Virbac Kidney Support Dog Food K1
Dry Extruded complete
Is Virbac Kidney Support Dog Food K1 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.
Why this score?
This recipe achieves an overall score of 50 out of 100 based on several key factors. On the positive side, the overall quality of the ingredient list adds +5.2 points, and printing percentages for most of the recipe contributes +2 points. However, the score is reduced by -13.1 points due to ingredients without printed percentages, and the processing format subtracts -7 points.
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
- Recipe50
- Nutritionalmedium90
- Transparency55
- 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 dogs of all life stages, with rice, poultry and unspecified animal fats and oils as the main ingredients.
Why you might choose it
- Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.
Why you might not
- High in fat: 24% fat on a dry-matter basis.
- 100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 20.50%
- Fat
- 22%
- Fibre
- 5.50%
- Ash
- 5.50%
- Moisture
- 9%
- Carbohydrates
- 37.50%
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- 1%
- Omega-6 fatty acids
- 2.70%
- Calcium
- 0.80%
- Phosphorus
- 0.40%
- Sodium
- 0.30%
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 11000 IU; Vitamin D3 1100 IU; Vitamin E 570 mg; Vitamin B1 3.8 mg; Vitamin B2 11 mg; Vitamin B3 30 mg; Vitamin B5 26 mg; Vitamin B6 3 mg; Vitamin B9 0.48 mg; Vitamin B12 0.062 mg; Choline 740 mg; Taurine 1500 mg; Copper 15 mg; Iron 25 mg; Iodine 1.1 mg; Zinc 120 mg; L-carnitine 330 mg
Technological additives
Bentonite 5 g; Killed Lactobacilli 7 mg; Chitosan 800 mg; Calcium carbonate 1%
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- Doesn't list beef, lamb, venison, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists poultry
- Your dog avoids turkey: the label lists poultry
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists fish oil
- Your dog avoids pork: the label lists hydrolysed pork
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists rice - white
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
- You are limiting fat: 24.2% on a dry-matter basis is in the high 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 (17)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rice | Rice - white | carb | medium | - | 7.7 |
| 2 | dehydrated pork and poultry proteins | Poultry | meat | medium | - | 7.5 |
| 3 | animal fats | Unspecified Animal Fats and Oils | oil | poor | - | 7.2 |
| 4 | peas | Peas | veg | good | - | 7.0 |
| 5 | potato starch | Potato starch | carb | poor | - | 6.8 |
| 6 | faba bean hulls | Faba bean hulls | fibre | medium | - | 6.6 |
| 7 | minerals | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 6.3 |
| 8 | hydrolysed pork and poultry proteins | Hydrolysed Pork | meat | medium | - | 6.1 |
| 9 | lignocellulose | Lignocellulose | fibre | medium | - | 5.9 |
| 10 | linseed | Linseed | veg | good | - | 5.7 |
| 11 | beet pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre | medium | - | 5.4 |
| 12 | fish oil | Fish Oil | oil | good | - | 5.2 |
| 13 | fructo-oligosaccharides | Fructo-oligosaccharides | supplement | good | - | 5.0 |
| 14 | brewers yeast | Brewer's Yeast | supplement | good | - | 4.8 |
| 15 | hydrolysed crustacean (source of chitosan) | Chitosan | supplement | medium | - | 4.5 |
| 16 | Lactobacillus acidophilus | Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product | supplement | good | - | 4.3 |
| 17 | chondroitin sulfate | Chondroitin | supplement | good | - | 4.1 |
Brand
- Website
- https://uk.virbac.com/
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-14
- Scored with
- Model v2 (methodology)
- Product page
- uk.virbac.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.
