Rating: 
Diamond Dog Food (canned) earns the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
Currently, Diamond Dog Food markets three canned products.
- Diamond Dog Food Chicken and Rice Formula
- Diamond Dog Food Beef and Rice Formula
- Diamond Dog Food Lamb and Rice Formula
Diamond Dog Food Lamb and Rice was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Diamond Lamb and Rice Formula
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Lamb, lamb broth, lamb liver, rice flour, dried egg product, fish meal, dried beet pulp, lamb meal, vitamins and minerals
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6.8%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is lamb. Like most meats, lamb is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life. Lamb is a quality meat ingredient.
The second item is lamb broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add moisture to a dog food… broths are a common finding in many canned products.
The next ingredient is lamb liver. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, liver can be a beneficial addition.
The fourth ingredient is rice flour. Rice flour is made from milling broken rice kernels… a lower grade of rice more commonly known as brewers rice. This is a lower quality grain.
The fifth ingredient is dried egg product… a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary greatly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries… from eggs that have failed to hatch.
The quality of this item all depends on the caliber of the ingredient purchased by Diamond (you get what you pay for).
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The sixth ingredient is fish meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. The term “fish” does not adequately describe the ingredient. It would be nice to know the actual species.
And by the way, the controversial chemical ethoxyquin is frequently used as a preservative during the transport of fish products.
But because it’s usually added to the raw fish before processing, ethoxyquin’s presence does not have to be reported to consumers.
Based upon the published ingredients list, there’s no way to know whether or not ethoxyquin is present in this product.
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 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 completely acceptable.
Also, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower tier products.
Diamond Canned Dog Food … the Bottom Line
Other than what’s already been discussed, this Diamond Dog Food product boasts a simple design with no critical flaws.
The dashboard reports a dry matter protein reading of 41%, a fat level of 27% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 24%.
By themselves, the nutrient numbers suggest this Diamond Dog Food product to be an above-average canned dog food.
And the quality nature of the listed ingredients tends to confirm that impression.
Bottom line?
Diamond Dog Food is essentially a meat-based canned product using a variety of high biological value animal ingredients as its main sources of protein… thus earning the brand an impressive four-star rating.
Highly 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.
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