Rating: 
Purina Moist and Meaty dog food gets the Advisor’s lowest rating of 1 star.
The Purina Moist and Meaty product line includes four semi-moist dog foods.
However, since we’re unable to locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these foods on the Purina Moist and Meaty website, it’s impossible for us to report specific life stage recommendations for these recipes.
The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.
- Purina Moist and Meaty Steak Flavor
- Purina Moist and Meaty Chopped Burger
- Purina Moist and Meaty Burger with Cheddar Cheese Flavor
- Purina Moist and Meaty Rise and Shine Awaken Bacon and Egg Flavor
Purina Moist and Meaty Burger with Cheddar Cheese Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Purina Moist and Meaty Burger with Cheddar Cheese
Semi-Moist Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Beef by-product, soy grits, soy flour, high fructose corn syrup, wheat flour, water, corn syrup, beef, phosphoric acid, calcium carbonate, salt, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of vitamin E), sorbic acid (a preservative), dried cheese powder (predominantly cheddar cheese), calcium propionate (a preservative), dl-methionine, choline chloride, added color (yellow 6, red 40, yellow 5 and other color), zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, ethoxyquin (a preservative), vitamin E supplement, manganese sulfate, niacin, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.5%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 18% | 7% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 27% | 10% | 55% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 25% | 24% | 51% |
The first item in this food lists beef by-products, slaughterhouse waste. This is what’s left of slaughtered cattle after all the prime cuts have been removed.
In a nutshell, beef by-products are the unsavory leftovers of processing considered by many “unfit for human consumption”.
With the exception of hair, horns, teeth and hooves, this stuff can include heads, ovaries or developing fetuses.1
Although beef by-products can be high in protein, we do not consider an ingredient of this nature a quality item.
The second ingredient lists soy grits, soybeans which have been toasted and broken into small pieces. Although high in protein, compared to meat, soy grits are an inferior source of amino acids.
The third ingredient includes soy flour, a high-protein by-product of soybean processing.
Even though soy grits and soy flour are relatively high in protein, these ingredients would be expected to possess a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The fourth item is high fructose corn syrup (or HFCS). HFCS is a corn-based sugar mixture commonly used to make soft drinks, cookies and candy. Sugar is an empty nutrient — and just as unhealthy for dogs as it is for humans.
The fifth ingredient lists wheat. Like corn, wheat is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
For this reason, we do not consider wheat a preferred component in any dog food.
Following water, we find corn syrup. Corn syrup is a glucose-rich, high-calorie item of questionable nutritional value to a dog.
The eighth ingredient is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.2
Beef is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
Later on, we find animal fat. Animal fat is a generic by-product of rendering, the same high-temperature process used to make meat meals.
Since there’s no mention of a specific animal, this item could come from almost anywhere: roadkill, spoiled supermarket meat, dead, diseased or dying cattle — even euthanized livestock.
For this reason, we do not consider generic animal fat 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 four notable exceptions…
First, this recipe includes the controversial preservative ethoxyquin. Ethoxyquin has been “implicated in birth defects, stillborn puppies, liver failure, infertility and cancer”.3
Next, we’re always disappointed to find artificial coloring in any dog food. Coloring is used to make the product more appealing to you, not your dog. After all, do you really think your dog cares what color his kibble is?
Unfortunately, Purina Moist and Meaty also contains menadione… a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.
And finally, the minerals 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.
Purina Moist and Meaty Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Purina Moist and Meaty appears to be a below-average 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 27%, a fat level of 10% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 55%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 27% and a mean fat level of 10%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 55% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 39%.
Below-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to a typical dog food in our overall database.
When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the soy protein, this looks like the profile of a semi-moist product containing only a modest amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Purina Moist and Meaty is a plant-based semi-moist product using only a modest amount of beef by-product or chicken as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 1 star.
Not recommended.
Those looking for a better product from the same company may wish to visit our review of Purina Pro Plan Selects dry dog food.
Special Alert
Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.
A Final Word
The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.
Although it's our goal to ensure all the information on this website is correct, we cannot guarantee its completeness or its accuracy; nor can we commit to ensuring all the material is kept up-to-date on a daily basis.
Each review is offered in good faith and has been 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 analyze each product, please 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 qualified veterinary professional for help.
In closing, we do not accept money, gifts or samples from pet food companies in exchange for special consideration in the preparation of our reviews or ratings.
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Notes and Updates
12/21/2009 Original review
07/30/2010 Review updated
05/27/2012 Last Update
- Adapted by The Dog Food Advisor and based upon the official definition of meat by-products published by the Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
- Brigola, Sandra, “Pet Food – Our Pets Are Dying for It”, VonHapsburg Danes ↩
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