What Stores Carry Nutro Dog Food

Original Line Of Diamond Dog Food

The Diamond Pet Food Company is owned and produced by Schell & Kampeter, and comprises three product lines.

The original Diamond line of dog food lacks the desired nutritional content you should be looking for in your dogs food.

A review of several Diamond dog food products reveals the use of corn, soy and wheat ingredients.

Many of the meat-based ingredients come from unnamed sources like fish meal or meat by-products of questionable quality.

They dont use many artificial flavors and colors like other bad dog food brands on this list, so thats a plus.

Still, it would be good to avoid any brand that makes heavy use of wheat, soy and corn.

Worst Adult Dry Dog Food: Iams Proactive Health

The primary ingredient in IAMS Proactive Health Adult Chunks dry dog food is chicken.

Though chicken is a quality item and raw chicken comprises about 80% water, but when cooked, most of the water is lost, which reduces the meat content to just a portion of its initial weight.

After processing, these ingredients would probably account for a smaller fraction of the whole content of the finished food.

The second ingredient is cornmeal which is coarse ground flour made from the dried corn. Corn is a controversial and inexpensive cereal grain of low nutritional value to a dog.

For that reason, it is not a preferred part of any dog food.

The third ingredient of this product is sorghum , a starchy cereal grain with a similar nutrient profile to corn.

Because it is gluten-free and claims a smoother blood sugar performance than other grains, sorghum may be considered a satisfactory non-meat ingredient.

The fourth ingredient is chicken by-product meal, which is a dry product of the slaughterhouse waste.

This meal is made after all prime cuts have been separated, which includes almost anything left, including beaks, feet, and even undeveloped eggs, anything except the feathers.

But on the bright side, these portions are meat concentrates and comprise protein approximately 300% more than the fresh chicken.

The fifth ingredient is beet pulp, a controversial ingredient, as it is a high fiber by-product made of sugar beet processing.

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Twin Pet Dry Dog Food

Twin Pet dog food is a plant-based dry dog food utilizing a limited amount of unnamed and unidentified meat as its primary source of animal protein.

Twin Pet contains cheap ingredients of poor quality that do not provide the necessary nutrition to dogs.

Like the dog food brands we already discussed, the first ingredient is corn, so you already know how we feel about that.

The second ingredient is wheat middlings, also known as wheat mill run. It is a cheap by-product that remains after cereal grain processing.

Unfortunately, the disparities in nutrient content in the wheat middlings can be a critical concern in determining their aptness for being used in any dog food or even livestock feeds.

In actuality, wheat middlings is just the milling dust as well as floor sweepings. It is an ingredient that is typically associated with low-quality pet foods.

The third ingredient is the meat and bone meal, a rendered product from the mammal tissues. It has lower digestibility in comparison with the other meat meals.

Other unhealthy, non-nutritional ingredients in this dog food include unspecified animal fat and salt. The quantity of salt is also unknown, making it difficult to determine the nutritional value of this ingredient.

Altogether this product is one of the worst dog food brands.

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Where Does Nutro Get Their Ingredients

According to the company website, Nutro believes that quality natural ingredients make the best natural dog foods. That is why they make their recipes with a premium selection of all-natural ingredients including quality proteins, digestible carbohydrates, and healthy fats they are all also supplemented with vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients.

The Nutro company doesnt use any corn, wheat, and soy ingredients in their recipes and they avoid artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. They use only the best real animal proteins plus whole grains and other healthy nutrients.

Nutro does not provide specific information about where all of these ingredients come from but, as a US-based company, you can assume that most of their ingredients are sourced from the US.

Who Makes Nutro Dog Food

The Nutro brand of dog food is currently owned by Mars, Inc., as of 2007. The Nutro Natural Choice company was founded in 1926 when John Saleem purchased a dog food company and called it Nutro Products.

The company was run as a family-owned business in California, only selling their products locally until it expanded in 1976. In 1985, Nutro introduced the MAX line of products.

In 2007, the company was acquired by Mars, Inc. and the company headquarters were moved to Tennessee.

Although Nutro products can be divided into six different product lines, you can count on the fact that each and every recipe is carefully formulated and made with the highest quality ingredients available.

Nutro believes that natural ingredients are the key to healthy and balanced nutrition as well as general health and vitality for dogs in all life stages.

Nutro uses only premium meat proteins like chicken, turkey, salmon, and lamb as well as wholesome carbohydrates like brown rice and oatmeal.

There are plenty of recipe options to choose from which cater to dogs in different life stages, of different breed sizes, and with different lifestyles or health problems.

But no matter which recipe you choose, you can count on it delivering a dose of premium-quality nutrition and natural flavor your dog will love.

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Nutro Dog Food Ingredient Analysis

Nutro is famous for using only natural, healthy ingredients in their dog food recipes. But lets take a closer look at the stuff their formulas are made of to see if they really live up to their own Feed Clean philosophy.

