veterinary diet

This is a medical nutrition decision. Speak to your vet.

This is a veterinary diet product: a "dietetic" feed designed for a particular nutritional purpose and intended for use under veterinary direction. The score and figures below are readings of the label, the same as for any other food: they can't tell you whether this product is right for your dog.

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Calibra VD Dog & Cat Recovery

Wet Pate complete veterinary diet Clear label

VD Dog & Cat Recovery
Good
our rating

Is Calibra VD Dog & Cat Recovery a good dog food?

We score it 70/100 (Good). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.

How we score

Why this score?

The overall score is 70 out of 100. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +6.8 points, while ingredients without printed percentages deducted -4.5 points. The meat content contributed +2.7 points, and being labelled nutritionally complete contributed +2.3 points. This is a general explanation of how the score works, not veterinary advice. For any health condition, food choice is a decision for your vet.

42% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.

The Recipe score measures how attractive and transparent the declared ingredient list is. It is not, by itself, proof that the food is nutritionally appropriate for long-term feeding. The Nutritional and Evidence scores measure what we can verify towards that stronger claim.

Complete wet paté food for dogs of all life stages, with salmon, chicken and pea flour as the main ingredients.

Why you might choose it

  • Prints ingredient percentages on the label.
  • Doesn't list grain ingredients.
  • High in protein: 41% protein on a dry-matter basis.

Why you might not

  • High in fat: 39% fat on a dry-matter basis.

View the source page

Estimated composition

meat56.0%
supplement14.9%
carb10.6%
veg9.6%
fibre7.4%
oil1.5%

Typical analysis (as fed)

Protein
9%
Fat
8.50%
Fibre
0.80%
Ash
1.50%
Moisture
78%
Omega-3 fatty acids
0.60%
Omega-6 fatty acids
1%
Calcium
0.30%
Phosphorus
0.25%
Sodium
0.20%

Energy: 120 kcal/100g

Additives & feeding info

Nutritional additives

Vitamin A (3a672a) 4,500 IU/kg; vitamin D3 (3a671) 200 IU/kg; vitamin E (3a700) 160 mg/kg; L-carnitine (3a910) 250 mg/kg; zinc (3b606) 30 mg/kg; iron (3b106) 10 mg/kg; manganese (3b504) 12 mg/kg; iodine (3b201) 0.8 mg/kg; copper (3b406) 2 mg/kg; selenium (3b810) 0.04 mg/kg; taurine (3a370) 2,000 mg/kg; L-arginine (3c3.6.1) 1,000 mg/kg; L-methionine (3c305) 2,000 mg/kg

Storage

After opening, keep refrigerated and use within 24 hours. Production date: produced 36 months prior to the expiry date.

Feeding guide

Dogs 2.5 kg: 130 g/day; 5 kg: 260 g/day; 7.5 kg: 320 g/day; 10 kg: 440 g/day; 20 kg: 710 g/day; 30 kg: 950 g/day; 40 kg: 1,200 g/day; 50 kg: 1,400 g/day. Cats 2–3 kg: 150–200 g/day; 4–5 kg: 200–280 g/day; 6–7 kg: 200–300 g/day; 8–10 kg: 300–400 g/day.

Who is this food for?

Suits

  • Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
  • Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
  • Doesn't list beef, turkey, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients

Consider something else if:

  • Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists chicken
  • Your dog avoids fish: the label lists salmon
  • You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
  • You are limiting fat: 38.6% on a dry-matter basis is in the high band

These points are derived from declared ingredients and analysis, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed condition, food choice is a medical nutrition decision: speak to your vet. Use the homepage filter to find foods that fit your dog.

