Rating: 
Evo Canned Dog Food earns the Advisor’s top rating of five stars.
Currently, in addition to its other wet product line (EVO 95%) the company makes only one canned dog food… EVO Turkey and Chicken Formula.
The product is designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
EVO Turkey and Chicken Formula
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Turkey, chicken, turkey broth, chicken broth, chicken meal, herring, carrots, whole eggs, salmon meal, natural flavors, carrageenan, cottage cheese, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, apples, guar gum, ascorbic acid, beta carotene, biotin, calcium carbonate, calcium iodate, choline chloride, cobalt carbonate, cobalt proteinate, copper proteinate, d-calcium pantothenate, dicalcium pantothenate, dl-methionine, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, niacin, potassium chloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin C supplement (sodium ascorbate), vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement (alpha tocopherol), zinc proteinate, insulin, herring oil, choline chloride, potassium chloride, sea salt, sunflower oil, taurine, sodium phosphate, beta carotene
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 2.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first two ingredients include turkey and chicken. Both meats are defined by AAFCO1 as “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses” of the animals.
Turkey and chicken are rich in all ten amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The third item is turkey broth. Broths are nutritionally worthless. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
The fourth item includes chicken meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, chicken meal contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The fifth ingredient includes herring. Like all meats, herring is high in protein. Plus herring is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.
The sixth item lists carrots. Carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The seventh item includes whole eggs… a desirable addition. Eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The eighth ingredient is salmon meal. Like chicken meal, salmon meal is considered another meat concentrate.
Unlike most fish meals, this item appears2 to be ethoxyquin-free.
After the natural flavor, we find carrageenan… a gelatin-like thickening agent extracted from seaweed. Carrageenan has been safely used as a food additive for hundreds of years.
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 have much of an effect on the overall rating of this product.
We also note this 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.
EVO Canned Dog Food… the Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, EVO appears to be an excellent canned dog food.
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 55%, a fat level of 36% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 1%.
Due to my high estimate of residual ash content, the carb reading should probably be a bit closer to 5% (still a very low reading).
High protein. High fat. And extremely low carbohydrates… when compared to a typical canned dog food.
With no evidence of any plant-based protein concentrates, this is the profile of a wet food containing an abundance of meat.
For those looking to mimic a dog’s natural ancestral diet, this EVO canned dog food makes an excellent choice.
Bottom line?
This EVO product is a grain-free meat-based canned dog food using an abundance of turkey and chicken as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for a comparable kibble from the same company may wish to check out our review of EVO Dry Dog Food.
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.
Notes and Updates
11/26/2009 Original review
07/10/2010 Review updated
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
My Pom became diabetic. The vet put him on Hills Prescription w/d formula along with twice daily insulin shots. He will not eat the dry w/d unless I put in water to soften, he does eat the canned food. I seldom read much good about Hills and your rating reflects the same. My Pom is losing his fur, I am not sure what is causing that. I have observed that your Evo Canned food rating is near diabetic quality. I am told I need high fiber, low carbohydrate food. I did try the EVO dry formula, he would not eat it and was extremely high in protein which caused him to throw up. Do you recommend any other dog foods that would be good for a diabetic dog.
Hi Richard… Like us humans, diabetic dogs should eat foods that have a low glycemic index. Glycemic index is a measure of how fast a dog can convert a carbohydrate food into blood sugar (glucose).
Most cereal grains have a very high glycemic index when you refine them enough to match a dog’s digestive capacity. Brown rice, barley and oatmeal can be helpful.
Your vet gave you good advice when he/she advised you to feed a dog food that is low in carbs, high in protein and high in fiber. Unfortunately, Hills W/D dry is exactly the opposite of what you were told… it is high in carbohydrates (64% less 14% fiber), low in protein (19%)… but it is at least high in fiber (maybe even too high). And W/D is made with cheap, low-quality ingredients, too.
And it’s mostly soluble fiber (not insoluble fiber like cellulose) that helps stabilize blood sugar the most.
As a rule, kibbles are almost always high in carbs… most of them are carb-based in the first place.
But some higher quality (4 and 5-star kibbles) are lower in carbs and higher in protein.
Ask your vet to consider feeding one of the Advisor’s recommended high quality canned foods. In any case, be sure to ease into the food slowly… very slowly… to minimize the chance of GI upset.
You could also do what we do… feed a high protein/low carb 4 or 5-star kibble and top it with a quality, low carb canned food. Your dog will probably gobble it up.
Hope this helps.
Mike, thank you for your response, it is helpful. I was hoping you could make a recommendation from your vast knowledge but you did give me something to work with, unfortunately I am not a nutritionist but will attempt to ferret out what I can. I think the chances of our vet recommending any of your 4 or 5 star brands is nil and next to none. He stocks Science Diet products in both of his offices. I do not know how you come up with the carbohydrate numbers, I do not find it listed on any of the products. Obviously you have a way of figuring it.
Hi Richard… dog food companies never reveal the carbohydrate content of their products. So, I developed some software (yellow “dashboard” on every review) that does a fairly accurate job of estimating this percentage… by using the protein, fat and moisture figures they DO provide.
No secrets… You can learn how I do this (or how to do it yourself) by reading my article, “How to Estimate the Hidden Carbohydrate Content of Any Dog Food“. Hope this helps.
Hi, I have a 9 month old CAVASHU. He has had an over abundance of bad bacteria in his stool since we adopted him from a friend at age 3 months. We have him on Forti Flora powder once a day and Science Diet I/D. He no longer has the bacteria overgrowth, but his stool is not always consistent and he doesn’t always feel good or eat his food. I mix the dry with the canned. I am concerned he might have a food intolerance. dr. took him off all vegetables or fruits and said just give him the food and give him Cheerios for snack. As a family we eat more organic foods than non organic, and I am concerned about the grains and fillers in the I/D. What do you suggest?
Hi Shelita… Since I’m not a veterinarian, it is my primary goal to simply review and rate dog food… and not to serve as a substitute for sound professional advice.
That said, stool “form” can sometimes be related to the fiber content of a dog’s diet. Many high quality (high-protein) foods can be somewhat lacking in fiber. Average fiber content for most dog foods is around 4.5%. Why not look for a 4 or 5-star dog food that contains a fiber content of about 5% (maybe even a little higher).
If you have any doubts about the value of fiber, please be sure to read my article… “The Amazing Benefits of Dog Food Fiber“.
By the way… frequently changing dog foods can cause the inconsistent stool problems you describe. Find a good dog food and “ease” into it slowly… adding just a little more with each meal. This gradual process is known as “dovetailing”.
Hope this helps.
thank you! I have learned a lot throughout my dogs early life. Hopefully, we will find what he likes that’s healthy for him! Thank you for your advice.