Is ACANA dog food OK
ACANA Red Meat
Composition
Raw beef (16%), lamb meal (15%), pearled barley, whole peas, oat groats, pork fat (8%), pork meal (8%), whole oats, chickpea fibre, raw pork (2%), fish oil (1%), potassium chloride, dried kelp, salt, dried chicory root, fresh whole pumpkin, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole carrots, fresh whole apples, fresh whole pears, fresh whole zucchini, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh turnip greens, fresh beet greens, whole cranberries, whole blueberries, whole saskatoon berries, turmeric, milk thistle, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, rosehips.
Analytical Constituents
Crude protein 27 %, Fat content 16 %, Crude ash 8 %, Crude fibre 5 %, Moisture 12 %, Calcium 1.6 %, Phosphorus 1.1 %, Omega-6 FA 2.2 %, Omega-3 FA 0.3 %, DHA / EPA 0.05 % / 0.05 %
Nutritional additives per 1kg: 3a890 Choline chloride (choline): 700 mg, 3a370 Taurine: 400 mg, 3b612 (Zinc: 88 mg), 3b407 (Copper: 5.5 mg), 3a821 Vitamin B1: 100 mg, 3a825i Vitamin B2:20 mg, 3a314 Niacin: 200 mg, 3a841 Calcium-D-pantothenate: 60 mg, 3a831 Vitamin B6: 35 mg, 3a316 Folic Acid: 7 mg, 3a835 Vitamin B12: 0.2 mg, 3a672a Vitamin A: 7500 IU, 3a671 Vitamin D3: 1000 IU, 3a700 Vitamin E: 375 IU, 3a300 Ascorbic acid: 0.15 mg.
Additives per 1kg: Technological additives: 1b306(i) Tocopherol extract from vegetable oils: 110mg, 1a330 citric acid: 40 mg. Sensory additives: Rosemary extract: 75 mg.
Zootechnical additives: 4b1707 Enterococcus faecium DSM 10663/NCIMB 10415: 1109 CFU.
Feeding Guide
Each dog is unique and feeding amounts will vary with age and activity. Please use this chart as an initial guide and adjust amounts accordingly. Feed twice daily and always provide your dog with fresh, clean water.
Metabolizable energy: 3425 kcal/kg (411 kcal per 250ml/120g)
Suitability: Complete food. Formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by FEDIAF for All Life Stages, except for growth of large size dogs (70 lb or more as an adult).
Storage: Once opened, you can safely store ACANA food in its packaging by rolling the top of the bag down after each use. If you live in a humid climate, consider using an airtight container and simply put the entire bag of food in the container. Remember to wash your storage bin whenever you change out your bag of food to ensure that food build-up does not occur.
Also remember to keep the lot number handy. You can find this information, as well as the Best Before date, on the back of the package near the top. Refrigeration of ACANA is not required. Rather than a garage with large temperature fluctuations, the best storage is in your home in a cool, dry place at room temperature.
ACANA Pacifica Dog
Ingredients
Raw whole herring (14%), raw whole mackerel (11%), raw flounder (9%), herring meal (7%), mackerel meal (7%), blue whiting meal (7%), whole green peas, whole red lentils, whole chickpeas, whole green lentils, fish oil (6%), raw whole hake (4.5%), raw whole rockfish (4.5%), whole pinto beans, whole yellow peas, pea starch, sunflower oil, lentil fibre, dried kelp, freeze-dried cod and liver, fresh whole pumpkin, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole carrots, fresh whole apples, fresh whole pears, fresh whole zucchini, dried chicory root, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh turnip greens, fresh beet greens, whole cranberries, whole blueberries, whole saskatoon berries, turmeric, milk thistle, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, rosehips.
ADDITIVES [per kg] Technological additives: Tocopherol extract from vegetable oils: 308mg, citric acid: 40mg. Sensory additives: Rosemary extract: 105mg. Nutritional additives: 3b606 (Zinc: 150mg), 3b406 (Copper: 11mg), 3a821 Vitamin B1: 25mg, 3a841 Vitamin B5: 8mg, 3a831 Vitamin B6: 7.5mg, 3a700 Vitamin E: 100 IU. Zootechnical additives: 4b1707 Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 2.210^6 CFU.
ACANA Pacifica is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by FEDIAF for All Life Stages, including growth of all large size dogs. Store in a cool, dry place. Not fit for human consumption.
Metabolizable Energy is 3850 kcal/kg (462 kcal per 250ml/120g cup), with 36% from protein, 24% from carbohydrates, and 40% from fat.
Acana Dog Food Review (Dry)
The Acana product line includes the 5 dry dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Recipe and Label Analysis
Acana Free-Run Poultry Formula was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The second ingredient is turkey, another quality, raw item inclusive of water.
