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 k/d with Lamb Dog Food
Dry Extruded complete veterinary diet
Is Hill's Pet Nutrition k/d with Lamb Dog Food a good dog food?
We score it 46/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
The overall score is 46 out of 100. Ingredients without printed percentages contributed -10.6, and the processing format contributed -6.7. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +4.7, while the carbohydrate content contributed -2.8. 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.
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.
- Recipe46
- Nutritionallow77
- Transparency50
- Safety100
- Evidencemoderate100
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.
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
- Only protein, fat and fibre declared; ash and moisture missing from the analysis.
- 100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 15.80%
- Fat
- 22.60%
- Fibre
- 1.80%
- Carbohydrates
- 55%
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- 1.20%
- Calcium
- 0.66%
- Phosphorus
- 0.32%
- Sodium
- 0.16%
Energy: 405 kcal/100g
Dry matter basis
- Protein
- 15.80%
- Fat
- 22.60%
- Fibre
- 1.80%
- Carbohydrates
- 55%
Additives & feeding info
Technological additives
Mixed Tocopherols for freshness
Feeding guide
Adult maintenance: feed according to weight (e.g. 5 lb/2.3 kg = 1/2 cup/55 g; 10 lb/4.5 kg = 3/4 cup/85 g; 20 lb/9.1 kg = 1 1/4 cup/140 g; 50 lb/23 kg = 2 1/2 cup/285 g; 100 lb/45 kg = 4 1/4 cup/480 g). Gradually transition over 7 days or more. Exclusively feed the recommended Prescription Diet dry and wet foods. Keep fresh water available at all times. Have your veterinarian monitor your pet's condition.
Reviews
Trustpilot: 3.0/5 · 3 reviews
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Doesn't list beef, turkey, venison, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists chicken
- Your dog avoids lamb: the label lists lamb
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists fish oil
- Your dog avoids pork: it is listed as an ingredient
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists rice - brown / whole grain
- 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. Use the homepage filter to find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (22)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brown Rice | Rice - brown / whole grain | carb | medium | - | 6.0 |
| 2 | Brewers Rice | Rice - white | carb | medium | - | 5.8 |
| 3 | Chicken Fat | Chicken Oil and Fat | oil | medium | - | 5.7 |
| 4 | Lamb | Lamb | meat | medium | - | 5.6 |
| 5 | Soybean Meal | Soybean Meal | carb | poor | - | 5.4 |
| 6 | Cracked Pearled Barley | Barley | carb | medium | - | 5.3 |
| 7 | Dried Beet Pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre | medium | - | 5.2 |
| 8 | Egg Product | Egg | meat | good | - | 5.0 |
| 9 | Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor | Chicken | meat | medium | - | 4.9 |
| 10 | Fish Oil | Fish Oil | oil | good | - | 4.7 |
| 11 | Soybean Oil | Soybean oil | oil | medium | - | 4.6 |
| 12 | Pork Liver Flavor | Liver | meat | good | - | 4.5 |
| 13 | Lactic Acid | unmatched | - | - | - | 4.3 |
| 14 | L-Lysine | Lysine | supplement | medium | - | 4.2 |
| 15 | Calcium Carbonate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement | medium | - | 4.1 |
| 16 | Calcium Sulfate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement | medium | - | 3.9 |
| 17 | Potassium Citrate | Potassium Citrate | mineral | good | - | 3.8 |
| 18 | Betaine | Vitamin & Mineral Premix | supplement | medium | - | 3.7 |
| 19 | Oat Bran | Oat bran | fibre | good | - | 3.5 |
| 20 | DL-Methionine | Methionine | supplement | good | - | 3.4 |
| 21 | Potassium Chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement | medium | - | 3.3 |
| 22 | Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) | Fructo-oligosaccharides | supplement | good | - | 3.1 |
Brand
- 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.
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 2026-09-26. 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 | 0.5 | 9.191 | +4.68 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 24.7% | -0.115 | -2.84 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 18.5% | -0.092 | -1.70 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 29.2% | -0.012 | -0.36 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 2.7% | -0.027 | -0.07 |
| Recipe graded poor | 5.4% | -0.065 | -0.35 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 5.4% | 0.060 | +0.33 |
| 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 |
| 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 | 0.5 | 9.191 | +4.68 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 24.7% | -0.115 | -2.84 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 18.5% | -0.092 | -1.70 |
| 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 | 29.2% | -0.012 | -0.36 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.375 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 2.7% | -0.027 | -0.07 |
| Recipe graded poor | 5.4% | -0.065 | -0.35 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 5.4% | 0.060 | +0.33 |
| 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 | 0.00 | 0.222 | +0.00 |
| 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
- 45.7
- Final score
- 46/100
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 | 15.8 | 17.5 (band 18 to 40%) | 67.9 |
| Fat | 22.6 | 25 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 1.8 | 2 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 89.9 |
| Calcium | 0.66 | 0.7 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 76.9 |
| Phosphorus | 0.32 | 0.4 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 61.9 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 2.1 | 2.1 (band 1 to 2%) | 96.9 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 405 | 447.5 | 50 |
Scored over 7 declared nutrients (combined weight 90); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 9.5% from the food type.
Portion-control flag: 405 kcal/100g as fed with fat at 25% dry matter, above the reference band. High-energy foods need smaller portions.
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.
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.
100/100 · moderate — 1 checkable claim: 1 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "complete and balanced nutrition for maintenance of adult dogs" — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.
8 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Moderate: every checkable claim is consistent with the declared label.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ActivBiome+ Kidney Defense, a proprietary blend of prebiotics shown to nourish the gut microbiome to help support kidney function (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Proprietary technology clinically proven to stimulate appetite and encourage food intake of dogs with kidney disease (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated to promote a urinary environment that reduces the risk of developing struvite & calcium oxalate crystals (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Clinically proven nutrition to improve & lengthen quality of life (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Reduced phosphorus & sodium, enriched with omega-3 fatty acids (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| U.S. Veterinarians' #1 Recommended Brand (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| 100% Satisfaction guarantee (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| With lamb (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| complete and balanced nutrition for maintenance of adult dogs (on pack) | Content | consistent | 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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