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 Prescription Diet d/d Food Sensitivities Dry Dog Food with Duck & Rice
Dry Extruded complete Declared analysis sits below the FEDIAF minimum for protein. veterinary diet Clear label
Is Hill's Prescription Diet d/d Food Sensitivities Dry Dog Food with Duck & Rice a good dog food?
We score it 42/100 (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".
Why this score?
The overall score is 42 out of 100. The carbohydrate content contributed -9.4 points. The processing format contributed -6.7 points. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +2.4 points, while ingredients without printed percentages 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.
- Recipe42
- Nutritionalhigh86
- Transparency60
- Safety100
- Evidencelimited0
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 extruded dry food for adult dogs, with cereals, meat and animal derivatives and duck as the main ingredients.
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
- Low in protein: 16% protein on a dry-matter basis.
- Meat makes up an estimated 6% of the dry matter (17% as fed); carbohydrates dominate.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 15.10%
- Fat
- 14.30%
- Fibre
- 1.20%
- Ash
- 5.10%
- Moisture
- 8%
- Carbohydrates
- 56.30%
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- 0.70%
- Omega-6 fatty acids
- 3.08%
- Calcium
- 0.88%
- Phosphorus
- 0.61%
- Sodium
- 0.33%
Energy: 371 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 7,467 IU/kg; Vitamin D3 668 IU/kg; Vitamin E 578 mg/kg; Vitamin C 100 mg/kg; Beta-carotene 0.6 mg/kg; 3b103 (Iron) 88.4 mg/kg; 3b202 (Iodine) 2.2 mg/kg; 3b405 (Copper) 8.7 mg/kg; 3b502 (Manganese) 9.1 mg/kg; 3b603 (Zinc) 155 mg/kg; 3b801 (Selenium) 0.2 mg/kg
Technological additives
Natural antioxidant
Feeding guide
Feed only this food. Recommended daily amounts shown for adult maintenance based on dog weight; divide into 2+ meals/day. Reduction of ingredient and nutrient intolerances: 3 to 8 weeks; if signs disappear, initially up to one year. Support of skin function in dermatosis/excessive hair loss: initially up to 2 months. Fresh water should be available at all times. Transition over 7 days.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Doesn't list chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, fish, venison, pork as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids duck: the label lists duck
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists cereals
- You need more protein than this: 16.4% 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. Use the homepage filter to find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (6)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cereals (66%) | Cereals | carb | poor | 66 | 66.0 |
| 2 | meat and animal derivatives | Meat and Animal Derivatives | meat | poor | - | 6.8 |
| 3 | duck 12% | Duck | meat | medium | 12 | 12.0 |
| 4 | oils and fats | Oils and Fats | oil | poor | - | 5.9 |
| 5 | minerals | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 5.1 |
| 6 | derivatives of vegetable origin | Vegetable By-Products | other | poor | - | 4.2 |
Brand
- Website
- https://www.hillspet.co.uk/
- 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.
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.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.3 | 9.191 | +2.41 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 4.4% | 0.096 | +0.42 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 81.5% | -0.115 | -9.38 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 5.6% | -0.092 | -0.52 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 4.6% | -0.012 | -0.06 |
| Other share of dry matter | 2.1% | -0.375 | -0.80 |
| Recipe graded poor | 18.1% | -0.065 | -1.18 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 5.0% | -0.179 | -0.88 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 4 | -0.876 | -3.50 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 5.5% | 0.060 | +0.33 |
| Undeclared quantities | 22.0% | -0.106 | -2.32 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| High carb and low meat | yes | -1.180 | -1.18 |
| Additive penalty | -0.40 | 0.222 | -0.09 |
| 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 | +2.41 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 4.4% | 0.096 | +0.42 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 81.5% | -0.115 | -9.38 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 5.6% | -0.092 | -0.52 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.005 | +0.00 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 4.6% | -0.012 | -0.06 |
| Other share of dry matter | 2.1% | -0.375 | -0.80 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 18.1% | -0.065 | -1.18 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 5.0% | -0.179 | -0.88 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 4 | -0.876 | -3.50 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 5.5% | 0.060 | +0.33 |
| Undeclared quantities | 22.0% | -0.106 | -2.32 |
| 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 | yes | -1.180 | -1.18 |
| 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 | -0.40 | 0.222 | -0.09 |
| 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
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 41.7
- Final score
- 42/100
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.
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.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 15.1 | 16.4 (band 18.14673913043478 to 40%) | 63.3 |
| Fat | 14.3 | 15.5 (band 5.544836956521739 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 1.2 | 1.3 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 80.7 |
| Calcium | 0.88 | 1 (band 0.5040760869565217 to 2.5%) | 83.6 |
| Phosphorus | 0.61 | 0.7 (band 0.4032608695652174 to 1.6%) | 83 |
| Sodium | 0.33 | 0.4 (band 0.10081521739130435+%) | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.4 | 1.4 (band 1 to 2%) | 96.6 |
| Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3) | - | - | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 371 | 403.3 | 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.
Declared fortification: 11 nutritional additives on the label
- Vitamin A 7,467 IU/kg
- Vitamin D3 668 IU/kg
- Vitamin E 578 mg/kg
- Vitamin C 100 mg/kg
- Beta-carotene 0.6 mg/kg
- 3b103 (Iron) 88.4 mg/kg
- 3b202 (Iodine) 2.2 mg/kg
- 3b405 (Copper) 8.7 mg/kg
- 3b502 (Manganese) 9.1 mg/kg
- 3b603 (Zinc) 155 mg/kg
- 3b801 (Selenium) 0.2 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.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (78% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 15.6/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) | 15/15 |
| 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 file | 0/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (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.
0/100 · limited — 1 checkable claim: 0 consistent, 1 contradicted.
Contradicted by the label
- "Limited ingredient nutrition with single animal protein" — the declared label says otherwise on single protein.
10 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Limited: at least one claim contradicts the declared label, or a recent upheld ASA ruling applies.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helps support digestion & stool quality (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated to nourish and condition the skin with visible improvement (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Limited ingredient nutrition with single animal protein (on page) | Content | contradicted | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated without soy protein (on page) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Hypoallergenic - helps reduce food intolerances and supports skin health (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| High levels of omega-3 fatty acids (on page) | High/low level | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Helps maintain a healthy skin barrier (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Clinically proven nutrition to help avoid adverse food reactions (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE for quality, consistency & taste, or your money back (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Contains high levels of linoleic acid (LA) and of EPA and DHA (on pack) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Proud to have helped 15 MILLION SHELTER PETS find a forever home & counting (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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