Rating: 
Nutro Max canned dog food earns the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
Currently, the Nutro Max product line includes seven canned dog foods… six meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance and one for all life stages (Puppy).
- Nutro Max Large Breed Adult
- Nutro Max Adult Beef and Rice
- Nutro Max Puppy Lamb and Rice
- Nutro Max Weight Control (3 stars)
- Nutro Max Adult Chicken, Lamb and Rice
- Nutro Max Adult Chicken, Rice and Turkey
- Nutro Max Senior Chicken and Rice (3 stars)
Nutro Max Adult Beef and Rice canned dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Nutro Max Adult Beef and Rice Dinner
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Beef broth, beef, chicken, beef liver, chicken liver, ground rice, rice bran, egg product, sunflower oil, guar gum, natural flavor, tricalcium phosphate, salt, brewers dried yeast, potassium chloride, carrageenan, calcium carbonate, ferrous sulfate, choline chloride, sodium ascorbate (source of vitamin C), zinc oxide, vitamin E supplement, copper proteinate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), potassium iodide, biotin, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin supplement
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.5%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food lists beef broth. Broths are nutritionally worthless. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
The next two ingredients are beef and chicken. Beef and chicken are naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The fourth and fifth items are beef and chicken livers. These are organ meats sourced from named animals. So long as they’re not over-weighted in a dog food, liver is a beneficial component.
The sixth ingredient is ground rice. Is this whole grain rice, brown rice or white rice? Since the word “rice” doesn’t tell us much, it’s difficult to judge the quality of this particular item.
The seventh item is rice bran… a healthy by-product of rice milling. Though not as nutritionally complete as whole grain rice, brans are still unusually rich in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.
The eighth item is 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 includes sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is high in linoleic acid… an essential omega-6 fatty acid needed by every dog to sustain life.
But the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in a food is nutritionally critical… and can vary significantly (depending on the quality of the source ingredient itself).
There are several different types of sunflower oil… some better than others. Without knowing more, it is impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.
The tenth ingredient lists guar gum… a gelling or thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.
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 one notable exceptions…
This food also appears to contain chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to proteins. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Nutro Max Canned Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Nutro Max canned dog food looks to be an above-average wet 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 36%, a fat level of 30% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 26%.
If we omit the lower-rated Senior and Weight Control products, the brand features an average protein content of 38% and an average fat level of 30%.
Jointly, these figures suggest a carbohydrate portion size of 24% for the remaining product line.
Near average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs 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 average amount of meat.
In addition, it’s important to acknowledge here the absence of any critical Red Flag items.
Bottom line?
Nutro Max canned dog food is primarily a meat-based wet product using a moderate amount of poultry or beef as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a comparable kibble from the same company may wish to check out our review of Nutro Max 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… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
12/17/2009 Original review
07/24/2010 Review updated
