Hill's Vet Essentials Multi-Benefit Puppy Medium Dry Food with Chicken
Dry Extruded · completeClear label
Our verdict
Is Hill's Vet Essentials Multi-Benefit Puppy Medium Dry Food with Chicken a good dog food?
We score it 50/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Complete extruded dry food for puppies, with dehydrated chicken and turkey, chicken and poultry as the main ingredients.
Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.
52% 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 puppies
- Doesn't list beef, lamb, venison, pork, 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 fish oil
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists maize / corn
- 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 28% · Fat 18.40%
Typical analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28% |
| Fat | 18.40% |
| Fibre | 2.20% |
| Ash | 7.70% |
| Carbohydrates | 35.70% |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 1.10% |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 3.60% |
| Calcium | 1.46% |
| Phosphorus | 1.14% |
| Sodium | 0.51% |
Energy: 379 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
Feeding guide
Initial daily amount based on body weight; adjust to maintain optimum weight. Switch to Vet Essentials Multi-Benefit Adult Medium at 12 months. For weaning puppies, add warm water to kibbles and mix into a paste, gradually reducing water. Pregnant bitches: 2-4 meals/day. Nursing bitches: keep food available at all times. Mix increasing amounts of new food with old over 7 days. Fresh water always available.
Additives declared on the label
Nutritional additives
3b103 (Iron) 83.7mg/kg; 3b202 (Iodine) 2.8mg/kg; 3b405 (Copper) 9.0mg/kg; 3b502 (Manganese) 8.7mg/kg; 3b603 (Zinc) 139mg/kg; 3b801 (Selenium) 0.1mg/kg; Vitamin A 9,318 IU/kg; Vitamin D3 647 IU/kg; Vitamin E 750 mg/kg; Vitamin C 101 mg/kg; Beta-carotene 1.9 mg/kg
Technological additives
with natural antioxidant
Ingredients (21)52% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- meat 53.2%
- fibre 15.3%
- carb 10.5%
- veg 9.5%
- oil 8.4%
- supplement 3.2%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken and turkey meal | Dehydrated Chicken and Turkey | meat · medium | - | 3.8 |
| 2 | chicken 18% | Chicken | meat · medium | 18 | 18.0 |
| 3 | total poultry 28% | Poultry | meat · medium | 28 | 28.0 |
| 4 | maize | Maize / Corn | carb · medium | - | 3.7 |
| 5 | wheat | Wheat | carb · poor | - | 3.6 |
| 6 | animal fat | Unspecified Animal Fats and Oils | oil · poor | - | 3.5 |
| 7 | digest | Digest | meat · poor | - | 3.4 |
| 8 | maize protein meal | Maize gluten | carb · poor | - | 3.3 |
| 9 | fish oil (1.9%) | Fish Oil | oil · good | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| 10 | minerals | Vitamins and minerals | supplement · medium | - | 3.2 |
| 11 | vegetable oil | Vegetable oil | oil · medium | - | 3.1 |
| 12 | ground pecan shell | Ground Pecan Shell | fibre · poor | - | 2.9 |
| 13 | dried beet pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 2.8 |
| 14 | flaxseed | Linseed | veg · good | - | 2.7 |
| 15 | dried citrus pulp | Citrus Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 2.6 |
| 16 | dried cranberries | Cranberries | veg · good | - | 2.5 |
| 17 | ActivBiome+ Digestion prebiotic blend (4%): Ground pecan shell | Ground Pecan Shell | fibre · poor | - | 2.4 |
| 18 | dried beet pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 2.3 |
| 19 | flaxseed | Linseed | veg · good | - | 2.2 |
| 20 | dried citrus pulp | Citrus Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 2.1 |
| 21 | dried cranberries. | Cranberries | veg · good | - | 2.0 |
- 1. Chicken and turkey meal3.8% estimated
- 2. chicken 18%18% declared18.0% estimated
- 3. total poultry 28%28% declared28.0% estimated
- 4. maize3.7% estimated
- 5. wheat3.6% estimated
- 6. animal fat3.5% estimated
- 7. digest3.4% estimated
- 8. maize protein meal3.3% estimated
- 9. fish oil (1.9%)1.9% declared1.9% estimated
- 10. minerals3.2% estimated
- 11. vegetable oil3.1% estimated
- 12. ground pecan shell2.9% estimated
- 13. dried beet pulp2.8% estimated
- 14. flaxseed2.7% estimated
- 15. dried citrus pulp2.6% estimated
- 16. dried cranberries2.5% estimated
- 17. ActivBiome+ Digestion prebiotic blend (4%): Ground pecan shell2.4% estimated
- 18. dried beet pulp2.3% estimated
- 19. flaxseed2.2% estimated
- 20. dried citrus pulp2.1% estimated
- 21. dried cranberries.2.0% estimated
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-15
Brand and contact: Hill's
- 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.
Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Why this score?
The product received a score of 50 out of 100. The processing format contributed -6.7 points, while ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -5.5. Being labelled nutritionally complete added +2.3 points, and the meat content contributed +2.1 points.
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 | 0.2 | 9.191 | +1.88 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 21.4% | 0.096 | +2.06 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 15.5% | -0.115 | -1.78 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 13.9% | -0.092 | -1.28 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 14.2% | -0.005 | -0.07 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 4.8% | -0.012 | -0.06 |
| Recipe graded poor | 19.1% | -0.065 | -1.24 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 3.4% | -0.179 | -0.60 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 6 | -0.876 | -5.26 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 3.6% | 0.060 | +0.21 |
| Undeclared quantities | 52.1% | -0.106 | -5.50 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Additive penalty | -0.17 | 0.222 | -0.04 |
| 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 | 0.2 | 9.191 | +1.88 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 21.4% | 0.096 | +2.06 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 15.5% | -0.115 | -1.78 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 13.9% | -0.092 | -1.28 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 14.2% | -0.005 | -0.07 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 4.8% | -0.012 | -0.06 |
| 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 | 19.1% | -0.065 | -1.24 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 3.4% | -0.179 | -0.60 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 6 | -0.876 | -5.26 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 3.6% | 0.060 | +0.21 |
| Undeclared quantities | 52.1% | -0.106 | -5.50 |
| 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) | no | -3.158 | +0.00 |
| 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 | -0.17 | 0.222 | -0.04 |
| 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
- 49.9
- Final score
- 50/100
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 puppies and growth. 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.
Scored against FEDIAF growth minima; puppy scoring is under review.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 28 | 30.9 | 100 |
| Fat | 18.4 | 20.3 | 100 |
| Calcium | 1.46 | 1.6 | 99.2 |
| Phosphorus | 1.14 | 1.3 | 100 |
| Sodium | 0.51 | 0.6 (band 0.2303314917127072+%) | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.3 | 1.3 | 100 |
| Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3) | - | - | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 379 | 418.8 | 100 |
Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3): scored as the mean of its declared components (omega-6 100, omega-3 100). The FEDIAF minimum for omega-6 is linoleic acid specifically.
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.
Declared fortification: 11 nutritional additives on the label
- 3b103 (Iron) 83.7mg/kg
- 3b202 (Iodine) 2.8mg/kg
- 3b405 (Copper) 9.0mg/kg
- 3b502 (Manganese) 8.7mg/kg
- 3b603 (Zinc) 139mg/kg
- 3b801 (Selenium) 0.1mg/kg
- Vitamin A 9,318 IU/kg
- Vitamin D3 647 IU/kg
- Vitamin E 750 mg/kg
- Vitamin C 101 mg/kg
- Beta-carotene 1.9 mg/kg
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.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (47.9% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 9.6/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/15 |
| 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 (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-benefit nutrition clinically proven to support your puppy's growth and developmental needs (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| ActivBiome+ ingredient technology is a proprietary blend of prebiotics shown to rapidly activate the gut microbiome to support digestive health and well-being (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated with omega-3s to support brain development (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Antioxidants to support a developing immune system (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Nourishing omega-6s & vitamin E for healthy skin and coat (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Balanced blend of minerals and omega-3s from fish oil supports healthy bone & joint development (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| No synthetic colours (on pack) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| 100% Satisfaction Guarantee - money back (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| with Chicken (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Vet-exclusive (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| No artificial flavours (on pack) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Not artificially preserved (on pack) | Free-from | 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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