EVO Dog Food (Canned)

by Mike Sagman
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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

Protein = 55% | Fat = 36% | Carbs = 1%

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

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 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
01/30/2011 Review updated (no changes)

  1. American Association of Feed Control Officials ↩
  2. Per EVO Customer Service, 07/08/2010 ↩
Dog Food Advisor IconThe Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.


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  • sandy

    I clicked on the “ingredients” tab and it shows the ingredient list with the preservatives, vits/minerals, probiotics, etc…

  • sandy

    Did you click on the “ingredients” tab?

  • karen

    Sandy

    I am very interested in “Amicus”.  However, I did not find any information about preservatives, added vitamins, minerals, antibiotics, etc.  Is there somewhere that futher describes this product.  thank you for your help.

  • Anonymous

    Will he only eat canned food?  My dogs did really well with Amicus.  It’s for small/toy breeds, not high protein (just 30%).

    http://www.amicuspetfood.com/

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1215290544 Susan Nunes

    Everybody seems to recommend this brand, but it makes my Chihuahua bleed.  I can’t give this to him at all. He can’t eat California Natural, either. He does well with Blue Buffalo or even the despised commercial brands.

  • CHRIS NYMAN

    Great web site. Answered my questions about dog food quality.Thank you.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Janet… Although many would passionately argue in favor of feeding a dog the exact same diet every meal, day after day, to achieve the best results.

    But many others (like me) would strongly disagree.

    So, even though it may not be acceptable for every pet, varying your dog’s diet can potentially help you achieve something closer to a more natural feeding pattern. You may wish to read more about diet rotation in the FAQ section of The Dog Food Advisor website.

    Hope this helps.

  • Janet

    Hi Mike,
    Thanks so much for the work you put into this website : )
    I was buying Purina One Smart Blend dry mixed with Iams wet.He liked it and my vet says they are high quality.I now give him Taste of The Wild dry High Prairie with a topper of Castor and Pollux or EVO wet. Is it best to keep within one brand name for both wet and dry foods? With the Castor and Pollux he licks the bowl and rolls on his bed with happiness when he is finished!

  • Janet

    Hi Mike,
    Thanks so much for the work you put into this website : )
    I was buying Purina One Smart Blend dry mixed with Iams wet.He liked it and my vet says they are high quality.I now give him Taste of The Wild dry High Prairie with a topper of Castor and Pollux or EVO wet. Is it best to keep within one brand name for both wet and dry foods? With the Castor and Pollux he licks the bowl and rolls on his bead with happiness when he is finished!

  • Barbara

    Jan, Thanks for your input and comments…..it finally seemed to me that my dogs would be far better off if I just eliminated the questionable food. Given that the dog food industry is really poorly regulated, and as you said they can and do change the formulas whenever they feel like it. I also mix a little cooked organic brown rice with the ground meat. Very easy, and they gobble it up! I just don’t have the time to cook the entire meal for them, so I just start with a high quality kibble and add my little “enhancement” on the top. Not only is it better for them, but I believe it is more economical in the long run. My “kids” are now happy, healthy little campers!

  • Jan (Mom to Cavs)

    Barbara…not with EVO canned (I haven’t fed it for a long time) but I have experienced it with Evanger’s “Hunk-o-Beef”. Something was amiss because, eventhough the food looked the same as always, the dogs had very bad diarrhea from it for about 4 days! I did narrow it down to the Evanger’s canned food. This was a food that I liked and used (eventhough the company has had some recent issues). Won’t be using it again, though! They’ve never done that before on this food. It just goes to show you that pet food manufacturers can, and do, “fiddle” with the food without disclosing what they’re doing. You are actually doing a better thing by feeding the homecooked chicken and beef.

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