• Protein

Nutros recipes always contain quality protein, and this is often a blend of different animal-based proteins. Usually, youll see real chicken, beef or salmon as the first ingredient, but some chicken meal, lamb meal, fish meal, etc. will also always be present. Multiple sources of animal protein are excellent for canine nutrition as they contain everything an animal needs to thrive and be healthy. Plant-based protein is welcome too and Nutro formulations contain plenty of it as well. However, animal-based protein always takes the spotlight in Nutros recipes, which is definitely a plus. Since the company follows its simple, purposeful, trustworthy rules, they never use meat by-products. In fact, real meats are almost always the number one in their recipes.

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• Carbohydrates

• Fat

Nutro dog recipes are usually moderately rich in fats. Chicken fat, sunflower oil, canola oil, fish oil and soybean oil are all frequently used. Their omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids are usually nicely balanced, although wed like to see more of omega 3 fatty acids in all of their formulas. Nevertheless, Nutros dog foods are crafted to promote healthy skin and shiny coat, so theyre a good choice for pets who struggle in this area.

What Kinds Of Dog Food Does Nutro Offer

Nutro makes dry kibble, wet/canned food, pouches/trays, and treats/biscuits.

Their dog food product lines include:

Kibble

• Nutro Wholesome Essentials
• Nutro Limited Ingredient Diet

• Nutro Ultra
• Nutro Limited Ingredient Diets

Many of the Nutro foods are available for different lifestages , as well as for different sized dogs . The company also makes several kinds of treats and biscuits for dogs, as well as cat foods.

Nutro is also associated with Wild Frontier, Crave, and Greenies, also made by Mars Incorporated. Wild Frontier, until recently, was part of the Nutro product line.

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Worst Wet Dog Food: Cesar Filets

Cesar Filets is considered one of the worst dog foods because of its high salt content .

It has sufficient water for processing, animal liver, chicken, beef and meat by-products, wheat gluten, ground wheat flour, cornstarch, salt, pea fiber, sodium tripolyphosphate, calcium carbonate, added color, choline chloride, magnesium.

It helps if you also understand that the quality of ingredients cannot tell the whole story, but the amount of meat in the dog food is critical to consider before determining whether it falls in the best or worst category.

The amount of protein in Cesar filet is about 44%, with 22% fat and 25% carbohydrates.

This analysis shows that this dog food includes an above-average level of protein intake and just near-average fat. At the same time, the carbs are below average compared to a portion of typical canned dog food.

Another factor making it a low-quality dog food is that it has artificial colorings added to it, which is useless and not preferred.

Wegmans Bruiser Kibble Variety Mix

This brand of dry dog food has ingredients that have been considered dangerous for dogs to eat, including BHA, xantham gum, BHT, corn gluten, and food coloring.

Wegmans Bruiser Kibble Variety Mix demonstrates the motto that you typically get what you pay for.

It is affordable dog food, but if youre looking to give your dog stable nourishment, you should look for an alternative option.

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List Of Nutro Recalls

Cause: Potential for mold. Announcement: PetSmart news release from Dec. 13, 2015 . What was withdrawn: 4 oz. Nutro Apple Chewy Treats, UPC #7910511344, with Lot Codes beginning with 4 50,5 02,5 03 or 5 05 .

Cause: Plastic found in production line. Announcement: Company announcement from Oct. 1, 2009 . What was recalled: The following varieties and sizes of Nutro dry dog food:

• Nutro Ultra Puppy, 4.5 lb., UPC #7910551313, best by Sept. 10, 2010
• Nutro Ultra Puppy, 30 lb., UPC #7910551315, best by Sept. 10, 2010
• Nutro Natural Choice Chicken Meal, Rice and Oatmeal Formula Small Bites Puppy, 5 lb., UPC #7910523050, best by Sept. 10, 2010

May 2009

Cause: Incorrect zinc and potassium levels. Announcement: FDA report dated May 21, 2009 . What was recalled: The following varieties of Nutro dry cat foods with best by dates between May 12, 2010 and Aug. 22, 2010:

• Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care Kitten, 4 lb., 8 lb., 9.2 lb. , 20 lb., 1.5 oz.
• Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care Adult, 4 lb., 8 lb., 9.2 lb. , 20 lb., 1.5 oz.
• Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care Adult Oceanfish, 4 lb., 8 lb., 9.2 lb. , 20 lb.
• Nutro Max Cat Adult Roasted Chicken, 3 lb., 6 lb., 16 lb., 1.5 oz.
• Nutro Max Cat Indoor Adult Roasted Chicken, 3 lb., 6 lb., 16 lb., 1.5 oz.
• Nutro Max Cat Indoor Adult Salmon, 3 lb., 6 lb., 16 lb.
• Nutro Max Cat Indoor Weight Control, 3 lb., 6 lb., 16 lb.

