Natural Balance Specialized Nutrition Dog Food Review (Dry)

Natural Balance Specialized Nutrition dry product range is made up of four recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 5 stars.

Each of these recipes is designed to support specific health conditions. Made with high-quality, nutritious protein and free from corn, wheat, soy, or animal by-product meals.

The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Natural Balance Specialized Nutrition Digestive and Immune Health Lamb and Oatmeal Formula was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is lamb. Lamb is considered “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered” lamb and associated with skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus. ¹

Lamb is naturally rich in all 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The next ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The third ingredient is oatmeal, a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, dietary fiber and can be (depending upon its level of purity) gluten-free.

The fourth ingredient is sorghum. Sorghum (milo) 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 an acceptable non-meat ingredient.

The fifth ingredient is brewer’s rice, a by-product of rice milling for human consumption, which is also used for brewing beer. It consists of the small fragments of rice left over after milling whole rice, finely ground to a flour. Like whole rice, its main contribution is as an energy source within a diet. The fiber contributed by brewer’s rice is less than from whole grain rice. We highlight brewer’s rice as a controversial ingredient, as some pet owners prefer to avoid brewer’s rice and consider it a low quality ingredient used by pet food companies to reduce their recipe costs. 

Whilst we agree that whole grains are preferable, brewer’s rice is a safe ingredient utilising a source of carbohydrates which sustainably doesn’t compete with human food. A study comparing brewer’s rice to other carbohydrate sources noted that the digestibility of brewer’s rice was greatest of the ingredients studied, and the immediate post-prandial (or immediately after meal) blood sugar and insulin responses were greatest for brewer’s rice. This indicates that brewer’s rice caused a sudden peak in blood sugar, and then insulin to manage that. 

If your dog is susceptible to diabetes or fizzy behaviour this is not a preferable carbohydrate source. Similarly for weight loss, satiety diets, or requirements for slow release energy brewer’s rice as a carbohydrate source is not ideal. If you are looking to provide instant energy with your dog’s food however, this may be an ideal choice.

The sixth ingredient is yeast, which can be a controversial item. Dried yeast contains about 45% protein and is rich in other healthy nutrients. Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system. 

Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself. 

What’s more, a vocal minority insist yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is something we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.

In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, we feel yeast should be considered a nutritious addition.

The seventh ingredient is chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Like peas, bean and lentils, chickpea is a nutritious member of the fiber-rich legume (or pulse) family of vegetables.

However, chickpeas contain about 22% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The eighth ingredient is pumpkin. Pumpkin is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.

The ninth ingredient is 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 affect the overall rating of the product.

This recipe has six notable exceptions.

Firstly, taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.

Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.

Next, chicory root. Chicory is rich in 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’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.

We also note salmon oil. Salmon oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. 

Depending on its level of freshness and purity, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.

We note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added as probiotics to aid with digestion.

This food also contains chelated minerals, which have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

Lastly, flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.

However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Natural Balance Specialized Nutrition Digestive and Immune Health Lamb and Oatmeal Formula looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 27.7%, a fat level of 16.3% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 42.6%.

As a group, the brand features a protein content of 27.7% and a mean fat level of 16.3%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 43% for the overall product line, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 59%.

This means this Natural Balance product line contains average protein, average carbohydrate and average fat, when compared to typical dry dog food.

Natural Balance Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Natural Balance through December 2025.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Our Rating of Natural Balance Specialized Nutrition Dry Dog Food

Natural Balance Health Protection is a grain-inclusive dry dog food using a moderate amount of named meat as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

Highly Recommended

About

Natural Balance Pet Foods was co-founded by actor Dick Van Patten and his friend Joey Herrick in 1989. Natural Balance has changed ownership several times. It is currently owned by Nexus Capital Management.

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