10 Best Vet-Recommended Dog Foods – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks
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Choosing the right food for your dog is a difficult decision. There are so many brands on the market making claims to be the best. Of course, not all dog foods are made equal. This leaves you, as a loving pet parent, trying to navigate through the good and the bad that the world of dog food has to offer. This is all in an attempt to keep your pooch fed, happy and healthy; fortunately, we’re here to help. We’ve spent lots of time working with our veterinarians to provide the best selections. Take a look at our reviews of the top 10 vet-recommended dog foods of the year
The information in this article has been checked by one of our in-house veterinarians but should be used only as guidance. It is not a replacement for individual veterinary advice and clinical examination.
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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
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Best Overall
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Farmer’s Dog Fresh Chicken Recipe |
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Budget Buy
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Wellness Complete Health Adult Lamb & Barley Recipe |
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Premium Choice
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Nom Nom Turkey Fare |
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| Best for Puppies |
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Royal Canin Small Puppy Dry Food |
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Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic + Mobility Dog Food |
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The 10 Best Vet-Recommended Dog Foods
1. Farmer’s Dog Fresh Chicken Recipe – Best Overall
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, Brussels sprouts, chicken liver, bok choy, broccoli |
| Protein content: | 11.5% |
| Fat content: | 8.5% |
| Calories: | 590 per pound |
Our choice for the best overall vet-recommended dog food is Farmer’s Dog Chicken Recipe. If your dog is healthy and free of food allergies, Farmer’s Dog Chicken Recipe is an excellent choice for their mealtimes. Packed with nutrients, this food features only the finest ingredients and essentials to keep your dog healthy. The chicken, which is the first ingredient, is USDA human-grade. You’ll also find chicken liver, healthy veggies like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, and fish oil to ensure your pet receives a balanced meal. Even better, Farmer’s Dog takes your dog’s needs into account and sends pre-packaged meals to make your life easier.
The only issue we have with Farmer’s Dog is that you must order a subscription to access this food. This may seem troubling to some pet parents, but the serving convenience outweighs this issue in our opinion.
- USDA human-grade chicken is the main ingredient
- Packed with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients
- Packaged with your dog in mind
- Requires a subscription
2. Wellness Complete Health Adult Lamb & Barley Recipe Natural Dry Dog Food – Budget Buy
| Main ingredients: | Lamb, lamb meal, oatmeal, ground barley, menhaden fish meal, ground brown rice |
| Protein content: | 24% |
| Crude fat content: | 12% |
| Calories: | 417 kcal per cup |
Our best value choice of vet-recommended dog foods is Wellness Complete Health Adult Lamb & Barley Recipe. Getting high-quality dry dog food does not mean you need to go over budget. This recipe uses non-GMO ingredients and zero artificial preservatives. Wellness Complete Health focuses on adding foods with antioxidants, probiotics, and omega fatty acids. We selected the Lamb & Barley recipe as our choice, but there are three other flavors: Beef & Barley, Deboned Chicken & Oatmeal, and Whitefish & Sweet Potato. The Whitefish recipe does have peas within the top 3 ingredients and some people prefer to avoid this.
Lamb is considered a novel protein, so this would be a good choice for dogs that have food sensitivities to other animal proteins but note it does contain chicken fat. Some people were concerned about the inclusion of garlic powder on the list of ingredients, but in this small amount, it can be beneficial. Never add garlic to your pet’s meals without discussing it with a veterinarian.
- Animal protein is the first two ingredients
- Oatmeal and barley are excellent sources of fiber
- Made with non-GMO ingredients
- Four different flavor options
- A bit high in calories
- Lamb is a novel protein
3. Nom Nom Turkey Fare – Premium Choice
| Main ingredients: | Turkey, brown rice, eggs, carrots, spinach |
| Protein content: | 10% |
| Crude fat content: | 5% |
| Calories: | 168 kcal per cup |
For those looking for a fresh food option, we recommend the Nom Nom Turkey Fare. Fresh food is becoming popular among dog owners, and when stored properly, it can be an excellent source of protein and vegetables. Nom Nom’s recipes are formulated by veterinary nutritionists, which can give you reassurance that the recipe is full of the vitamins and minerals that your dog needs daily. If you want to order food from Nom Nom, they will ask you a few questions to tell you how much of their food you should feed them. This is extremely helpful because you don’t want to overfeed (or underfeed) your dog.
Nom Nom recipes can be found at select PetSmart stores in the USA; however, this does not mean they are available at ALL stores. Your local PetSmart might not carry it, or at least the recipe you want. It might be easier to do their subscription plan and have the food delivered to your door.
