4health dog food equivalent
4Health Dog Food vs Diamond Naturals
What we feed our dogs is extremely important for keeping them healthy. Finding the right products to feed our dogs can sometimes get overwhelming with hundreds of brands out there.
Two fan-favorite choices leading the way in health, price, and overall quality are 4 Health Natural Dog Food from Tractor Supply and Diamond Naturals. Of course, not all dogs are the same, and if your pup has special dietary concerns, it is always good to check with their vet.
4 Health and Diamond are excellent choices for owners looking for all-natural ingredients with plenty of nutrients. Pet owners love these brands for their commitment to serve our canine friends the same quality pet food they feed their own dogs.
Each of these brands has its own benefits, and it is tough to give a clear answer to which dog food is better for your particular dog.
Read below for a detailed comparison of these two dog foods that will help you decide which one is best for your pet.
4Health Dog Food
4Health brand sold exclusively in stores at Tractor Supply or online is deeply committed to the health of your canine by only using vet-recommended ingredients. This means zero artificial colors, dyes, or flavors.
Their passion for animals is reflected in their work and partnership with Paws4People. An organization that helps raise and train service dogs for children and veterans. 4health offers numerous formulas for all kinds of pet owners needs.
Whether you are looking for a grain-free option, a specialty formula built with supplements, or just regular dog food, 4Health is a growing name in natural and healthy pet foods. Flavors include salmon and potato, chicken and rice, and fan-favorite lamb. They offer both dry and wet food for your pup, as well as now offering a line of food for cats.
Ingredients
This is perhaps the most crucial part of choosing food for our dogs. All-natural ingredients are prioritized in all of 4 Healths dog foods.
Real meat is a staple ingredient this brand always uses, whether it is chicken, lamb, or both. 4Health utilizes wholesome grains with zero corn, soy, and wheat filler, which can cause digestion issues and metabolism problems in dogs.
Check out below to see some other ingredients added to 4Health dog food making them one of the most nutritious options for our furry friends.
- Omega Fatty acids found in many fish are added to all their foods which helps produce healthy skin and fur.
- Organic compounds found in animal tissue known as taurine are added to food to promote a healthy heart.
- Antioxidants added for good health and immune function such as zinc, Vitamin B 12, Vitamin E, and many others.
Price
4Health is a decent price point for pet food for the quality offered. Find bags ranging from $8.99 to $44.99. Of course, this is a bit more expensive than some common brands such as Purina or Pedigree with much higher health and nutrient standards.
What owners are saying
4Health has over 20,000 reviews with five stars. Not only do owners love the quality of food their dogs are getting with 4Health, but their pets love it, too! One of their most popular formulas, lamb and rice, is a flavorful favorite of many of our pups. Please read below to see some first-hand testimonials from their customers.
- 4 Health Salmon & Potato has helped my dog with skin conditions so much!! I have a picky eater & she eats this with no hesitation.
- It took us two years to get our Boxer on a grain-free food she could tolerate with her allergies. That 4Health listened to DVMs & buyers and added Taurine to their grain-free kibble now is even more awesome!!
Diamond Naturals
Over the years, more owners have realized the potential health consequences of many ingredients in common dog foods. So, they have switched to more natural foods such as Diamond Naturals.
Diamond is a world-renowned brand that has been producing high-quality pet food for years by incorporating various disciplines of animal care and food biology. Their specialty formulas made for all sizes of dogs, special diets, and even cats can be found at various retailers, in person or online, such as Amazon, Chewy, and Tractor Supply.
They combine veterinary medicine, nutrition, and food microbiology research to help formulate the safest and most powerful superfoods for dogs.
Diamonds website offers a comprehensive review of raw ingredients with nutritional profiles and information for pet owners. Here, you can also find a page that allows you to find the exact formula that best fits your dog based on its size, breed, and dietary needs.
Customers love this user-friendly experience and the level of interaction they get when shopping on Diamond.
Ingredients
Like 4Health, Diamond Naturals prides itself on offering the highest quality of natural and fresh ingredients. The meat used in their ingredients is not only antibiotic and hormone-free but pasture-raised and cruelty-free as well.
