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.
Hill's Pet Nutrition k/d with Lamb Dog Food
Dry Extruded · completeveterinary diet
Our verdict
Is Hill's Pet Nutrition k/d with Lamb Dog Food a good dog food?
We score it 46/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Declared analysis sits below the FEDIAF minimum for protein, phosphorus.
Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Doesn't list beef, turkey, venison, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists chicken
- Your dog avoids lamb: the label lists lamb
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists fish oil
- Your dog avoids pork: it is listed as an ingredient
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists rice - brown / whole grain
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
- You are limiting fat: 22.6% on a dry-matter basis is in the high band
- You need more protein than this: 15.8% on a dry-matter basis is in the low 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. Find foods that fit your dog.
Nutrition and feedingProtein 15.80% · Fat 22.60%
Typical analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed | Dry matter | Directory average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 15.80% | 15.80% | 37.69% (137 eligible foods) |
| Fat | 22.60% | 22.60% | 23.89% (134 eligible foods) |
| Fibre | 1.80% | 1.80% | 3.81% (135 eligible foods) |
| Carbohydrates | 55% | 55% | 30.63% (76 eligible foods) |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 1.20% | - | - |
| Calcium | 0.66% | 0.66% | - |
| Phosphorus | 0.32% | 0.32% | - |
| Sodium | 0.16% | 0.16% | - |
Energy: 405 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
Feeding guide
Adult maintenance: feed according to weight (e.g. 5 lb/2.3 kg = 1/2 cup/55 g; 10 lb/4.5 kg = 3/4 cup/85 g; 20 lb/9.1 kg = 1 1/4 cup/140 g; 50 lb/23 kg = 2 1/2 cup/285 g; 100 lb/45 kg = 4 1/4 cup/480 g). Gradually transition over 7 days or more. Exclusively feed the recommended Prescription Diet dry and wet foods. Keep fresh water available at all times. Have your veterinarian monitor your pet's condition.
Additives declared on the label
Technological additives
Mixed Tocopherols for freshness
Ingredients (22)100% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- supplement 25.6%
- carb 22.5%
- meat 19.9%
- oil 15.1%
- fibre 8.7%
- additive 4.3%
- mineral 3.8%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brown Rice | Rice - brown / whole grain | carb · medium | - | 6.0 |
| 2 | Brewers Rice | Rice - white | carb · medium | - | 5.8 |
| 3 | Chicken Fat | Chicken Oil and Fat | oil · good | - | 5.7 |
| 4 | Lamb | Lamb | meat · medium | - | 5.6 |
| 5 | Soybean Meal | Soybean Meal | carb · poor | - | 5.4 |
| 6 | Cracked Pearled Barley | Pearled Barley | carb · medium | - | 5.3 |
| 7 | Dried Beet Pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 5.2 |
| 8 | Egg Product | Egg | meat · good | - | 5.0 |
| 9 | Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor | Chicken | meat · medium | - | 4.9 |
| 10 | Fish Oil | Fish Oil | oil · good | - | 4.7 |
| 11 | Soybean Oil | Soybean oil | oil · medium | - | 4.6 |
| 12 | Pork Liver Flavor | Liver | meat · good | - | 4.5 |
| 13 | Lactic Acid | Lactic Acid | additive · medium | - | 4.3 |
| 14 | L-Lysine | Lysine | supplement · medium | - | 4.2 |
| 15 | Calcium Carbonate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement · medium | - | 4.1 |
| 16 | Calcium Sulfate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement · medium | - | 3.9 |
| 17 | Potassium Citrate | Potassium Citrate | mineral · good | - | 3.8 |
| 18 | Betaine | Betaine Anhydrous | supplement · good | - | 3.7 |
| 19 | Oat Bran | Oat bran | fibre · good | - | 3.5 |
| 20 | DL-Methionine | Methionine | supplement · good | - | 3.4 |
| 21 | Potassium Chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement · medium | - | 3.3 |
| 22 | Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) | Fructo-oligosaccharides | supplement · good | - | 3.1 |
- 1. Brown Rice6.0% estimated
- 2. Brewers Rice5.8% estimated
- 3. Chicken Fat5.7% estimated
- 4. Lamb5.6% estimated
- 5. Soybean Meal5.4% estimated
- 6. Cracked Pearled Barley5.3% estimated
- 7. Dried Beet Pulp5.2% estimated
- 8. Egg Product5.0% estimated
- 9. Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor4.9% estimated
- 10. Fish Oil4.7% estimated
- 11. Soybean Oil4.6% estimated
- 12. Pork Liver Flavor4.5% estimated
- 13. Lactic Acid4.3% estimated
- 14. L-Lysine4.2% estimated
- 15. Calcium Carbonate4.1% estimated
- 16. Calcium Sulfate3.9% estimated
- 17. Potassium Citrate3.8% estimated
- 18. Betaine3.7% estimated
- 19. Oat Bran3.5% estimated
- 20. DL-Methionine3.4% estimated
- 21. Potassium Chloride3.3% estimated
- 22. Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)3.1% estimated
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-18
Brand and contact: Hill's Pet Nutrition
- Website
- https://www.hillspet.com/
- Contact page
- www.hillspet.com
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-18
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.hillspet.com
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.