The third ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
Its important to note that the next 6 out of 10 ingredients included in this recipe are each a type of legume:
- Green peas
- Red lentils
- Pinto beans
- Chickpeas
- Green lentils
- Yellow peas
Although theyre a mixture of quality plant ingredients, theres an important issue to consider here. And thats the recipe design practice known as ingredient splitting.
If we were to combine all these individual items together and report them as one, that newer combination would likely occupy a significantly higher position on the list.
In addition, legumes contain about 25% protein, a factor that must also be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The seventh ingredient in this food is chicken liver, an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The eighth ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesnt sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The ninth ingredient is catfish meal, yet another high protein meat concentrate.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings of commercial fish operations.1
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Champion Petfoods product.
With 4 notable exceptions
First, we find lentil fiber, a mixture of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber derived from lentils. Aside from the usual benefits of fiber, this agricultural by-product provides no other nutritional value to a dog.
Next, fish oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.
In addition, chicory root is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, its also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dogs digestive tract.
And lastly, this food contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Acana Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 33%, a fat level of 19% and estimated carbohydrates of about 40%.
As a group, Acana features an average protein content of 34% and a mean fat level of 18%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 40% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 53%.
Which means this Acana product line contains
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the multiple legumes, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.
Champion Petfoods Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Champion Petfoods through April 2024.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Acana Dry Dog Food
Acana is a grain-free dry dog food using a notable amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.
However, its unfortunate the company chose to include so much plant-based protein in its recipe. Otherwise, we would have been compelled to award this product a higher rating.
ACANA Puppy Recipe
Composition
Fresh chicken (18%), chicken meal (18%), whole red lentils, whole green peas, fresh chicken giblets (liver, heart) (7%), chicken fat (7%), turkey meal (4%), eggs (4%), raw flounder (4%), herring meal (4%), fish oil (3%), whole green lentils, whole chickpeas, whole yellow peas, pea fibre, pea starch, raw turkey livers (1%), salt, dried kelp, fresh whole pumpkin, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole carrots, fresh whole apples, fresh whole pears, fresh whole zucchini, dried chicory root, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh turnip greens, fresh beet greens, fresh whole cranberries, fresh whole blueberries, fresh whole saskatoon berries, turmeric, milk thistle, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, rosehips
ADDITIVES (per kg) Technological additives: With antioxidants. Nutritional additives: Choline chloride (choline): 700 mg, 3b606 (Zinc: 112.5 mg), 3b406 (Copper (II): 11mg), Vitamin B1: 25mg, Vitamin B5: 8 mg, Vitamin B6: 7.5mg, Vitamin A: 7500 IU, Vitamin D: 1000 IU, Vitamin E: 100 IU. Zootechnical additives: 4b1707 Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 2.210^6 CFU.
Metabolizable Energy is 3660 kcal/kg (439 kcal per 250ml/120g cup), with 32% from protein, 22% from carbohydrates, and 46% from fat. ACANA Puppy & Junior is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by FEDIAF for All Life Stages, except for growth of Great Dane puppies prior to 14 weeks.
ACANA Adult Dog Recipe
Composition
Fresh chicken (13%), chicken meal (13%), whole red lentils, whole green peas, whole chickpeas, fresh chicken giblets (liver, heart) (6.5%), turkey meal (6.5%), chicken fat (6%), fresh eggs (4%), raw hake (4%), lentil fibre, pea starch, fish oil (3%), whole green lentils, whole yellow peas, herring meal (3%), raw turkey livers (1%), salt, dried kelp, fresh whole apples, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole carrots, fresh whole pears, fresh whole pumpkin, fresh whole zucchini, dried chicory root, fresh beet greens, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh turnip greens, whole blueberries, whole cranberries, whole saskatoon berries, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, milk thistle, rosehips, turmeric.
Metabolizable energy: 3510 kcal/kg (421 kcal per 250ml/120g cup)
Nutritional additives per 1kg: 3a890 Choline chloride (choline): 700 mg, 3b612 (Zinc: 75 mg), 3b407 (Copper: 11mg), 3a821 Vitamin B1: 100mg, 3a825i Vitamin B2: 20mg, 3a314 Niacin: 200mg, 3a841 Calcium-D-pantothenate: 60mg, 3a831 Vitamin B6: 35mg, 3a316 Folic Acid: 7mg, 3a835 Vitamin B12: 0.2mg, 3a672a Vitamin A: 5625 IU, 3a671 Vitamin D3: 750 IU, 3a700 Vitamin E: 450 IU, 3a300 Ascorbic Acid: 0.15mg.
Additives per 1kg: Technological additives: 1b306(i) Tocopherol extracts from vegetable oils: 121mg, 1a330 citric acid: 40mg. Sensory additives: Rosemary extract: 80mg.
Zootechnical additives: 4b1707 Enterococcus faecium DSM 10663/NCIMB 10415 1109 CFU.