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 | 0.5 | 9.915 | +5.16 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 15.2% | 0.116 | +1.76 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 10.3% | -0.113 | -1.16 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 15.0% | -0.088 | -1.32 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 7.5% | -0.002 | -0.01 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 32.4% | -0.009 | -0.29 |
| Recipe graded poor | 14.0% | -0.045 | -0.63 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 2 | -0.868 | -1.74 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 7.2% | 0.056 | +0.41 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.131 | -13.09 |
| Complete diet | yes | 1.703 | +1.70 |
| Additive penalty | -0.22 | 0.236 | -0.05 |
| 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 | 0.5 | 9.915 | +5.16 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 15.2% | 0.116 | +1.76 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 10.3% | -0.113 | -1.16 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 15.0% | -0.088 | -1.32 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 7.5% | -0.002 | -0.01 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.177 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 32.4% | -0.009 | -0.29 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.371 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.022 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 14.0% | -0.045 | -0.63 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.182 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 2 | -0.868 | -1.74 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 7.2% | 0.056 | +0.41 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.131 | -13.09 |
| 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 | -0.22 | 0.236 | -0.05 |
| 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
- 50.4
- 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.
| Model | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| v2 | 50/100 | current |
| v1 | 50/100 | |
| v1.9 | 50/100 |
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 | 20.5 | 22.5 (band 18 to 40%) | 82.3 |
| Fat | 22 | 24.2 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 5.5 | 6 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Calcium | 0.8 | 0.9 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 81.4 |
| Phosphorus | 0.4 | 0.4 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 72 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 2 | 2 (band 1 to 2%) | 100 |
| Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-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 7 declared nutrients (combined weight 90); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
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 (voluntary) - not on file | 0/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) | 15/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file | 0/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| 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 (Feeding guidance given, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dry dog food to support kidney function and wellbeing in adult and senior dogs with temporary or chronic kidney disease. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Also suitable for dogs with chronic hepatic (liver) disease. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Support kidney function (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Support chronic liver disorders (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| This is balanced with high energy density to give your dog the energy they need from smaller portions – ideal for periods of appetite loss. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| It also features chitosan, an ingredient that binds to phosphorus and reduces levels in the body. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Balanced calcium and phosphorus to protect against secondary hyperparathyroidism. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Adapted protein level to reduce production of uraemic toxins whilst maintaining body condition. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Calcium carbonate to help limit the risk of metabolic acidosis. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps to limit oxidative stress on the kidneys and other organs. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Omega-3 fatty acids support skin and coat health and help to limit inflammation. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Chondroitin sulphate helps to support joint cartilage health. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Chitosan optimises the breakdown and absorption of chondroitin. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| The high energy density meets your dog's energy needs even with smaller portions. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Reduces the risk of inflammation, hyperparathyroidism, urinary tract dysfunction and metabolic acidosis. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| VETERINARY HPM® K1 Kidney Support contains low levels of phosphorus (0.4%) to protect your dog's kidney function. (on page) | Nutrient | Manufacturer assertion |
| High energy density (on page) | High/low level | Manufacturer assertion |
| Low in phosphorous to support kidney function (on page) | High/low level | Manufacturer assertion |
| Contains a restricted amount of high-quality proteins to preserve lean muscle mass whilst considering kidney health. (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| Rich animal ingredients for a taste your dog will love. (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| Omega-3 fatty acids • Help limit inflammation that can lead to joint pain and degeneration. • Help to support joint cartilage health. • Supports joint flexibility. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Chondroitin sulphate • Supports the structure of the joint cartilage. • Helps to prevent the breakdown of cartilage. • Supports the production of lubricating fluid in the joints. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Chitosan • Optimises the breakdown and absorption of chondroitin. • Maintains the integrity of the joint cartilage. • Binds to phosphorus to keep levels low. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Vitamin E • A powerful antioxidant. • Helps limits the effects of inflammatory damage. • Helps limits oxidative stress on the kidneys. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| VETERINARY HPM® K1 Kidney Support contains a restricted amount of high-quality proteins (20.5%) to preserve lean muscle mass without adding additional strain on the kidneys. (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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