Diamond Naturals Dog Food Review (Canned)
Highly Recommended
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Diamond Naturals canned dog food earns the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.
The Diamond Naturals product line includes the 3 wet dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Diamond Naturals Lamb Dinner for Adults | 5 | M |
| Diamond Naturals Chicken Dinner for Adult Dogs and Puppies | 4.5 | G&M |
| Diamond Naturals Beef Dinner for Adult Dogs and Puppies | 5 | G&M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Diamond Naturals Chicken Dinner for Adult Dogs and Puppies was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
Diamond Naturals Chicken Dinner for Adult Dogs and Puppies
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, rice flour, carrots, chicken meal, dried egg product, dicalcium phosphate, flaxseed oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), guar gum, potassium chloride, salt, agar-agar, pumpkin, quinoa, cranberries, blueberries, dried kelp, inulin, choline chloride, fish oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, sodium carbonate, vitamin E supplement, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate, cobalt amino acid chelate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, potassium iodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 10% | 7% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 43% | 32% | 17% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 31% | 56% | 12% |
Ingredient Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is 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 item is chicken broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common component in many canned products.
The third ingredient lists chicken liver, an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The fourth ingredient is rice flour. Rice flour is made from either white or brown rice and is considered a gluten-free substitute for wheat flour.
The fifth ingredient includes carrots, which are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The sixth ingredient is chicken meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.
The seventh ingredient is dried egg product, a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries — from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The eighth ingredient is dicalcium phosphate, likely used here as a dietary calcium supplement.
The ninth ingredient is flaxseed oil, one of the best non-fish sources of omega-3 fatty acids — essential to a dog’s health.
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 Diamond product.
With 4 notable exceptions…
First, inulin is a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and typically sourced from chicory root.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
Next, we find fish oil. Fish oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.
In addition, this dog food 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 recipe includes sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Diamond Naturals looks like an above-average wet dog food.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 43%, a fat level of 32% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 17%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 44% and a mean fat level of 26%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 23% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 59%.
Which means this Diamond product line contains…
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a wet dog food containing a significant amount of meat.
However, with 56% of the total calories in our example coming from fat versus just 31% from protein, some recipes may not be suitable for pets on a low-fat diet.
Our Rating of Diamond Naturals Wet Dog Food
Diamond Naturals is a grain-inclusive wet dog food. The recipe uses a significant amount of named fresh meats as its dominant source of animal protein… thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for a nice quality kibble from the same company may wish to visit our review of Diamond Naturals dry dog food.
Diamond Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls since 2009 related to Diamond.
- Diamond Issues Yet Another Dog Food Recall (5/18/2012)
- Diamond Dog Food Recall Summary (5/6/2012)
- Diamond Dog Food Recall Expands Again (5/4/2012)
- Diamond Dog Food Recall Widens (4/30/2012)
- Diamond Dog Food Recall Expanded (4/26/2012)
- Diamond Dog Food Recall (4/6/2012)
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
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More Diamond Brand Dog Food Reviews
The following Diamond product line reviews are also posted on this website:
- Diamond Care Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Diamond Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Diamond Naturals Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Diamond Naturals Grain Free Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Professional Plus Dog Food Review (Dry)
Compare This Dog Food
How does this brand compare with The Dog Food Advisor's most recommended brands?
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