Ingredients (11)

#As declaredMatchedCategoryTierDeclared %Est. %
1Salmon (30%)Salmonmeatgood3030.0
2Chicken (26%)Chickenmeatmedium2626.0
3Pea FlourPea flourcarbmedium-10.6
4Fish Oil (1.5%)Fish Oiloilgood1.51.5
5Dried AlgaeSeaweedveggood-9.6
6Schizochytrium limacinumSchizochytrium Algaesupplementgood-8.5
7LignocelluloseLignocellulosefibremedium-7.4
8Calcium CarbonateCalcium Carbonatesupplementmedium-6.4
9Mannan-Oligosaccharides (0.003%)Mannanoligosaccharidessupplementgood0.0030.00
10Fructo-Oligosaccharides (0.003%)Fructo-oligosaccharidessupplementgood0.0030.00
11Mojave Yucca (0.002%)Yucca Schidigerasupplementgood0.0020.00

Brand

Trust and provenance

Recall history
No recalls recorded in our database
Label data last checked
2026-09-12
Scored with
Model v3 (methodology)
Product page
calibrastore.co.uk

Recall history is presentation-only and never affects the score. Dates are when we recorded the data, not when the manufacturer last changed the recipe.

Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.

Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated

Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-06. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.

ComponentInputCoefficientContribution
Base score-30.909+30.91
Average ingredient quality0.79.191+6.77
Meat share of dry matter28.1%0.096+2.70
Carb share of dry matter17.2%-0.115-1.97
Oil share of dry matter2.7%-0.092-0.25
Vegetable share of dry matter15.4%-0.005-0.08
Supplement share of dry matter24.6%-0.012-0.30
Undeclared quantities42.5%-0.106-4.49
Complete dietyes2.294+2.29
Processing multiplier1.0033.786+33.79
Processing: Wet Pateyes-0.672-0.67
Show all 40 components
ComponentInputCoefficientContribution
Base score-30.909+30.91
Average ingredient quality0.79.191+6.77
Meat share of dry matter28.1%0.096+2.70
Carb share of dry matter17.2%-0.115-1.97
Oil share of dry matter2.7%-0.092-0.25
Vegetable share of dry matter15.4%-0.005-0.08
Additive share of dry matter0.0%0.163+0.00
Supplement share of dry matter24.6%-0.012-0.30
Other share of dry matter0.0%-0.375+0.00
Unrecognised share of dry matter0.0%-0.027+0.00
Recipe graded poor0.0%-0.065+0.00
Poor-quality meat in recipe0.0%-0.179+0.00
Number of poor ingredients0-0.876+0.00
Largest single poor ingredient0.0%0.060+0.00
Undeclared quantities42.5%-0.106-4.49
Prints ingredient percentagesno0.000+0.00
Complete dietyes2.294+2.29
Frozen or chilled freshno0.000+0.00
High meat (30%+ of dry matter)no0.707+0.00
Low meat (under 10% of dry matter)no-3.158+0.00
High carb and low meatno-1.180+0.00
Meat share × printed percentages0.00.000+0.00
Meat share × fresh0.00.000+0.00
Fresh × high meat0.011.084+0.00
Additive penalty0.000.222+0.00
Processing multiplier1.0033.786+33.79
Processing: Rawno-0.054+0.00
Processing: Fresh Chilledno-2.354+0.00
Processing: Fresh Frozenno-2.354+0.00
Processing: Fresh Refrigeratedno0.000+0.00
Processing: Fresh Shelfno-0.672+0.00
Processing: Dry Freeze Driedno6.629+0.00
Processing: Dry Air Driedno6.331+0.00
Processing: Dry Cold Pressedno-6.713+0.00
Processing: Dry Bakedno-6.713+0.00
Processing: Dry Extrudedno-6.713+0.00
Processing: Dry Semi Moistno-6.174+0.00
Processing: Dry Mueslino-10.146+0.00
Processing: Wet Pateyes-0.672-0.67
Processing: Wet Chunksno-0.672+0.00
Processing-type offset
-0.08
Additives declared on label
+1 transparency bonus
Subtotal
69.6
Final score
70/100

Contributions are rounded to two decimals, so they may not sum exactly to the subtotal. The full coefficient table is published on the methodology page.

Score history across model versions

The score shown above is always computed with the latest published model. Earlier scores are kept for the record and are never edited or deleted; a scoring change ships as a new model version with a public write-up on the methodology page.

