Which Viva Raw Recipes
Get Our Best Ratings?

Viva Raw Dog Food earns The Advisor’s best rating of 5 stars.

The Viva Raw product line includes the 5 raw frozen dog foods listed below.

Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Viva Complete Beef was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.

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Ingredient Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food 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.¹

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

The second ingredient is beef heart. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing to us humans, heart tissue is pure muscle — all meat. It’s naturally rich in quality protein, minerals and complex B vitamins, too.

The third ingredient is beef kidney, an organ meat low in fat and rich in protein and essential minerals.

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

The fifth ingredient is ground beef bone, an excellent source of natural calcium.

The sixth ingredient includes carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.

The seventh ingredient lists cranberries, a nutrient-rich fruit that’s also high in fiber.

The eighth ingredient is broccoli. Broccoli is a healthy green vegetable and a member of the kale family. It’s notably rich in vitamin C and fiber and numerous other nutrients.

Like other cruciferous vegetables, broccoli is believed to provide anti-cancer benefits.

The ninth ingredient lists green beans, a healthy vegetable notable for its vitamin, mineral and natural fiber content.

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 4 notable exceptions…

First, we find sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is nutritionally similar to safflower oil. Since these oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids and contain no omega-3’s, they’re considered less nutritious than canola or flaxseed oils.

Sunflower oil is notable for its resistance to heat damage during cooking.

There are several different types of sunflower oil, some better than others. Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.

Next, cod liver oil is a fish oil known to be rich in both EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids as well as vitamins A and D.

In addition, wheat grass is prized for its vitamin and mineral content. Yet unlike wheat, wheat grass is gluten-free.

And lastly, except for the vitamin E, we find no mention of added vitamins or minerals on the ingredients list, but we are reassured to find a detailed list of naturally present nutrients on the company’s website.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Viva Raw looks like an above-average raw frozen dog food.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 52%, a fat level of 39% and estimated carbohydrates of about 1%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 72% and a mean fat level of 33%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 0% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 50%.

Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical raw dog food.

Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a raw dog food containing a superior amount of meat.

Our Rating of Viva Raw Dog Food

Viva is a grain-free raw dog food using a generous amount of named meats and organs as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

Enthusiastically recommended.

Viva Raw Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Viva through April.

• Viva Recalls Duck Recipes Due to Potential Salmonella, Listeria Monocytogenes Contamination  (1/30/2024)

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

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