Rating: 
VeRUS dry dog food receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.
The VeRUS product line lists five dry dog foods… three designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance and two for all life stages (Puppy and Life Advantage Adult).
- VeRUS Adult Maintenance
- VeRUS Advanced Opticoat
- VeRUS Weight Management
- VeRUS Life Advantage Adult
- VeRUS Puppy Advantage (4 stars)
VeRUS Adult Maintenance dry dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
VeRUS Adult Maintenance
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Lamb meal, ground oats, ground brown rice, rice bran, flaxseed meal, ground grain sorghum, chicken fat (preserved with natural mixed tocopherols and ascorbyl palmitate), chicory pulp, alfalfa meal, kelp, natural flavors, salt, yucca schidigera extract, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, ascorbic acid, riboflavin supplement, dl-methionine, niacin, calcium pantothenate, choline chloride, folic acid, biotin, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, iron amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, cobalt amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5.7%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 22% | 10% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 25% | 11% | 56% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 23% | 26% | 51% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is lamb meal. Lamb meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh lamb.
The second ingredient is whole oats. Oats are rich in B-vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
The third item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The fourth ingredient lists 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 fifth ingredient is flaxseed meal… one of the best plant-based sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Flax meal is particularly rich in soluble fiber.
The sixth ingredient is sorghum. Sorghum is a starchy cereal grain with a nutrient profile similar to corn.
Since it is gluten-free and boasts a smoother blood sugar behavior than other grains, sorghum may be considered a decent non-meat ingredient.
The seventh ingredient lists 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, this food does contain 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.
VeRUS Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
If all you do is look at the ingredients, VeRUS looks like an above-average dry 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 25%, a fat level of 11% and estimated carbohydrates of about 56%.
Because of the VeRUS Puppy’s 30% protein and 18% fat (implying a higher meat content), we feel compelled to award that product a higher rating than the other products in the line.
So, if we exclude the Puppy recipe, the brand features an average protein content of just 24% and a mean fat level of 12%.
Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 56% for the overall product line.
Below-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even with no evidence of any plant-based protein boosters, this still looks like the profile of a dry dog food containing only a modest amount of meat.
Just the same, we feel it’s important to acknowledge the absence here of any critical Red Flag items.
Bottom line?
VeRUS dry dog food is primarily a grain-based kibble using only a moderate amount of assorted meat meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.
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
08/18/2010 Original review
08/18/2010 Last Update
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.
Pingback: Worst & Best Dog Food Brands- Labradoodles and Goldendoodles in Washington State