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Nutra Complete Dog Food Review 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons

Gregory Iacono

By Gregory Iacono

Nutra Complete Dog Food Review

Our Final Verdict

We give Nutra Complete Dog Food a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Nutra Complete dog food is a line of dog food produced by Ultimate Pet Nutrition, a premium brand launched by veterinarian Gary Richter. The doctor developed Nutra Complete products based on his years of experience working in the veterinary field. Although it’s relatively new to the industry, the ultimate Pet Nutrition brand and its Nutra Complete line of food products are held in high regard among veterinarians and dog owners.

The company claims to use only the highest quality ingredients in their premium freeze-dried raw dog food. While that may be true, the exceptionally high cost of its product is why it lags behind competitors in sales. While it’s clearly a high-quality product, it’s priced outside the budget of many dog owners. Due to the extra cost, some use Nutra Complete dog food as a topping or fille. That’s why, even though the food deserves a 5-star rating, we only gave it 4.5 stars.

Nutra Complete Dog Food Reviewed

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites

Rating Image Product Details
Winner
Nutra Complete Premium Beef Dog Food Nutra Complete Premium Beef Dog Food
  • Formulated and manufactured in the USA.
  • Grain-free.
  • Freeze-dried, raw food.
  • Second place
    Nutra Complete Premium Pork Dog Food Nutra Complete Premium Pork Dog Food
  • Freeze-dried, raw food
  • No preservatives or artificial ingredients
  • Formulated and manufactured in the USA
  • At a Glance: The Best Nutra Complete Dog Food Recipes

    Nutrs Complete

    Nutra Complete Dog Food Reviewed

    All the details you need to know about this new, high-quality dog food from Ultimate Pet Nutrition.

    Who makes Nutra Complete, and where is it produced?

    Nutra Complete is the first and only dog food from Ultimate Pet Nutrition (although they make bites and other dog snacks). Ultimate Pet Nutrition is a small American brand based in Encino, California. The product is made in the United States from ingredients sourced in the country, including ranch-raised beef. Nutra has been in business since February 2019 and has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Their alternate business name is Cali Pet Nutrients, LLC, and they employ 41 people as of this writing.

    australian shepherd dog eating
    Image Credit: Ermolaev Alexander, Shutterstock

    Which Type of Dog is Nutra Complete best suited for?

    Although all dogs will benefit from this high-quality, freeze-dried dog food, dogs that are suffering from health problems would likely do best. Many customers’ online reviews mentioned their dogs were revitalized and brought back to better health, thanks to Nutra Complete dog food. The manufacturer claims its food is suitable for adult dogs and puppies.

    Which type of Dog would do better with a different brand?

    Nutra Complete is raw, freeze-dried dog food that comes with the risks inherent in raw foods, including the Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. For this reason, it’s probably best to feed it only to adult dogs, not puppies, but the manufacturer claims it is OK for puppies. However, the risks would be the same, or worse, with another raw dog food brand, and possibly higher since Nutra Complete is produced under strict standards in a human food-grade facility.

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    Discussion of the Primary Ingredients in Nutra Complete

    Raw Beef

    Nutra Complete is made primarily with raw beef. A raw dog food diet, while it has many advocates in the veterinary community, has inherent risks. Those risks include Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause several health problems, including vomiting and diarrhea. The beef in Nutra Complete is purported to be 95% ranch-raised. It is also manufactured in an American facility under strict standards, so the risks are relatively low. The same can be said of the pork in their pork-based recipe.

    Single Protein

    Nutra Complete uses a single protein, beef, and it is freeze-dried, not cooked. For many, this is a positive point. The reason is that when dog food is cooked under high heat, Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) are formed, which have been linked to chronic inflammatory disease in dogs. Freeze-drying the beef eliminates the risk of AGEs and provides food that closely mimics what dogs would eat in the wild.

    Close up of beautiful dog eating from the bowl
    Image credit: dmytro Zinkevych, Shutterstock

    Nutrients

    Prebiotics and antioxidants are added to Nutra Complete, including a wide variety of vitamins and minerals dogs need to stay healthy and fit. These ingredients promote healthier digestion, boost a dog’s health and immune system, and help their bones and muscles stay strong. The recipe, as the manufacturer claims, was formulated by veterinarians.

    Cost

    Nutra Complete dog food is much more expensive than typical dog food. A 16-oz bag of Nutra Complete beef or pork dog food is pricey, but you can get it for slightly less if your purchase multiple bags. That’s a very high price for a small amount of dog food. Yes, it’s superior quality compared to many others, but few people will be able to afford the price of feeding Nutra Complete to their dog as its primary food. Even the manufacturer realizes this point, suggesting to customers that they use Nutra Complete as a “topping” on their dog’s regular kibble.Divider 5

    A Quick Look at Nutra Complete Dog Food

    Pros
    • Single-protein source, ranch-raised beef or pork.
    • Very high-quality ingredients.
    • Balanced nutrition with everything a dog needs to stay healthy.
    • Formulated and manufactured in the USA.
    • Freeze-dried, raw food
    Cons
    • Very expensive.
    • Inherent risks of raw food.

    Recall History of Nutra Complete

    In its 4 years, Ultimate Pet Nutrition and Nutra Complete have never had a recall. However, the food is considered a “nutritional supplement” rather than “dog food” and is thus under less strict recall guidelines.

    Review of the Only 2 Nutra Complete Dog Food Recipes

    Ultimate Pet Nutrition has only two dog food recipes as of this writing. Here are both in more detail:

    1. Nutra Complete Premium Beef Dog Food

    Nutra Complete Premium Beef Dog Food

    Nutra Complete Premium Beef is composed of ranch-raised, high-quality beef, a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and several added vitamins and minerals. It is grain-free, raw, and freeze-dried. Nutra Complete Premium Beef Dog Food has zero fillers and no artificial ingredients.

    It is considered a premium dog food suitable for adult dogs and puppies.

    Pros
    • High-quality beef accounts for the first four ingredients.
    • Formulated and manufactured in the USA.
    • Grain-free.
    • Freeze-dried, raw food.
    • No preservatives or artificial ingredients.
    Cons
    • Very expensive.
    • Inherent risks of raw food.

    2. Nutra Complete Premium Pork Dog Food

    Nutra Complete

    Nutra Complete Premium Pork Dog Food, like its beef counterpart, is a premium food with an accompanying premium price.

    It’s made with ranch-raised, high-quality pork, various fresh fruits and vegetables, and several vitamins and minerals. Nutra Complete Premium Pork Dog Food is raw, grain-free, and has zero fillers and artificial ingredients. The pork in Nutra Complete is American-raised, and all other ingredients are sourced in the United States.

    Pros
    • High-quality pork accounts for the first three ingredients.
    • Formulated and manufactured in the USA.
    • Grain-free.
    • Freeze-dried, raw food.
    • No preservatives or artificial ingredients.
    Cons
    • Very expensive.
    • Inherent risks of raw food.

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    What Other Users Are Saying

    Divider 5Conclusion

    Nutra Complete is possibly one of the best dog foods on the market. It uses high-quality, single-protein meats (beef or pork) sourced in the United States. It has no fillers, no artificial ingredients, and is loaded with highly nutritious ingredients. Online reviews are mostly positive except for the price of the food. Still, for the money, many consider Nutra Complete from Ultimate Pet Nutrition to be worth the relatively high cost.

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