Rating: 
Iams Veterinary Formulas Skin and Coat Response dry dog food earns the Advisor’s second-lowest rating of two stars.
Currently, the Iams Veterinary Formulas Skin and Coat Response product line includes two kibbles… each designed to “nutritionally manage inflammations of the skin”.1
- Iams Veterinary Formulas Skin and Coat Response FP
- Iams Veterinary Formulas Skin and Coat Response KO
Iams Veterinary Formulas Skin and Coat Response FP was selected to represent both products in the line for this review.
Now, before we begin, please keep in mind…
The veterinary dog food reviewed here may or may not be suitable for your particular pet. Moreover, it is certainly not the intention of this report to act as a substitute for sound medical advice.
Just the same, we firmly believe it is our responsibility to share our honest opinion regarding the quality of the product’s recipe… as well as its listed ingredients.
Iams Veterinary Formulas Skin and Coat Response FP
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Potato, herring meal (source of fish oil), catfish, animal fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), dried beet pulp, fish digest, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, 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), choline chloride, potassium chloride, dl-methionine, minerals (ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, potassium iodide, cobalt carbonate), ethoxyquin (a preservative)
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is potato. Assuming they are whole, potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.
The second ingredient is salmon meal. Salmon meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than even fresh salmon.
The third ingredient lists catfish. Raw catfish contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just 20% of its original weight.
That’s what makes uncooked fish a much smaller contributor to the overall protein content of a dry dog food… than its equivalent and comparable fish meal.
So, don’t be too impressed by catfish’s inclusion here. To reflect its significantly lighter weight, this item should more justly occupy a much lower position on the list.
The fourth item is animal fat. Animal fat is a generic by-product of “rendering”… the same high-temperature process used for making meat meals.
Since there’s no mention of a specific animal, this stuff could come from almost anywhere… restaurant grease, slaughterhouse waste, diseased cattle… even euthanized pets.
Needless to say, generic animal fat is not a quality ingredient.
The fifth ingredient is 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 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.
The sixth item is fish digest… a generic, chemically-prepared broth of unspecified body parts from unspecified fish. This is yet another low-quality ingredient.
This recipe also includes the controversial preservative ethoxyquin. Ethoxyquin has been “implicated in birth defects, stillborn puppies, liver failure, infertility and cancer”.2
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 quality dog foods.
The Bottom Line
Iams Veterinary Formulas Skin and Coat Response Dry Dog Food begins with a reasonable recipe… but then takes a downward turn as its shamelessly introduces a trio of very low-quality ingredients.
The dashboard reports a dry matter protein reading of 24%, a fat level of 13% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 54%.
Low protein. Moderate fat. And above-average carbs… compared to the typical dry dog food.
Bottom line?
Iams Veterinary Formulas Skin and Coat Response FP is primarily a potato-based dog food using a quality herring meal as its main meat ingredient.
But the inclusion of three critical Red Flag items… generic animal fat, a cheap fish digest plus the controversial chemical preservative (ethoxyquin)… together demand a low rating.
This Iams Veterinary Formula Skin and Coat Dry Dog Food earns a disappointing two stars.
Not 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.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself?
Please feel free to share your comments below.
- Iams, 02/02/2010 ↩
- Brigola, Sandra, “Pet Food – Our Pets Are Dying for It”, VonHapsburg Danes ↩
