Rating: 
Vital Dog Food receives the Advisor’s top rating of five stars.
The Vital Dog Food product line includes four refrigerated rolls… each designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
- Vital Turkey Recipe
- Vital Bison and Beef Recipe
- Vital Salmon and Ocean Whitefish Recipe
- Vital Chicken, Beef, Salmon and Egg Recipe
Vital Turkey Recipe was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Vital Turkey Recipe
Rolled Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Turkey, turkey liver, spinach, blueberries, cranberries, pomegranate, carrageenan, natural flavors, broccoli, inulin, flaxseed oil, green tea extract, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, niacin, calcium pantothenate, biotin, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin D3 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, calcium Sulfate, dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, tricalcium phosphate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 9% | 8% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 39% | 33% | 20% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 28% | 57% | 15% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is turkey. Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”.1
Turkey is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is turkey liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, turkey liver can be considered a beneficial component.
The third ingredient is spinach. Spinach is a naturally rich source of vitamins and numerous minerals.
The next three items include a series of nutrient-rich fruits…
- Blueberries
- Cranberries
- Pomegranate
The seventh ingredient is carrageenan… a gelatin-like thickening agent extracted from seaweed. Carrageenan has been safely used as a food additive for hundreds of years.
After the natural flavor, we find broccoli… another nutrient-rich vegetable.
The tenth ingredient is inulin… a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
The next ingredient is flaxseed oil… one of the best non-fish sources of omega-3 fatty acids (essential to a dog’s life).
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 affect the overall rating of this product.
With one notable exceptions…
We note this dog food also contains 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.
Vital Dog Food… the Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Vital Dog Food looks to be an exceptional 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 39%, a fat level of 33% and estimated carbohydrates of about 20%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 39% and a mean fat level of 31%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 22% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when this rolled dog food is compared to a typical canned product.
However, even though these statistics suggest a moderate protein content, we note the company assures consumers all its Vital recipes recipes contain a minimum of 80% meat.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a fresh refrigerated food containing an abundance of meat.
Bottom line?
Vital Dog Food is a grain-free refrigerated product using a bounty of species-specific meats as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for another quality fresh refrigerated product from the same manufacturer may wish to visit our review of Deli Fresh Slice and Serve dog food rolls.
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 specific health benefits 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
11/24/2010 Original review
11/24/2010 Last Update
- Adapted by the Dog Food Advisor and based upon the official definition for chicken published by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, Official Publication, 2008 Edition ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.