Farmina Vet Life Dog Food Review (Canned)

The Farmina Vet Life canned product range is made up of nine recipes which are not rated due to their intentional therapeutic design. All the recipes in Farmina Vet Life canned range are designed for specific health conditions. 

Although this is a prescription product, our review has nothing to do with the accuracy of claims made by the manufacturer as to the product’s ability to treat or cure a specific health condition.

So, to find out whether or not this product is appropriate for your particular pet, it’s important to consult with your veterinarian.

The table below shows each recipe in this range and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Unspecified; however, they are complete and balanced, but to the specific requirements for each particular nutritional purpose, rather than the usual AAFCO profile.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Farmina VetLife Recoup was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.¹.

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

The second ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.

The third ingredient is hydrolyzed fish. Hydrolyzed fish meal is considered a meat concentrate, as fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself. Being hydrolyzed means that the fish has been chemically broken-down into its component amino acids. Hydrolyzed proteins are considered hypoallergenic as they are not identifiable by the body to trigger allergy reactions.

The fourth ingredient is chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

The fifth ingredient in this recipe is sardine. Sardine is a small, oily marine fish which is nutrient rich, high in protein and is a source omega 3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.

The sixth ingredient is tuna. Tuna is an oily marine fish not only high in protein but also omega 3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.

This item is typically sourced from clean, undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings of commercial fish operations.²

The seventh ingredient is egg yolks. Eggs are highly digestible with an exceptionally high biological value. Egg yolk is an excellent source of usable protein, as well as a rich source of many vitamins, minerals and fatty acids.

The eighth ingredient is quinoa seed. Quinoa (pronounced ) is not a true cereal grain but a plant prized for its gluten-free seeds.

Compared to most other grain-type ingredients, it is high in protein (about 12-18%), dietary fiber and other healthy nutrients.

The ninth ingredient is herring oil. Herring oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.

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

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 five notable exceptions.

First, we find 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. 

We view the presence of Taurine in this recipe as a positive addition.

Next, brewers dried yeast which can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient is rich in minerals and 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.

In addition, a vocal minority insists yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is a claim we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.

In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can still be considered a nutritious additive.

What’s more noteworthy here is that brewers yeast contains about 48% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

We also find 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.

We note the inclusion of inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and typically sourced from chicory root. 

Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a  used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.

Next, yeast extract, which is the common name for a broad group of products made by removing the cell wall from the yeast organism.

A significant number of these ingredients are added as specialized nutritional supplements while others are used as flavor enhancers. 

However, the glutamic acid (and its chemical cousin, monosodium glutamate, or MSG) found in a minority of yeast extracts can be controversial.

That’s because even though the Food and Drug Administration designated these food additives to be safe decades ago, the agency continues to receive reports of adverse effects.

So, detractors still object to the use of yeast extract and other glutamic acid derivatives and blame them for everything from Alzheimer’s (in humans) to obesity.

In any case, since the label reveals little about the actual type of yeast extract included in any recipe, it’s impossible for us to judge the quality of this ingredient.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Farmina VetLife HP Derma looks like an above-average wet product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 42.3%, a fat level of 21.6% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 27.7%.

Farmina Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Farmina through May 2025.

No recalls noted.

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

Our Rating of Farmina Vet Life Dog Food

Farmina Vet Life Canned recipes are specialized meals designed to support dogs with certain health conditions, using only the highest quality meats and vegetables.

Farmina is a premium brand that we highly recommend.

About

Francesco Russo founded the Russo Mangimi company in 1965 specializing in animal nutrition.  In 1999, the company’s focus shifted to the pet food industry with a new perspective of developing foods based on scientific studies focused on the well-being of pets.

The Mangimi company started to collaborate with Farmina, an English company specializing in food research and formulation.

Mangima manufacturing facilities are based in Europe and Farmina foods are mostly sourced from Italy.  Some ingredients are sourced from Europe and New Zealand.

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