ModelScore
v370/100current
v274/100
Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges

How the declared analysis compares with FEDIAF reference ranges for adult dogs. The label prints as-fed values; we convert to a dry-matter basis before scoring, and the bands are dry-matter ranges. Scores rise to 100 at the band midpoint: the reference is adequacy, not maximisation. Nutrients with a published upper limit taper again above it; fat is policed through calorie density rather than a direct penalty.

NutrientAs fed (label)Dry matter (scored)Score
Protein940.9 (band 24.545454545454547 to 40%)100
Fat8.538.6 (band 7.500000000000001 to 20%)100
Fibre0.83.6 (band 0.5 to 5%)100
Calcium0.31.4 (band 0.6818181818181819 to 2.5%)92.5
Phosphorus0.251.1 (band 0.5454545454545455 to 1.6%)100
Sodium0.20.9 (band 0.13636363636363638+%)100
Calcium:phosphorus ratio1.21.2 (band 1 to 2%)82
Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3)--100
Energy (kcal/100g)120545.5100

Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3): scored as the mean of its declared components (omega-6 100). The FEDIAF minimum for omega-6 is linoleic acid specifically.

Scored over 9 declared nutrients (combined weight 105); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.

Declared fortification: 13 nutritional additives on the label
  • Vitamin A (3a672a) 4,500 IU/kg
  • vitamin D3 (3a671) 200 IU/kg
  • vitamin E (3a700) 160 mg/kg
  • L-carnitine (3a910) 250 mg/kg
  • zinc (3b606) 30 mg/kg
  • iron (3b106) 10 mg/kg
  • manganese (3b504) 12 mg/kg
  • iodine (3b201) 0.8 mg/kg
  • copper (3b406) 2 mg/kg
  • selenium (3b810) 0.04 mg/kg
  • taurine (3a370) 2,000 mg/kg
  • L-arginine (3c3.6.1) 1,000 mg/kg
  • L-methionine (3c305) 2,000 mg/kg

High confidence: full analysis plus minerals or omegas and declared energy.

This measures agreement with published reference ranges, not suitability for an individual dog. For medical conditions, follow veterinary guidance.

Transparency: what the label discloses

How much the manufacturer discloses, measured against the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice and Regulation 767/2009. Mandatory items dominate the weighting.

ItemPoints
✓ Ingredient list on the label (mandatory)10/10
✓ Printed percentages on the label (57.5% of the recipe mass) (voluntary)11.5/20
✓ Analytical constituents declared (mandatory)15/15
✓ Additives declared (mandatory)5/10
✓ Energy value declared (voluntary)5/5
✓ Complete/complementary designation (mandatory)5/5
✓ Feeding guidance given (mandatory)10/10
✓ Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory)5/10
✓ Country of manufacture stated (voluntary)10/10
✓ Batch and date labelling (mandatory)5/5
Safety: recall history

Recall and safety-notice history, time-decayed. This dimension is shown alongside the score and never feeds the headline number.

No recalls recorded in our database.

See all current recalls we track.

Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it

The claims made on the pack and product page, checked against the declared label. We record claims as stated; "consistent" means our stored label data supports the claim, "contradicted" means it conflicts with it. Functional claims are recorded but never scored.

100/100 · moderate — 1 checkable claim: 1 consistent, 0 contradicted.

Consistent with the label

  • "Complete & balanced Veterinary Diet wet food for dogs and cats." — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.

3 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.

Moderate: every checkable claim is consistent with the declared label.

ClaimTypeCheckSubstantiation
Suitable for pets requiring nutritional restoration, convalescence, post-surgery support or for cats with hepatic lipidosis. (on page)Functionalnot checkableManufacturer assertion
Convalescence support system with highly digestible, nutrient-rich ingredients, focusing on high-quality protein and energy to support recovery and weight gain. (on page)Functionalnot checkableManufacturer assertion
Complete & balanced Veterinary Diet wet food for dogs and cats. (on page)ContentconsistentManufacturer assertion
Highly digestible ingredient sources: salmon, chicken. (on pack)Contentnot checkableManufacturer assertion

The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.

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