Hill's Vet Essentials Multi-Benefit + Weight Adult 1+ Large Breed Dry Dog Food

Dry Extruded · completeClear label

Vet Essentials Multi-Benefit + Weight Adult 1+ Large Breed Dry Dog Food
Average
our rating

Our verdict

Is Hill's Vet Essentials Multi-Benefit + Weight Adult 1+ Large Breed Dry Dog Food a good dog food?

We score it 49/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.

Complete extruded dry food for adult dogs, with dehydrated chicken and turkey, poultry and wheat as the main ingredients.

How we score

Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.

70% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.

Why you might choose it

  • Prints ingredient percentages on the label.
  • Declares energy content, which most labels omit.
  • Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.

Why you might not

  • 4 poor-graded ingredients make up about 20% of the recipe.

Who is this food for?

Suits

  • Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
  • Labelling or feeding guide is aimed at large dogs
  • Doesn't list beef, lamb, venison, duck as ingredients

Consider something else if:

  • Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists dehydrated chicken and turkey
  • Your dog avoids turkey: the label lists dehydrated chicken and turkey
  • Your dog avoids fish: the label lists hydrolyzed crustacean shells
  • Your dog avoids pork: it is listed as an ingredient
  • Your dog avoids grain: the label lists wheat
  • You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein

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. Find foods that fit your dog.

Nutrition and feedingProtein 26.30% · Fat 14%

Typical analysis (as fed)

NutrientAs fed
Protein26.30%
Fat14%
Fibre11.30%
Ash5.10%
Carbohydrates34.80%
Omega-3 fatty acids0.73%
Omega-6 fatty acids2.42%
Calcium0.81%
Phosphorus0.64%
Sodium0.27%

Energy: 334 kcal/100g

Additives & feeding info

Feeding and storage

Storage

Fresh water should be available at all times.

Feeding guide

Feed the daily amount shown; adjust amount to maintain optimum weight. Body weight (kg) / Dry grams: 25/330, 30/375, 35/404, 40/465, 50/550, 60/630, 70/710, 80+ per 10kg +10g per kg. Fresh water should be available at all times.

Additives declared on the label

Nutritional additives

3b103 (Iron) 74.5mg; 3b202 (Iodine) 1.8mg; 3b405 (Copper) 7.3mg; 3b502 (Manganese) 7.7mg; 3b603 (Zinc) 131mg; 3b801 (Selenium) 0.2mg; Vitamin A 10,230IU; Vitamin D3 700IU; Vitamin E 625mg; Vitamin C 90mg; Beta-carotene 1.5mg; L-carnitine 274mg

Technological additives

with natural antioxidant

Ingredients (17)70% of the recipe is estimated

Estimated composition

  • meat 40.4%
  • fibre 17.9%
  • carb 15.9%
  • supplement 9.8%
  • oil 8.6%
  • veg 7.5%
#As declaredMatchedLabel readingDeclared %Est. %
1Chicken and Turkey MealDehydrated Chicken and Turkeymeat · medium-6.7
2total poultry 18%Poultrymeat · medium1818.0
3WheatWheatcarb · poor-6.5
4MaizeMaize / Corncarb · medium-6.3
5Pea Bran MealPea Bran Mealfibre · medium-6.1
6Maize Gluten MealMaize glutencarb · poor-5.9
7Animal FatUnspecified Animal Fats and Oilsoil · poor-5.6
8DigestDigestmeat · poor-5.4
9Dried Tomato PomaceTomato Pomacefibre · medium-5.2
10CelluloseCellulosefibre · medium-5.0
11FlaxseedLinseedveg · good-4.8
12Dried Beet PulpBeet Pulpfibre · medium-4.6
13Coconut OilCoconut Oiloil · medium-4.4
14MineralsVitamins and mineralssupplement · medium-4.2
15Dried CarrotsCarrotsveg · good-4.0
16Pork Cartilage (source of chondroitin sulphate)Cartilagesupplement · good-3.8
17Crustacean Shell Hydrolysate (source of glucosamine).Hydrolyzed Crustacean Shellssupplement · medium-3.6
  1. 1. Chicken and Turkey Meal6.7% estimated
  2. 2. total poultry 18%18% declared18.0% estimated
    Poultry · meat · medium
  3. 3. Wheat6.5% estimated
    Wheat · carb · poor
  4. 4. Maize6.3% estimated
    Maize / Corn · carb · medium
  5. 5. Pea Bran Meal6.1% estimated
    Pea Bran Meal · fibre · medium
  6. 6. Maize Gluten Meal5.9% estimated
    Maize gluten · carb · poor
  7. 7. Animal Fat5.6% estimated
  8. 8. Digest5.4% estimated
    Digest · meat · poor
  9. 9. Dried Tomato Pomace5.2% estimated
    Tomato Pomace · fibre · medium
  10. 10. Cellulose5.0% estimated
    Cellulose · fibre · medium
  11. 11. Flaxseed4.8% estimated
    Linseed · veg · good
  12. 12. Dried Beet Pulp4.6% estimated
    Beet Pulp · fibre · medium
  13. 13. Coconut Oil4.4% estimated
    Coconut Oil · oil · medium
  14. 14. Minerals4.2% estimated
    Vitamins and minerals · supplement · medium
  15. 15. Dried Carrots4.0% estimated
    Carrots · veg · good
  16. 16. Pork Cartilage (source of chondroitin sulphate)3.8% estimated
    Cartilage · supplement · good
  17. 17. Crustacean Shell Hydrolysate (source of glucosamine).3.6% estimated
    Hydrolyzed Crustacean Shells · supplement · medium

Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-15

Brand and contact: Hill's
Hill's logo
Address
Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. Goldsworth Place 1 Forge End Woking GU21 6DB
Contact page
www.hillspet.co.uk

Trust and provenance

Recall history
No recalls recorded in our database
Label data last checked
2026-09-15
Scored with
Model v3 (methodology)
Product page
www.hillspet.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.

Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence

Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated

Why this score?

This recipe achieves an overall score of 49 out of 100. Being labelled nutritionally complete adds +2.3 points to the total. However, ingredients without printed percentages deducts -7.4, the processing format takes away -6.7, and the carbohydrate content reduces the score by -2.3.

Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-25. 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 quality0.29.191+2.17
Meat share of dry matter12.1%0.096+1.16
Carb share of dry matter20.3%-0.115-2.34
Oil share of dry matter12.2%-0.092-1.13
Vegetable share of dry matter9.7%-0.005-0.05
Supplement share of dry matter13.0%-0.012-0.16
Recipe graded poor20.0%-0.065-1.30
Poor-quality meat in recipe4.6%-0.179-0.83
Number of poor ingredients4-0.876-3.50
Largest single poor ingredient5.5%0.060+0.33
Undeclared quantities70.0%-0.106-7.39
Complete dietyes2.294+2.29
Additive penalty-0.290.222-0.07
Processing multiplier0.9833.786+33.11
Processing: Dry Extrudedyes-6.713-6.71
Show all 40 components
ComponentInputCoefficientContribution
Base score-30.909+30.91
Average ingredient quality0.29.191+2.17
Meat share of dry matter12.1%0.096+1.16
Carb share of dry matter20.3%-0.115-2.34
Oil share of dry matter12.2%-0.092-1.13
Vegetable share of dry matter9.7%-0.005-0.05
Additive share of dry matter0.0%0.163+0.00
Supplement share of dry matter13.0%-0.012-0.16
Other share of dry matter0.0%-0.375+0.00
Unrecognised share of dry matter0.0%-0.027+0.00
Recipe graded poor20.0%-0.065-1.30
Poor-quality meat in recipe4.6%-0.179-0.83
Number of poor ingredients4-0.876-3.50
Largest single poor ingredient5.5%0.060+0.33
Undeclared quantities70.0%-0.106-7.39
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 penalty-0.290.222-0.07
Processing multiplier0.9833.786+33.11
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 Extrudedyes-6.713-6.71
Processing: Dry Semi Moistno-6.174+0.00
Processing: Dry Mueslino-10.146+0.00
Processing: Wet Pateno-0.672+0.00
Processing: Wet Chunksno-0.672+0.00
Processing-type offset
+0.02
Additives declared on label
+2 transparency bonus
Subtotal
48.5
Final score
49/100

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
v349/100current
v248/100
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
Protein26.329.1 (band 18 to 40%)100
Fat1415.5 (band 5.5 to 20%)100
Fibre11.312.5 (band 0.5 to 5%)43.9
Calcium0.810.9 (band 0.5 to 2.5%)81.9
Phosphorus0.640.7 (band 0.4 to 1.6%)85.4
Sodium0.270.3 (band 0.1+%)100
Calcium:phosphorus ratio1.31.3 (band 1 to 2%)85.9
Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3)--100
Energy (kcal/100g)334369.1100

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. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 9.5% from the food type.

Declared fortification: 12 nutritional additives on the label
  • 3b103 (Iron) 74.5mg
  • 3b202 (Iodine) 1.8mg
  • 3b405 (Copper) 7.3mg
  • 3b502 (Manganese) 7.7mg
  • 3b603 (Zinc) 131mg
  • 3b801 (Selenium) 0.2mg
  • Vitamin A 10,230IU
  • Vitamin D3 700IU
  • Vitamin E 625mg
  • Vitamin C 90mg
  • Beta-carotene 1.5mg
  • L-carnitine 274mg

Medium confidence: the full five-part analysis is on file; where moisture was not declared it was estimated from the food type.

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 (30% of the recipe mass) (voluntary)6/20
✗ Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file0/15
✓ Additives declared (mandatory)10/10
✓ Energy value declared (voluntary)5/5
✓ Complete/complementary designation (mandatory)5/5
✓ Feeding guidance given (mandatory)10/10
✓ Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory)10/10
✓ Country of manufacture stated (voluntary)10/10
✗ Batch and date labelling (mandatory) - not on file0/5

Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Analytical constituents declared, Batch and date labelling).

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.

Claims on file; none we can check against the label

ClaimTypeCheckSubstantiation
Unique blend of ingredients proven to support fat burning and help your neutered dog achieve & maintain optimal weight (on page)Functionalnot checkableManufacturer assertion
With an optimal fibre blend, including prebiotics, to promote a healthy digestive system (on page)Functionalnot checkableManufacturer assertion
Enriched with glucosamine and chondroitin to support healthy joints (on page)Functionalnot checkableManufacturer assertion
complete multi-benefit pet food (on page)Contentnot checkableManufacturer assertion
High levels of antioxidants to support natural defenses (on page)Nutrientnot checkableManufacturer assertion
With omega 6 fatty acids for healthy skin and luxurious coat (on page)Nutrientnot checkableManufacturer assertion
with Chicken (on page)Contentnot checkableManufacturer assertion
No synthetic colours (on page)Free-fromnot checkableManufacturer assertion
No artificial flavours (on page)Free-fromnot checkableManufacturer assertion
Not artificially preserved (on page)Free-fromnot 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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