Science Diet Dog Food Reviews: Expert Nutrition for Every Life Stage

The Hill’s Pet Nutrition Company oversees three different product lines – Science Diet, Ideal Balance, and Prescription Diet.

This article, Hill’s Science Diet dog food reviews, talks purely about the science diet line from the company.

The Science Diet line is marketed as “the science behind happy.” According to the Science Diet website, all products are made with wholesome ingredients, formulated with precise nutrition, and held to the strictest standards for quality in order to ensure the healthiness and happiness of pets.

This dog food brand is made with quality proteins like real chicken, lamb, and salmon as the first ingredient plus plenty of other natural ingredients.

There are no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives and each recipe is supplemented with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Science Diet’s recipes are formulated by pet nutritionists, designed in keeping with the brand’s “desired to make the best dog food available to ensure your dog is as healthy and happy as he can possibly be”. 

So, should you purchase Hill’s or not? Find out below.

Who Makes Hill’s Science Diet?

The Hill’s Pet Nutrition Company was founded in the 1930s by devoted dog owner Morris Frank and clinical nutritionist Dr. Mark Morris Sr.

Together, this pair of dog lovers created a specialty diet for Mr. Frank’s dog which then blossomed into a pet food company dedicated to improving the protecting the health and wellness of pets.

Today, Science Diet pet food is produced and manufactured by the Colgate-Palmolive Company and it is recommended by veterinarians all over the world.

 

Hill’s Science Diet Dog Food Reviews

Their website states that Science Diet foods are the number-1 choice of Vets to recommend to pet owners and to feed their own pets.

According to the website, their products are made with high-quality, natural ingredients including real meat and they don’t contain any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

Hill’s also states that their products are free from chicken by-product meal. Hill’s does not, however, claim that their products are free from low-quality fillers like corn, wheat, and soy ingredients – in fact, most of their recipes include one or more of these ingredients.

An in-depth analysis of the these products may lead you to wonder why veterinarians, with all of their education, continue to recommend these products.

1. Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin

This dry dog food is designed to provide complete and balanced nutrition for adult dogs from 1 to 6 years of age. It is a grain-free formula suitable for dogs who have grain sensitivities and it is full of great-tasting flavor.

According to them, this formula is supplemented with prebiotics to promote digestive health and nutrient absorption, with antioxidants for immune system support, and with healthy fats for radiant coat and healthy skin.

The first ingredient in this recipe is fresh chicken which is a valuable source of animal protein. Not only is chicken rich in protein, but it is a complete source of protein which means that it contains all of the essential amino acids your dog needs.

One thing to remember about fresh meats, however, is that they contain up to 80% moisture by volume – when the product is cooked and much of that moisture is lost, the actual volume of protein could be much lower.

Meat meals (like the chicken meal that takes up the sixth slot on the list) have already been cooked to remove moisture so they contain up to 300% more protein by volume than fresh meats.

This helps to make up for the volume lost in the fresh chicken but because this ingredient falls behind a number of carbohydrates it is difficult to tell how much protein it actually contributes.

In terms of carbohydrates, it includes potatoes, yellow peas, and potato starch as well as dried beet pulp, flaxseed, and powdered cellulose. Potatoes and yellow peas are digestible sources of carbohydrate for your dog and they are naturally gluten-free and grain-free.

The potato starch, dried beet pulp, and powered cellulose (as well as the flaxseed, to some degree) act as supplementary sources of dietary fiber in this recipe.

You should also note the inclusion of pea protein which is not a carbohydrate – it adds plants based protein to the recipe which is fairly troubling considering how high it appears on the list.

The remaining ingredients in this recipe consist of fats, fruits and vegetables, flavors, and supplements. The main source of fat in this recipe is chicken fat, a highly nutritious ingredient that is also a concentrated source of energy.

This recipe also contains soybean oil and pork fat which help to balance the omega fatty acid content. The fresh fruits and vegetables used in this recipe add some supplementary fiber, but they are largely included as natural sources for key vitamins and minerals.

