Rating: 
Iams Veterinary Formulas Intestinal dry dog food receives the Advisor’s second-lowest rating of two stars.
The Iams Veterinary Formulas Intestinal product line includes two kibbles… one designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance and the other for growth (Puppy).
- Iams Veterinary Formulas Intestinal Low Residue
- Iams Veterinary Formulas Intestinal Low Residue Puppy
Iams Veterinary Formulas Intestinal Low Residue dry dog food was selected to represent both products in the line for this review.
Iams Veterinary Formulas Intestinal Low Residue
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Corn grits, brewers rice, chicken by-product meal, chicken, fish meal, dried beet pulp, chicken flavor, dried egg product, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), brewer's dried yeast, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, fructooligosaccharides, monosodium phosphate, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, ascorbic acid, vitamin A acetate, calcium pantothenate, biotin, thiamine mononitrate [source of vitamin B1], vitamin B12 supplement, niacin, riboflavin supplement [source of vitamin B2], inositol, pyridoxine hydrochloride [source of vitamin B6], vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), fish oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), sodium hexametaphosphate, choline chloride, flax meal, dl-methionine, minerals (ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, potassium iodide, cobalt carbonate), ethoxyquin (a preservative), rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 22% | 9% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 24% | 10% | 58% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 23% | 23% | 54% |
The first ingredient in this dog food lists corn grits. Grits are made from ground corn. Now, contrary to what you may have heard, corn isn’t necessarily a bad ingredient.
On the other hand, although there’s no way to know for sure here, the corn used in making many pet foods can be similar to the kind used to make feed for livestock.
And that can sometimes be problematic.
What’s more, corn is commonly linked to canine food allergies1.
For these reasons, we rarely consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.
The second ingredient is brewers rice. Brewers rice represents the small grain fragments left over after milling whole rice.
This is an inexpensive cereal grain by-product and not considered a quality ingredient.
The third item includes chicken by-product meal… a dry rendered product of slaughterhouse waste. It’s made from what’s left of a slaughtered chicken after all the prime cuts have been removed.
In a nutshell, chicken by-products are those unsavory leftovers usually considered “unfit for human consumption”.
This stuff can contain almost anything… feet, beaks, undeveloped eggs… anything (that is) but skeletal muscle (real meat).
On the brighter side, by-product meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The fourth ingredient is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably occupy a lower position on the list.
The fifth ingredient is fish meal. Fish meal is another high-protein meat concentrate.
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. The term “fish” does little to properly describe this ingredient.
Fish meal is commonly made from the by-products of commercial fish operations.
What’s more, the controversial chemical ethoxyquin is frequently used as a preservative in fish meals.
But because it’s usually added to the raw fish before processing, the chemical does not have to be reported to consumers.
However, in this case, the company has confirmed the presence of ethoxyquin directly on the product’s label.
The sixth item lists dried 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 chicken flavor, we find 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 ninth 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.
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.
With two notable exceptions…
First, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
And lastly, 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 quality dog foods.
Iams Veterinary Formulas Intestinal Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
The veterinary product reviewed here may or may not be suitable for your particular pet. Moreover, it is not our intention to judge the capability of any dog food to treat a specific health condition.
Nor is it our aim to act as a substitute for sound medical advice.
Nevertheless, with a dog food named “Veterinary Formulas”, it’s hard not to find yourself somewhat disappointed with the general quality of this professionally-prescribed product.
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 24%, a fat level of 10% and estimated carbohydrates of about 58%.
The two “intestinal” products feature an average protein content of 29% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 47% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
With no evidence of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.
However, to be fair, the “regular” Low Residue product (profiled in this review) is considerably lower in meat content (and fat) than the Low Residue Puppy formula.
Bottom line?
Iams Veterinary Formulas Intestinal is a grain-based dry dog food using a moderate amount of chicken by-product meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand two stars.
Not recommended.
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 a specific health benefit 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
02/02/2010 Original review
09/10/2010 Review updated
09/10/2010 Last Update
- White, S., Update on food allergy in the dog and cat, World Small Animal Veterinary Association, Vancouver, 2001 ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.