Hill's Derm Complete Dry Dog Food Original
Dry Extruded complete
Is Hill's Derm Complete Dry Dog Food Original a good dog food?
We score it 31/100 (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 came in at 31 out of 100, after several negative factors weighed against the product. Ingredients without printed percentages contributed -12.9 points, while the processing format took off -7. The carbohydrate content reduced the score by -5.3, and lower-quality ingredients cost a further -2.2 points.
98% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
- Recipe31
- Nutritionalhigh83
- Transparency60
- Safety100
- Evidencelimited33
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, oils and fats and fish oil as the main ingredients.
Why you might choose it
- Declares energy content, which most labels omit.
- Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.
Why you might not
- 6 poor-graded ingredients make up about 48% of the recipe.
- Low in protein: 18% protein on a dry-matter basis.
- 98% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 16.90%
- Fat
- 15.20%
- Fibre
- 1.40%
- Ash
- 5.40%
- Moisture
- 8%
- Carbohydrates
- 52.50%
- Calcium
- 0.68%
- Phosphorus
- 0.57%
- Sodium
- 0.31%
Energy: 376 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 8,211 IU/kg; Vitamin D3 693 IU/kg; Vitamin E 800 mg/kg; Vitamin C 100 mg/kg; Beta-carotene 1.5 mg/kg; 3b103 (Iron) 77.5 mg/kg; 3b202 (Iodine) 1.9 mg/kg; 3b405 (Copper) 7.6 mg/kg; 3b502 (Manganese) 8.0 mg/kg; 3b603 (Zinc) 136 mg/kg; 3b801 (Selenium) 0.2 mg/kg
Technological additives
with natural antioxidant
Feeding guide
Feed only this food. It is recommended that a veterinarian’s opinion be sought before use/extending the period of use. Feed the correct daily amount shown according to dog’s size. Adjust amount to maintain optimum weight; the amount may be divided into 2+ meals/day. Recommended time of use: support of skin function in case of dermatosis and excessive loss of hair: initially up to 2 months; reduction of ingredient and nutrient intolerances: 3 to 8 weeks; if signs of intolerance disappear, this feed can be used initially up to one year. Fresh water should be available at all times.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Doesn't list chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists fish oil
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists cereals
- You need more protein than this: 18.4% 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 (15)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cereals | Cereals | carb | poor | - | 9.1 |
| 2 | oils and fats | Oils and Fats | oil | poor | - | 8.8 |
| 3 | fish oil 1.8% | Fish Oil | oil | good | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| 4 | eggs and egg derivatives | Egg | meat | good | - | 8.5 |
| 5 | meat and animal derivatives | Meat and Animal Derivatives | meat | poor | - | 8.2 |
| 6 | vegetable protein extracts | Vegetable protein extracts | carb | poor | - | 7.8 |
| 7 | seeds | Seeds | veg | poor | - | 7.5 |
| 8 | minerals | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 7.2 |
| 9 | derivatives of vegetable origin | Vegetable By-Products | other | poor | - | 6.9 |
| 10 | vegetables | Vegetables | veg | medium | - | 6.5 |
| 11 | fruit | Fruit | veg | medium | - | 6.2 |
| 12 | Broken rice | Rice - white | carb | medium | - | 5.9 |
| 13 | brown rice | Rice - brown / whole grain | carb | medium | - | 5.5 |
| 14 | Dried whole eggs | Dried Whole Egg | meat | good | - | 5.2 |
| 15 | rice protein | Rice Protein | carb | medium | - | 4.9 |
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 v2 (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 v2 on 2026-09-22. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | -0.2 | 9.915 | -1.58 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 15.2% | 0.116 | +1.76 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 47.0% | -0.113 | -5.29 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 16.9% | -0.088 | -1.49 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 4.9% | -0.002 | -0.01 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 10.6% | -0.009 | -0.09 |
| Other share of dry matter | 5.5% | -0.371 | -2.04 |
| Recipe graded poor | 48.3% | -0.045 | -2.16 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 8.2% | -0.182 | -1.48 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 6 | -0.868 | -5.21 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 9.1% | 0.056 | +0.51 |
| Undeclared quantities | 98.2% | -0.131 | -12.85 |
| Complete diet | yes | 1.703 | +1.70 |
| Additive penalty | -1.12 | 0.236 | -0.26 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.996 | -7.00 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | -0.2 | 9.915 | -1.58 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 15.2% | 0.116 | +1.76 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 47.0% | -0.113 | -5.29 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 16.9% | -0.088 | -1.49 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 4.9% | -0.002 | -0.01 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.177 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 10.6% | -0.009 | -0.09 |
| Other share of dry matter | 5.5% | -0.371 | -2.04 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.022 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 48.3% | -0.045 | -2.16 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 8.2% | -0.182 | -1.48 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 6 | -0.868 | -5.21 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 9.1% | 0.056 | +0.51 |
| Undeclared quantities | 98.2% | -0.131 | -12.85 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 3.194 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | yes | 1.703 | +1.70 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 11.440 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | no | -0.506 | +0.00 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | no | -1.988 | +0.00 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.250 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 0.0 | -0.073 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | -0.339 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 16.475 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | -1.12 | 0.236 | -0.26 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Raw | no | 13.322 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | 7.712 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | 6.583 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 4.857 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | 0.072 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 11.127 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 9.320 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | 4.569 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -2.321 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.996 | -7.00 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.833 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.711 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | 2.935 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | 2.292 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- -0.01
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 31.2
- Final score
- 31/100
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.
| Model | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| v2 | 31/100 | current |
| v1 | 38/100 | |
| v1.9 | 39/100 |
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.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 16.9 | 18.4 (band 18 to 40%) | 71 |
| Fat | 15.2 | 16.5 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 1.4 | 1.5 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 83.6 |
| Calcium | 0.68 | 0.7 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 77.2 |
| Phosphorus | 0.57 | 0.6 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 81 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.2 | 1.2 (band 1 to 2%) | 81.6 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 376 | 408.7 | 100 |
Scored over 7 declared nutrients (combined weight 90); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
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 (1.8% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 0.4/20 |
| 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 marketing claims made on the pack and product page, and how much evidence sits behind them. We record the claims as stated; we do not assess whether they are true.
| Claim | Type | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|
| complete dietetic pet food for support of skin function in case of dermatosis and excessive loss of hair and for reduction of ingredient and nutrient intolerances in adult dogs (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Helps strengthen skin barrier (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Avoid adverse food reactions (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| High levels of essential fatty acids (on page) | High/low level | Manufacturer assertion |
| contains high levels of linoleic acid (LA) and of a sum of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (on page) | High/low level | Manufacturer assertion |
| With Histaguard Complex, a proprietary complex of bioactives and phytonutrients (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| selected and limited number of protein and carbohydrate sources (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| Made with 100% cage-free eggs or egg derivatives (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| Nutrition shown to dampen the immune system's reaction to environmental allergens (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Manage scratching and other signs associated with environmental allergies and promotes skin healing (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| S+OXSHIELD: Formulated to promote a urinary environment that reduces the risk of developing struvite & calcium oxalate crystals (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE for quality, consistency & taste, or your money back (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
Limited: at least one claim rests on manufacturer assertion alone.
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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