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 z/d Small Bites Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor
Dry Extruded · completeveterinary diet
Our verdict
Is Hill's Pet Nutrition z/d Small Bites Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor a good dog food?
We score it 43/100 (Poor). The main reasons are set out in "Why you might not" below, and every step of the calculation is shown under "How we calculated this score".
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, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists hydrolysed chicken liver
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists fish oil
- Your dog avoids grain: it is listed as an ingredient
- 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 20.10% · Fat 14.60%
Typical analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed | Dry matter | Directory average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 20.10% | 20.10% | 37.69% (137 eligible foods) |
| Fat | 14.60% | 14.60% | 23.89% (134 eligible foods) |
| Fibre | 6.40% | 6.40% | 3.81% (135 eligible foods) |
| Carbohydrates | 53.20% | 53.20% | 30.63% (76 eligible foods) |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 1.23% | - | - |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 3.32% | - | - |
| Calcium | 0.86% | 0.86% | - |
| Phosphorus | 0.61% | 0.61% | - |
| Sodium | 0.30% | 0.30% | - |
Energy: 350 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
Feeding guide
Weight of Dog (lbs/kg) → cups (grams) per day: 5 (2.3) 1/2 (55); 10 (4.5) 7/8 (100); 15 (6.8) 1 1/4 (140); 20 (9.1) 1 1/2 (170); 30 (14) 2 (225); 40 (18) 2 1/2 (285); 50 (23) 3 (340); 60 (27) 3 1/3 (375); 70 (32) 3 3/4 (425); 80 (36) 4 1/4 (480); 100 (45) 5 (565); 120 (54) 5 2/3 (640). Gradually transition over 7 days or more. Exclusively feed the recommended Prescription Diet dry and wet foods. Keep fresh water available at all times.
Additives declared on the label
Nutritional additives
Vitamin E 738 IU/kg; Vitamin C 178 ppm
Ingredients (20)100% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- fibre 22.6%
- meat 18.0%
- supplement 16.6%
- oil 14.3%
- additive 12.1%
- veg 9.8%
- carb 6.6%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corn Starch | Cornstarch | carb · medium | - | 6.6 |
| 2 | Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver | Hydrolysed Chicken Liver | meat · medium | - | 6.4 |
| 3 | Hydrolyzed Chicken | Hydrolysed Chicken | meat · medium | - | 6.2 |
| 4 | Ground Pecan Shells | Ground Pecan Shell | fibre · poor | - | 6.1 |
| 5 | Powdered Cellulose | Powdered Cellulose | fibre · poor | - | 5.9 |
| 6 | Flaxseed | Linseed | veg · good | - | 5.7 |
| 7 | Dried Beet Pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 5.6 |
| 8 | Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor | Chicken | meat · medium | - | 5.4 |
| 9 | Soybean Oil | Soybean oil | oil · medium | - | 5.2 |
| 10 | Dried Citrus Pulp | Citrus Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 5.1 |
| 11 | Dicalcium Phosphate | Dicalcium phosphate | supplement · medium | - | 4.9 |
| 12 | Lactic Acid | Lactic Acid | additive · medium | - | 4.8 |
| 13 | Coconut Oil | Coconut Oil | oil · medium | - | 4.6 |
| 14 | Fish Oil | Fish Oil | oil · good | - | 4.4 |
| 15 | Calcium Carbonate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement · medium | - | 4.3 |
| 16 | Pressed Cranberries | Cranberries | veg · good | - | 4.1 |
| 17 | Glyceryl Monostearate | Glyceryl Monostearate | additive · medium | - | 3.9 |
| 18 | DL-Methionine | Methionine | supplement · good | - | 3.8 |
| 19 | Potassium Chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement · medium | - | 3.6 |
| 20 | Iodized Salt | Salt | additive · poor | - | 3.4 |
- 1. Corn Starch6.6% estimated
- 2. Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver6.4% estimated
- 3. Hydrolyzed Chicken6.2% estimated
- 4. Ground Pecan Shells6.1% estimated
- 5. Powdered Cellulose5.9% estimated
- 6. Flaxseed5.7% estimated
- 7. Dried Beet Pulp5.6% estimated
- 8. Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor5.4% estimated
- 9. Soybean Oil5.2% estimated
- 10. Dried Citrus Pulp5.1% estimated
- 11. Dicalcium Phosphate4.9% estimated
- 12. Lactic Acid4.8% estimated
- 13. Coconut Oil4.6% estimated
- 14. Fish Oil4.4% estimated
- 15. Calcium Carbonate4.3% estimated
- 16. Pressed Cranberries4.1% estimated
- 17. Glyceryl Monostearate3.9% estimated
- 18. DL-Methionine3.8% estimated
- 19. Potassium Chloride3.6% estimated
- 20. Iodized Salt3.4% 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?
This food scored 43 out of 100. Undeclared ingredient shares came in at -10.6 points, because some ingredients are listed without printed percentages, and the processing format contributed -6.7 points while the additive load contributed -3.2 points. The overall quality of the ingredient list added +3.1 points, partly offsetting those deductions. 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 | 0.3 | 9.191 | +3.05 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 6.5% | -0.115 | -0.75 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 15.9% | -0.092 | -1.46 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 6.5% | -0.005 | -0.03 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 12.3% | 0.163 | +2.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 17.2% | -0.012 | -0.21 |
| Recipe graded poor | 15.4% | -0.065 | -1.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 3 | -0.876 | -2.63 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 6.1% | 0.060 | +0.36 |
| 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 | -14.63 | 0.222 | -3.25 |
| 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 | 0.3 | 9.191 | +3.05 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 6.5% | -0.115 | -0.75 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 15.9% | -0.092 | -1.46 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 6.5% | -0.005 | -0.03 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 12.3% | 0.163 | +2.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 17.2% | -0.012 | -0.21 |
| 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 | 15.4% | -0.065 | -1.00 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 3 | -0.876 | -2.63 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 6.1% | 0.060 | +0.36 |
| 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 | -14.63 | 0.222 | -3.25 |
| 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
- 43.0
- Final score
- 43/100
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 | 20.1 | 22.2 (band 18 to 40%) | 81.5 |
| Fat | 14.6 | 16.1 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 6.4 | 7.1 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Calcium | 0.86 | 1 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 83.5 |
| Phosphorus | 0.61 | 0.7 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 83.7 |
| Sodium | 0.3 | 0.3 (band 0.1+%) | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.4 | 1.4 (band 1 to 2%) | 94.6 |
| Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3) | - | - | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 350 | 386.7 | 100 |
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: 2 nutritional additives on the label
- Vitamin E 738 IU/kg
- Vitamin C 178 ppm
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.
Claims on file; none we can check against the label
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formulated to promote a urinary environment that reduces the risk of developing struvite & calcium oxalate crystals (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Rich in Omega-6 & 3 fatty acids to promote skin health and regeneration (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Made with highly hydrolyzed proteins that are broken down to avoid detection by the immune system (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Clinically proven to help avoid adverse food reactions (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Clinically shown to firm loose stool in 3 days (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Nutrition to support visible improvement in skin & coat in 30 days (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| S+OXSHIELD: Formulated to promote a urinary environment that reduces the risk of developing struvite & calcium oxalate crystals (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated without intact animal protein sources (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| ActivBiome+ Digestion, a Hill's exclusive blend of prebiotics, to help rapidly nourish & balance your pet's unique microbiome (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| U.S. Veterinarians' #1 Recommended Brand (on page) | Content | not checkable | 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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