Like 4Health, Diamond also utilizes omega fatty acids for healthy skin and fur, as well as staying away from soy, corn, or wheat fillers. Diamond Health infuses all its formulas directed under the guidance of vet medicine to ensure your dog is healthy and active for as long as possible. Check out below to see some of the other amazing added benefits of Diamond Health ingredients.
- They are formulated with K9 Strain probiotics to support healthy digestion.
- Antioxidants such as selenium and vitamin E for healthy immunity and thyroid function.
- Fatty Acid DHA (docosahexaenoic) is present in their formulas to support healthy brain and vision development.
Price
Price points are similar to 4Health, Blue Buffalo, and other natural dog foods. The range for diamond products may be a bit more expensive at about $14-$45, compared to 4Health.
What owners are saying
With tons of 5-star reviews, Diamond is beloved by pet owners and dogs alike. Dont take our word for it, though. Here are some actual reviews by customers who have made the switch to Diamond Naturals.
- I have been using diamond dog food for over 25 years, and no food can compare to the great results Ive had with your products, from my Staffordshire terroirs to my miniature pinscher. I am a loyal customer who stands by your brand. I have never had a problem, only great results.
- our five-year-old Border Collie, Katelyn Grace. She has been on Diamond since she was a puppy, and it gives her the energy she needs to herd the squirrels and deer out of our yard!
Conclusion
So, after going through the major elements of each brand, one thing is sure, both provide pet owners with safe, fresh, and highly nutritious food. While each has its benefits, they tend to be pretty similar in terms of ingredients.
Many customers find Diamond Naturals to offer a more comprehensive shopping process for pet parents. Their website is filled with tons of nutritional information, including raw ingredients and their nutritional profiles for our pets.
While 4Health seems to have a more extensive range and slightly lower prices than Diamond Naturals.
4Health Dog Food Review (Canned)
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Which 4Health Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?
4Health canned dog food receives the Advisors second-highest tier rating of 4.5 stars.
The 4Health product line includes the 7canned dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Product | Rating | AAFCO |
---|---|---|
4Health Chicken and Rice Adult | 4.5 | M |
4Health Salmon and Potato Adult | 4 | M |
4Health Chicken and Vegetable Stew Adult | 4.5 | M |
4Health Puppy Formula | 4 | G |
4Health Beef and Vegetable Stew Adult | 5 | M |
4Health Mature Adult 7+ | 3.5 | M |
4Health Beef and Rice Adult | 4.5 | M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
4Health Chicken and Rice Adult was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
4Health Chicken and Rice
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, brown rice, barley, egg product, dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, guar gum, carrageenan, cassia gum, salt, kelp, rosemary extract, cranberry powder, lecithin, Yucca schidigera extract, ascorbic acid (source of vitamin C), zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, manganese sulfate, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, biotin supplement, folic acid supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1%
Red denotes any controversial items
Guaranteed Analysis | 9% | 6% | NA |
Dry Matter Basis | 41% | 27% | 24% |
Calorie Weighted Basis | 31% | 51% | 18% |
Ingredient Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Chicken is considered the clean combination of flesh and skin derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken.1
Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common addition component in many canned products.
The third ingredient is chicken liver, an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The fourth ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The next ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The sixth item is egg product, an unspecified (wet or dry?) form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The seventh ingredient is dicalcium phosphate, likely used here as a dietary calcium supplement.
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 Tractor Supply product.
With 3 notable exceptions
First, carrageenan is a gelatin-like thickening agent extracted from seaweed. Although carrageenan has been used as a food additive for hundreds of years, there appears to be some recent controversy regarding its long term biological safety.
The article, The Carrageenan Controversy, published in Scientific American, does a good job of addressing this topic.
Next, the the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher quality dog foods.
And lastly, this recipe contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, 4Health canned dog food looks like an above-average wet product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 41%, a fat level of 27% and estimated carbohydrates of about 24%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 40% and a mean fat level of 25%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 27% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 64%.
Which means this 4Health product line contains
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a canned dog food containing a notable amount of meat.
Our Rating of 4Health Dog Food
4Health is a grain-inclusive canned dog food using a notable amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.
Highly recommended.
4Health Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to 4Health through April.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
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More 4Health Reviews
The following 4Health dog food reviews are also posted on this website:
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