Brand and retailer reviews
External platform ratings are not scores for this individual recipe.
Trustpilot: 3.0/5 · 3 reviews
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?
The overall score is 46 out of 100. Ingredients without printed percentages contributed -10.6, and the processing format contributed -6.7. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +5.1, while the carbohydrate content contributed -2.8. 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.
Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-25. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.5 | 9.191 | +5.05 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 24.2% | -0.115 | -2.78 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 18.1% | -0.092 | -1.66 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 4.7% | 0.163 | +0.77 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 28.6% | -0.012 | -0.35 |
| Recipe graded poor | 5.4% | -0.065 | -0.35 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 5.4% | 0.060 | +0.33 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| Additive penalty | -5.21 | 0.222 | -1.16 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.5 | 9.191 | +5.05 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 24.2% | -0.115 | -2.78 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 18.1% | -0.092 | -1.66 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.005 | +0.00 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 4.7% | 0.163 | +0.77 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 28.6% | -0.012 | -0.35 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.375 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 5.4% | -0.065 | -0.35 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 5.4% | 0.060 | +0.33 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | no | 0.707 | +0.00 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.180 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 11.084 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | -5.21 | 0.222 | -1.16 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Raw | no | -0.054 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 6.629 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 6.331 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.174 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.146 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- +0.02
- Additives declared on label
- +1 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 45.9
- Final score
- 46/100
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.
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.
Guaranteed-analysis FEDIAF score: crude minimums and maximums are bounds, not typical values; moisture (a maximum) uses the processing median where available; experimental US score.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 15.8 | 17.5 (band 20.13812154696133 to 40%) | 60.7 |
| Fat | 22.6 | 25 (band 6.153314917127073 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 1.8 | 2 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 89.9 |
| Calcium | 0.66 | 0.7 (band 0.5593922651933703 to 2.5%) | 75.3 |
| Phosphorus | 0.32 | 0.4 (band 0.4475138121546962 to 1.6%) | 55.3 |
| Sodium | 0.16 | 0.2 (band 0.11187845303867405+%) | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 2.1 | 2.1 (band 1 to 2%) | 96.9 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 405 | 447.5 | 50 |
Scored over 8 declared nutrients (combined weight 95); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 9.5% from the food type.
Portion-control flag: 405 kcal/100g as fed with fat at 25% dry matter, above the reference band. High-energy foods need smaller portions.
No nutritional additives section declared on the label.
Low confidence: partial analysis or moisture 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.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (voluntary) - not on file | 0/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/15 |
| 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) - not on file | 0/5 |
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.
100/100 · moderate — 1 checkable claim: 1 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "complete and balanced nutrition for maintenance of adult dogs" — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.
8 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Moderate: every checkable claim is consistent with the declared label.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ActivBiome+ Kidney Defense, a proprietary blend of prebiotics shown to nourish the gut microbiome to help support kidney function (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Proprietary technology clinically proven to stimulate appetite and encourage food intake of dogs with kidney disease (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated to promote a urinary environment that reduces the risk of developing struvite & calcium oxalate crystals (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Clinically proven nutrition to improve & lengthen quality of life (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Reduced phosphorus & sodium, enriched with omega-3 fatty acids (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| U.S. Veterinarians' #1 Recommended Brand (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| 100% Satisfaction guarantee (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| With lamb (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| complete and balanced nutrition for maintenance of adult dogs (on pack) | Content | consistent | Manufacturer 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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