- Meat as the main ingredient
- Includes vegetables and fruit for added vitamins and minerals
- Four recipes are available
- Not available at all PetSmart stores
- A bit pricey
4. Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Small Puppy Dry Dog Food — Best for Puppies
| Main ingredients: | Chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, chicken fat, wheat gluten, corn |
| Protein content: | 29% |
| Crude fat content: | 18% |
| Calories: | 349 kcal per cup |
The Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Small Puppy Dry Dog Food is ideal for your small breed pup (expected adult weight 9-22lbs). With chicken as the base protein source, it is easy to digest and will help your pup develop a healthy coat, skin, cartilage and muscles. The recipes are developed by specialist veterinary nutritionists, so you know that there is the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in this recipe to provide a well-balanced meal. This food offers tailored nutrition to support the growth and development of your puppy’s brain, immune and digestive systems. Your pup will also enjoy the bite-size pieces that are easy for most to chew. Don’t worry if you have a larger pup; there is a version for them, too, with medium and large breed options.
Some reviewers mentioned that their pups seemed put off by the smell of the food and that they themselves didn’t like the fatty feel of the food when handling.
- Well-balanced recipe
- Supports healthy development
- Great kibble size for small puppies
- May not like the smell
- Some reported a slightly greasy texture
5. Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic + Mobility Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken meal, brewers rice, flaxseed, soybean meal, and whole grain corn |
| Protein content: | 23% |
| Fat content: | 13% |
| Calories: | 292 kcal per cup |
When it comes to giving your dog the best and helping them lose a little weight in the process, a prescription diet is the answer. Unfortunately, when a dog is overweight, mobility issues often develop as well. If you need some help shedding your dog’s extra pounds, turning to Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic + Mobility Chicken Flavor Dry Food is a great choice. This food has increased fiber to keep dogs feeling fuller longer and a special formula that works to boost your dog’s metabolic rate. Not only this but it is clinically proven to improve mobility and reduce body weight. Following this plan is better than drastically cutting back the amount of food you normally feed your dog, as this prescription food ensures they are still getting the vitamins, minerals, and nutrition they need. Keep in mind this food does require a veterinarian prescription to purchase.
Unfortunately some pet parents report their pooch doesn’t like the flavor of this food. Another concern is the size of the food pieces for smaller dog breeds.
- Great for overweight dogs
- Supports better mobility
- Clinically proven to work
- Some dogs may not like the flavor
- Food pieces are quite large for smaller dog breeds
6. Annamaet Original 31% Senior Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Lamb meal, millet, whitefish meal, brown rice, sorghum, dried eggs |
| Protein content: | 31% |
| Crude fat content: | 13% |
| Calories: | 366 kcal per cup |
If you have a senior dog, you understand how important it is for them to have food that promotes and maintains muscle mass. Annamaet Original 31% Senior Dog Food is a veterinary nutritionist-formulated recipe with a higher protein content than standard dry foods. The combination of protein and L-carnitine helps support your senior’s muscle health. Plus, the added medium-chain triglycerides are beneficial for brain function.
There is only one recipe of Annamaet Original 31%: lamb meal. This means that if your dog has a food allergy to lamb, this brand does not offer any other options for seniors.
- High in protein, essential for muscle maintenance
- Added L-carnitine and medium-chain triglycerides
- Millet is a good source of fiber
- Only comes in one flavor
- Protein content might be too much for some dogs
7. Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Lamb & Blueberry Medium & Maxi Adult Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Lamb, dehydrated lamb, whole spelt, whole oats, dried whole eggs, fresh herring, dehydrated herring |
| Protein content: | 28% |
| Crude fat content: | 18% |
| Calories: | 394 kcal per cup |
If you are looking for a unique recipe, we recommend Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Lamb & Blueberry Medium Maxi Adult Dog Food. Using lamb, eggs, and herring as the main animal proteins, this recipe also incorporates fiber-rich spelt and oats. Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Lamb & Blueberry is a low glycemic formula, which will not spike your dog’s blood sugar compared to some other lesser-quality dry foods. This recipe is also pea and legume-free. In addition to the Lamb & Blueberry recipe, you can also opt for the Chicken & Pomegranate.
Some dogs might not like the main ingredients as it is a unique blend of proteins.
- High protein content
- 90% of protein is from animal sources
- Contains spelt and oats for fiber
- A little pricey
- Some dogs do not like the flavor
8. Nutro Ultra Grain-Free Trio Protein Chicken, Lamb & Whitefish Pate With Superfoods Adult Wet Dog Food Trays
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, lamb, whitefish, spinach |
| Protein content: | 8% |
| Fat content: | 5% |
| Calories: | 98 kcal per tray |
Pate-style foods are a great choice for dogs who might be a bit picky and want food with a softer texture. Nutro Ultra Grain-Free Trio Protein Chicken, Lamb & Whitefish Pate With Superfoods will be a good choice for them. Packed full of non-GMO animal protein, this recipe is grain-free. However, the inclusion of spinach, tomatoes, and carrots adds to the overall fiber content. You can use this food on its own or as a topper on your choice of dry food.
If you do use this food on its own, the costs might start to add up because you will need to use several trays to meet the calorie and nutrient requirements for larger dogs. It might be better used as a topper for larger breeds.