What nutrients these ingredients do not provide are included in supplement form at the end of the list. It is worth noting that none of the minerals are chelated and this recipe doesn’t contain probiotics.

It is certainly not the worst product in the lineup, but there is a lot of room for improvement. The recipe starts off strong with fresh chicken as the main ingredient and primary source of protein, but much of that volume will be lost during cooking.

The first supplementary source of protein is plant-based and the only other animal-based proteins come after several carbohydrates.

It also contains some lower quality fats, though it does include a number of fresh fruits and vegetables as natural nutrient sources. This formula does not, however, contain any chelated minerals or probiotics.

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2. Science Diet Perfect Weight Chicken Recipe

To help dogs control their weight better, Hill’s crafted this dry food recipe. Science Diet perfect weight adult formula is made with all the nutrition dogs need but with less calories and lower fat content to help keep them in shape.

Supposed to deliver visible results within 10 weeks, the recipe is designed to have a high protein and high fiber formulation. It’s also supported by L-Carnitine for fat metabolism. This recipe is designed for adult dogs that are less active, neutered, or those prone to weight gain.

Chicken provides the sole source of animal protein here. Why is that important? Owners whose pets are sensitive to one type of animal protein won’t have to worry that there are other ingredients in the formulation that could possibly trigger their pets’ allergies.

Although fresh chicken makes up the bulk of the food, it also contains chicken meal to further support the protein content. At 24%, the minimum crude protein is at a good range. The grains in the mixture also contribute a bit of plant-based protein to the food.

The carbohydrate and fiber content are mostly provided by the various grains in the recipe, such as barley, brown rice, flaxseed, and oat fiber. Pea fiber and corn gluten meal also contribute. The carbs are necessary to give dogs access to energy. Protein does the same but protein takes much longer to digest than carbs.

As for fiber, it’s crucial that dogs have enough. Smaller amounts of fiber prevent constipation in dogs, but a higher amount can help them feel fuller and reach satiation earlier, leading to less caloric intake.

Coconut oil provides the fat here. It is an excellent source of fat since it has at least 90% saturated ones composed mostly of MCTs (Medium Chain Triglycerides). MCTs are considered good fats, and coconut oil has lauric acid, which has antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties.

There aren’t any problematic ingredients in this specific recipe. It has a fine blend of nutrition that should take care of all of your dog’s daily requirements.

The inclusion of fresh fruits like apples, cranberries, and broccoli afford the food a natural source of vitamins and minerals aside from those that have been supplemented only.

However, there are too many grains in here. While grains are ideal sources of carbs, there are far too many occupying places in the first five slots of the ingredients list. Together, their total volume could overwhelm the volume of the meat, even if chicken occupies first place.

As for coconut oil, it is a natural type of oil that offers lots of benefits. It just doesn’t have enough Omegas 3 & 6 that canines will benefit from. It is still much better than some other fat alternatives used in other dog foods, though.

3. 7+ Chicken Meal, Barley & Brown Rice Recipe

This bag of food is formulated for the specific aging needs of canines. The mixture contains balanced minerals for kidney and heart health, high-quality protein for lean and strong muscles, and omega-6s to keep their fur looking lustrous.

The synergistic blend of ingredients are designed to promote vitality in older dogs and keep their immune system healthy.

Chicken meal leads the list of ingredients. While fresh chicken is good, chicken meal contains more protein by volume. Why? Because fresh chicken normally contains 75% water (the exact percentage depends on the cut).

This kind of meal has undergone a process where most of the water has been cooked out. So a pound of it will always contain more nutrients than a pound of fresh chicken.

A lot of grains following the meat meal ingredient. Cracked pearled barley, brewers rice, wheat, sorghum, and oats. There is also corn in between the grains and further down, there’s flaxseed.