Dog foods:

Cat foods:

Food Safety And Criticism

In 1998, two samples of Nutro Premium were subject to qualitative analyses for pentobarbital residue by the U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationCenter for Veterinary Medicine due to suspicion that the anesthetizing drug may have found its way into pet foods through euthanized animals, including cats and dogs. DNA test for all the samples failed to detect cat and dog DNA but Nutro’s two samples tested positive for the drug, presumably from rendered cattle. The CVM stated that due to the low level of exposure, the risk of adverse effects is low.

In March 2007 Nutro was listed as a company affected by the Menu Foods recall.

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Artificial Colors And Dyes

There are additives to some dog foods to make them more eye appealing to humans. You will usually find these in brands that brag about their vegetable content or savory flavors.

The dyes are added to make the food look more like the flavor that was also added, so the kibble that tastes like carrots will be dyed orange to look more like a carrot piece.

The problem here is two-fold. First, the dyes can come off on your dogs fur, especially around the mouth and paws. It can also leach into their skin and discolor their fur. Lighter colored dogs will be more affected by this, but it can happen to any dog and any coat type or color.

The second and more serious problem is allergies. Food-borne allergies are generally triggered by these colors and dyes. It may not even happen right away, either. Some breed and individual dogs are allergic to the dyes from birth. Others will develop the allergy as they continue to ingest it.

For these two reasons, any time you see things on the ingredient list such as Red 40, Blue 2, Yellow 5 & 6, etc. you should avoid them completely. It is better to find an all-natural food without these additives than to chance an allergic reaction in your pup. We promise, that while the food may not be bright and colorful, your dog wont mind at all.

Top 10 List Of Bad Dog Foods

We structured the following list of dog food brands to avoid this year in a way that will make it easy for you to make a more informed shopping decision.

You will have a better understanding of why it is critical to seek out the better option for your pup by first emphasizing the bad dog food and then reading about healthy dog food brands to choose from.

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Has Nutro Ever Been Recalled

Yes. A market withdrawal was issued for certain packages of Nutro Apple Chewy Treats in because of the possibility of mold contamination.

In , Nutro announced a voluntary retrieval of certain bags of Nutro Ultra and Nutro Natural Choice puppy food because melted plastic pieces had been found in the production run. The cause was a workers plastic hat. No pieces were believed to have entered the products themselves. Only 3 SKUs reached retail stores. These were delivered to a small number of PetSmart and Petco stores, the press release noted.

Some dry cat food products were recalled in May 2009 because of incorrect zinc and potassium levels. The mistake was blamed on a production error by a U.S.-based premix supplier. The products had been distributed both within the United States and to a handful of other countries.

And in , as part of the massive Menu Foods/melamine recall that shocked the country, various cans and pouches of Nutro Natural Choice, Nutro Ultra and Nutro Max dog and cat foods were recalled because of potential melamine contamination.

2019 Heart Disease Investigation

We also want to alert readers to the fact that, in late , the FDA identified Nutro as one of 16 pet food brands that may be linked to heart disease in dogs and cats. None of those 16 brands have been recalled as part of the agencys ongoing investigation, though. Most, but not all, of the pet foods are grain-free and/or dry dog food formulations.

2002 Pentobarbital Investigation

Worst Dog Food Brands To Avoid In 2021

Unfortunately, not all dog foods are created equal!

Thats why its essential to learn about the worst dog food brands and discover the best dog foods of 2021 to ensure your furry friend is getting the nutrition they deserve.

The list is based on factual data regarding the percentage of all the ingredients used in the various dog foods.

What makes the dog food brands on this list worth avoiding is that they fail to provide many -if any- of those nutrients your dog needs to stay healthy. Instead they use a variety of low-quality ingredients and types of filler.

These can be harmful or unnamed ingredients that make them bad choices.

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Nutro Dog Food Reviews

If you want only the best dog foods for your furry pet and recipes that contain only wholesome, nutritious ingredients, Nutro has probably caught your eye. The company has been formulating good quality dog foods for decades, and its no wonder many pet parents swear by it. But before you decide whether these are the right products for your pet, its a good idea to learn a thing or two about the company itself and the ingredients they use.

Nutro Dog Food Company Overview

Nutro Products, Inc. is owned by Mars Incorporated and its headquarters is in Franklin, Tennessee, USA. It was founded back in 1926 by John Saleen who bought a dog food company from a British businessman. Saleen renamed the business to Nutro Products and moved it to Industry, California. At the time, this was a small, family-owned business whose products were available only locally. But then, in 1976, Nutro Products expanded its market, becoming available across the world.

Whats really interesting about Nutro is their advertising choice. In 1985, Nutro, with the help of Dr. Sharon Machlik, developed their Max line which offered an interesting formulation chicken, lamb, and rice. Instead of advertising the line traditionally, Nutro chose to produce large amounts of literature on the dietary needs of pets, offering information about their own ingredients and how they help support canine and feline health. Although unusual for the time, this marketing tool worked out brilliantly. So brilliant in fact that the company was acquired by Mars, Inc. In 2007.

Today, Nutro develops several different pet formulas, including dry foods, wet recipes, foods specifically crafted for maintaining healthy weight and animal well-being throughout different life stages.

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