- Contains three types of animal protein
- Non-GMO ingredients
- Pate is easily digestible
- May need to give larger breeds multiple trays
- Grain-free recipe
9. Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Turkey, Trout & Spelt Adult Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Deboned turkey, chicken meal, oats, barley, turkey meal, brown rice |
| Protein content: | 27% |
| Fat content: | 16% |
| Calories: | 431 kcal per cup |
Next on our list is Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Turkey, Trout & Spelt Adult Dry Dog Food. This is a unique blend of turkey, chicken, and trout for essential animal protein and amino acids for muscle and heart health, along with oats and barley for fiber and healthy grains. This recipe is also full of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. While trout is in the recipe’s title, turkey and chicken are the frontrunners. In addition, this recipe has more calories per cup, so it might not be the best choice for dogs prone to weight gain.
- Turkey and chicken meal are the first ingredients
- Full of amino acids and omega fatty acids
- Oats and barley for fiber
- Trout is a minimal ingredient
- High in calories per cup
10. Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Beef & Rice Entrée
| Main ingredients: | Beef, water, liver, meat by-product, and chicken |
| Protein content: | 9% |
| Fat content: | 6% |
| Calories: | 431 kcal per can |
Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Beef & Rice Entrée can be used as a complete meal or added to dry food as a topper. This wet food recipe is ideal for most dogs, including size and life stage. Beef is the primary ingredient but Purina makes sure to include healthy grains, vitamins, and minerals so your dog gets what they need. You’ll find that the food’s texture is ground. This means your pooch can’t pick and choose what they eat and gets all their nutrition when having their food.
It’s important to know your dog’s reactions to foods before you invest in a lot of new products. If your dog has a sensitive stomach or is a picky eater, it may have issues with this recipe. Luckily, Purina offers lots of others to try.
- Well-balanced nutrition
- More affordable than other top options
- Uses real beef as the main ingredient
- May be difficult for dogs with sensitive stomachs
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Vet-Recommended Dog Food
Now that we’ve reviewed our favorite vet-recommended dog foods, let’s discuss what to consider when choosing your favorite.
Ingredients
Possibly the most important aspect to keep in mind when choosing dog food for your dog is the ingredients. Our pets are family. Just like ourselves or our children, we naturally want them to eat the best. This can mean food that is crafted with high-quality proteins and unusual fruit and vegetables for fiber and antioxidants. However, budget, personal preference, health and age also come into play, as long as a food has been formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and carries the AAFCO statement to say it is complete and balanced, more pocket friendly foods are also good. You’ll want to look out for protein sources, healthy fats and oils, some carbohydrates and also vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to help keep your pooch in tip top condition.
Price
Unfortunately, with the cost of everything in the world on the rise, dog food is becoming more expensive. Honestly, if you want your pooch to have human-grade ingredients, you’ll find yourself having to pay for it. However, if you’re on a budget, we have included a best-value option to help you stay on budget while still offering your pet vet-recommended dog food. We can also consider the environmental impact of recipes and so more meat may not always be for the best all round.
Your Dog’s Needs
You can’t simply go out and grab puppy food for your large-breed adult dog. It’s important that when you choose dog food, you keep your dog’s individual needs in mind. Foods should be age-appropriate, designed for the type of dog you have, and adhere to specific dietary requirements recommended by your veterinarian. High energy working dogs will have different requirements to a sedentary senior dog with health problems.
Our Vet-Recommended Dog Foods Selection Process
When it comes to selecting products, Hepper has a committed team of writers and editors who work closely with licensed veterinarians to find the very best in today’s market. Together, they consider customer feedback, brand reputation, veterinary expertise, and whenever possible, hands-on testing. We aim to select and review the highest-quality products to help you make informed choices that meet both your and your pet’s needs.
Why Trust Hepper?
Since 2007, Hepper has been a trusted and growing online brand and resource with the edge of creating and retailing our own line of cat furniture, toys, and gear, and pet consumables, giving us valuable insights into how to choose dog foods. Our driven team of pet-loving writers, editors, and veterinarians is dedicated to empowering our readers to make the best decisions for their animal companions. Our priority lies in providing top-notch information and recommendations. Our team is genuinely invested in the health and well-being of all pets worldwide, believing that expert knowledge is crucial for achieving this goal.
Conclusion
By choosing any of the foods in this review, you’ll be on the right track with a good diet for your pet. For the best overall vet-recommended dog food, we suggest giving Farmer’s Dog Fresh Chicken Recipe a shot. This food is designed for your dog’s feeding needs and provides all the nutrition your pet requires for a healthy diet. If you’re on a budget, Wellness Complete Health Adult Lamb & Barley Recipe is a great option. Not only is this food beneficial and healthy for your dog, but it is more affordable than many others on our list. Our Premium Choice is Nom Nom Turkey Fare, a fresh food option that can be delivered right to your door.
Also see:
- Where to Get Free Dog Food Samples: Options & Tips
- How Do I Calculate Phosphorus in Dog Food? Important Facts to Know
Featured Image Credit: Sergey Fatin, Shutterstock
