by-product meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand two stars.
Not recommended.
Those looking for a better kibble from the same company may wish to visit our review of Country Vet Dog Fuel.
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 specific health benefits 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
05/10/2010 Original review
12/10/2010 Review updated
Judging from the quality of these ingredients, Country Vet Premium is certainly not looking like a better kibble.
Just the same, it’s still important to check our example’s nutrient percentages before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 29%, a fat level of 20% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 43%.
Featuring a brand average of 29%, protein numbers range from a low of 24% for the Maintenance recipe to a high of 33% for the Puppy.
Fat was 17% for the group.
Average protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates (when compared to a typical dry dog food).
This is the profile of a kibble containing a noteworthy amount of meat.
However, it’s difficult to ignore the presence of an inferior meat by-products meal, a cheap cereal grain (corn) and the inclusion of the controversial Red Flag supplement, menadione.
What’s more, two of the products actually contain corn distillers dry grains… a by-product of making ethanol.
Bottom line?
Country Vet Premium is primarily a grain-based dry kibble using a moderate amount of poultry by-products meal as its main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 2.5 stars.
Not recommended.
A Final Word
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 brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.