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Vital EssentialsFreeze-Dried Chicken Mini Nibs Dog Food
Allergy Risk
This food contains possible allergens for sensitive pets.
Notable Benefits
Ingredients
Numbered in order of predominance by weight, heaviest first. Click any ingredient for details.
Freeze-Dried Chicken Mini Nibs Dog Food ingredients, explained
The recipe is built on chicken: chicken with bone, chicken liver and chicken heart are the first three ingredients. Common dog food allergens on the label: chicken. Omega-3 comes from fish oil, the form dogs use directly.
What this food is made of
The most common protein in pet food, and for dogs one of the most common food allergens, with beef and dairy. If chicken is what your pet reacts to, it hides everywhere: chicken fat, chicken broth, chicken meal, natural flavor. On a label, chicken listed first is weighed with its water still in, so a food leading with fresh chicken often has less chicken protein than one leading with chicken meal. Neither is better; they are different measures.
The liver of the chicken, used both as a nutrient-dense ingredient and as a flavor. It is rich in vitamin A, iron, copper and B vitamins and most pets find it very palatable, which is why it turns up in treats and as a coating on kibble. Because it is chicken, it counts as chicken for a pet with a chicken allergy, even when it appears far down the list.
Heart muscle from the chicken, a lean organ meat rich in taurine, iron and B vitamins. Raw and fresh-food makers use it as a natural source of the taurine cats require. It adds protein without much fat and appears mostly in fresh, frozen and freeze-dried foods. For an allergic pet it is still chicken.
Oil pressed from whole fish, usually menhaden, herring or sardine, added as the source of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA. Those fats support skin, coat, joints and brain development, and a food that names fish oil is delivering them in the form pets use directly. It goes rancid quickly, so look for a preservative named alongside it, usually mixed tocopherols. The species is rarely stated, which matters only if your pet reacts to fish.
Vitamins, minerals and additives (5)
The nutrient pack nearly every complete food carries. Expand to read what each one does.
A fat-soluble antioxidant that protects cells and the fats in the food itself. It is in nearly every complete food, both as a nutrient and, under the name mixed tocopherols, as the natural preservative that keeps fat from going rancid. Deficiency is rare in pets eating a complete diet. Nothing to worry about on a label, and a sign the maker is preserving with vitamin E rather than synthetic chemicals.
A zinc source. Zinc is essential for skin, coat, immunity and wound healing, and deficiency shows up first as crusty skin. Some Arctic breeds absorb it poorly and need more. Sulfate and oxide are inorganic; proteinate or chelate is bound to protein, which brands present as better absorbed. Any of them is normal. Not an allergen.
An iron source. Iron carries oxygen in the blood, and meat supplies much of it, with the mineral supplement making up the rest. Ferrous sulfate is the inorganic form; iron proteinate or chelate is the same mineral bound to a protein fragment, which brands describe as more absorbable. Either is normal. Not an allergen.
A copper source. Copper is essential in small amounts for blood, connective tissue and coat color. Some veterinary nutritionists have questioned whether modern dog foods carry more copper than dogs need, and a few breeds (Bedlington Terriers, Labradors among them) are prone to storing it in the liver. For most pets it is a routine additive. If your dog has a diagnosed liver condition, copper level is worth a vet conversation.
A manganese source. Manganese is needed in tiny amounts for bone, cartilage and enzyme function. Sulfate is the inorganic form; proteinate is the mineral bound to protein. The choice between them is a marketing distinction more than a health one for a healthy pet. Expected, safe, not an allergen.
About this food
When it comes to feeding your dog a raw diet, butcher cut protein provides superior benefits. And our freeze-dried raw mini nibs are the best way to pack tons of responsibly sourced and humanely harvested whole animal protein into every bite, making feeding a raw diet at mealtimes a breeze. The naturally occurring vitamins and minerals found in butcher cut protein builds strong muscles for more play, naturally supports digestive and oral health, and provides essential nutrients for dogs to look and feel their best.
From the manufacturer. May contain marketing language.
Pricing & Formats
Available Sizes
Not specified
Price History
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Guaranteed Analysis
Each bar shows the typical range for dog foods in our database. The marker shows where this product falls.
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.
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Medium riskReview Sources
Our aggregate score is calculated from reviews across multiple retailers