Grains and the corn provide the meal its carbohydrate content. They also add some fiber, which is further boosted by the inclusion of dried beet pulp. Why is fiber so important here? Fiber alleviates constipation, something that older dogs usually wrestle with regularly.

Glucose regulation may also be a problem with aging dogs and fiber helps with that. The beet pulp is especially useful when it comes to regulating glucose and digesting nutrients.

How about the carbs? The multi-carbohydrate content is supposed to give seniors a little more energy and help them become more active.

When it comes to fat, there are two sources here. Chicken fat and soybean oil. Soybean oil is cholesterol-free, but it does not contain soya protein so pups with an intolerance for soy should not be affected.

Chicken fat is a high-quality fat that is full of omega-6 fatty acid and vitamin E. It also has the added bonus of making food more palatable for your pets.

This is a complete and balanced diet that is highly appropriate for mature canines. It is a promising formula that comes with a tag of helping restore youthful energy in older dogs within 30 days.

An excellent blend of nutrients work together to keep your pet’s coat and skin looking healthy, his immune system strong, and his heart fully supported. There are no artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors of any kind here.

While we would normally question so many grains and just one meat ingredient in a dog food recipe, in this instance it works. The grains are all easily digestible for your senior pooch.

The formulation has many reviewers attesting to a change in their pet’s eating habits (they eat with more gusto now) and lifestyle (the pets are more active).

4. Large Breed Chicken & Barley Recipe

This recipe for large breed is specifically formulated to help your big guy get all the fuel for his energy needs.

It’s crafted with easily digestible ingredients that have been carefully selected to deliver a visible difference in large breed dogs.

Since big dogs can be heavy and their weight can be harder on their joints, this recipe included glucosamine and chondroitin to improve mobility and joint health.

It also has proper amounts of omega-6 for nourished skin and shiny coats, high-quality protein for lean muscles, and vitamins E and C for strong immunity.

Chicken leads the ingredients, and this is an excellent choice. Fresh chicken is a high-quality meat ingredient. Unfortunately, fresh chicken is also composed of about 75% water.

A high number of carbohydrate ingredients in the list threaten to overwhelm the meat content. There is chicken meal in the formulation but it’s so far down the list as to make little difference.

Barley, wheat, corn, sorghum, corn gluten meal, soybean meal and brewers rice provide the carbs and some plant-based protein. If you check the list, so far it looks like there is more plant-based protein altogether than animal protein.

There are simply too many of these carbohydrate products that the recipe is skewed towards being plant-based rather than meat-based.

This is not terrible, but not advantageous either. Grains, despite the bad press, are healthy for dogs. They offer a bunch of other nutrients beside carbs and fiber.

They contain plenty of vitamins, a little fat, and a good amount of minerals. However, they should only balance out a meal or provide support. A recipe shouldn’t almost be entirely made of grains.

Chicken fat and soybean oil contribute the most fat volume in the food. What’s fat for? Aside from providing a concentrated form of energy, fat is crucial in the development of tissues, muscles, nerves, and cells. It helps the food smell and taste more palatable, and in winter, fat gives extra warmth for dogs.

This recipe offers sensitive big dogs a bit of respite. As attested to by many reviewers, the formula is gentle on the tummy and helps big dogs keep their skin and coat looking healthy. The single animal protein source is also helpful to pet owners who need to identify potential problem ingredients.

However, we’d like to see a bit more animal protein. Fresh chicken leading the ingredients is great, but it would have been better to see another meat ingredient in the first five slots.

As it is, the chicken meal is in the 11th place and it’s doubtful that the animal proteins in this formulation can match up to the combined volume of the grains.

We do like that there are fresh vegetables included, but these make up so little of the recipe. The volume of the veggies are even lower than the supplemental amount of vitamins and minerals added into the mixture.

Despite these points against the meal, we can’t discount the fact that this recipe offers dogs a completely nutritious diet that relies on wholesome and natural ingredients.

5. Puppy Healthy Development Small Bites

Dogs need careful att