Super-premium medicinal dog food: range and features

Review article about super-premium dog food - what kind of class it is, how it differs from the rest + list of food manufacturers. Every dog owner wants to see their pet healthy, active and cheerful. A good owner understands that a pet’s quality of life directly depends on its nutrition. After all, properly selected food can protect the animal from many health problems, and its owner from unnecessary worries, unplanned visits to the veterinary clinic and unexpected expenses. In this article we will look at which super premium dog foods are best to use to feed your pet, all their features and types, and we will also look at the most popular manufacturers. We will also try to figure out what determines the high cost of this feed segment.

First of all, super premium dog food is a product created by professionals. A large number of veterinarians and scientists are working on the development of the recipe and composition for these foods, based on the results of modern research. Due to huge competition, each manufacturer strives to improve the quality of its product. Many even have their own farms for raising poultry and livestock, the meat of which is used in the production of super premium dog food.

Features of super premium food

The concept of this group of foods is to select ingredients in such a way as to create a diet that has the greatest bioavailability for the dog’s body. In other words, so that each component contained in the food is absorbed to the maximum and benefits the four-legged pet. Therefore, a distinctive feature of super premium dog food is its high protein content of animal origin, and a minimal amount of plant proteins.

Why are amino acids needed?

Animal protein provides the dog with all the necessary amino acids (taurine, arginine, methionine), which are not produced by the body on its own. In plant proteins, the proportion of such amino acids is too small, or there are none at all. And economy and premium food for dogs contains a large percentage of grain products and a smaller percentage of meat products. Hence the high price of super premium segment feeds, because animal products are much more expensive than cereals.

On average, super premium dog food contains from 40% to 60% of various types of meat - these figures may vary from one manufacturer to another. The main part comes from poultry meat - chicken, chicken, duck or turkey. Lamb, rabbit, beef and freshwater or saltwater fish are also used. The more diverse the composition, the more complete the pet’s diet and the better its digestibility, and this is the main criterion for the quality of food.

Grain-free and special foods

Almost all brands of super premium dog food produce separate lines that are completely free of grains. The key argument in favor of this diet is the carnivorous nature of dogs. After all, their physiology is more suitable for consuming animal proteins, and ingredients such as corn or soy are practically not digestible, and therefore do not benefit the four-legged pet’s body. It is not difficult to recognize such a product - the manufacturer always indicates on the package that this is grain-free super premium dog food.

To make it easier for the dog owner to choose a diet that is optimal for the pet, manufacturers produce different foods taking into account the age, size and special needs (pregnancy of the dog). For pets who undergo intense physical activity (training, hunting), a separate super premium class food for active dogs is available. Also, many brands have a separate group of medicinal foods and even individual diets for certain breeds of dogs, taking into account the special physiological needs of these animals.

The list of super premium dog foods that are most popular and of good quality is given below:

Orijen
Hill's Science Plan
Royal Canin
Acana
Pro Plan
Eukanuba
Canidae
Brit Care
1st Choice
Profine
Animonda
Belcando
Mono
Advance
Pro Pac

Luxury dog food

The super premium category includes professional dog food that contains the highest quality ingredients, taking into account all the necessary proportions (the balance of protein, amino acids and minerals is maintained).

- When is lunch?..

When creating a product, manufacturers must take into account:

age of the animal;
dog breed;
health status;
physiological characteristics.

Elite food is characterized by a high content (at least 40%) of meat and a complete absence of soy and preservatives (the dog’s stomach cannot digest them).

Super premium class is divided into several groups:

dietary feed;
grain-free;
medicinal;
elite.

The best brands are those that contain several different types of meat. At the same time, there should be a minimum amount of grain crops (the best option for super premium products is grain-free dog food). Thanks to the ratings, the owner can choose for the pet exactly the product that best meets the stated requirements, and its price and quality perfectly correlate with each other.

Dry food

All of the listed feed brands offer a high quality product, perfectly balanced in its composition. However, this does not guarantee that all super premium dog foods listed here will be suitable for your pet. When choosing a suitable diet, you need to take into account many nuances. For example, some dog breeds have a tendency to overeat; for them, you need to choose food with a low carbohydrate content, but there should be more protein in their diet. After all, carbohydrates are quickly broken down, and the feeling of hunger after eating high-carbohydrate foods also comes quickly. Protein, on the contrary, is absorbed gradually, so the feeling of fullness lasts longer. Finding the best super premium dog food requires a strictly individual approach.

List of the most popular brands of super premium dry food:

Royal Canin
Acana
Eukanuba
Pro Plan
Hill's Science Plan
Orijen

Each of these manufacturers makes excellent super premium dog food, reviews of which are often positive. The main reason for this is the fact that all components of dry food in this segment are products suitable for human consumption. These ingredients undergo strict selection and quality control. In the production of food, only fresh and natural vegetables and fruits, meat, fish, grains and medicinal herbs are used. A priori, they contain no synthetic impurities, dyes or preservatives. Super premium dry dog food always contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which the body does not produce on its own. Their source can be animals (salmon, herring) or vegetable fats, but Omega-3 coming from plants (soybeans, flax) is not absorbed by the dog’s body. Therefore, super premium dog food includes higher quality animal fats.

For small breeds

Representatives of small breeds (weighing from 1 to 10 kg) are characterized by mobility and high excitability. Such dogs are predisposed to the following diseases:

the appearance of tartar;
dislocation of the kneecap;
obesity (if we are talking about neutered pets).

Also, small breed dogs quite often suffer limb injuries and traumatic brain injuries.

To avoid these problems, your pet needs to be fed special dietary foods. These products contain large quantities of protein, linoleic acid and B vitamins. Thanks to these components, small dogs are highly active. The composition of dietary feed helps strengthen the animal’s bones, prevents the accumulation of extra pounds, and prevents the formation of tartar and the development of allergies.

Wet food

Super premium canned dog food is another convenient option for feeding your pet. Based on their composition, they are divided into gourmet and complete diets. Delicatessen foods can be called additional nutrition, because they cannot replace the main meal. As a rule, the manufacturer indicates on the label what type of food it is.

Super premium wet dog food is usually made only from fresh meat, without the use of dyes, animal flour or by-products. In this way, manufacturers ensure that their products have the highest bioavailability of proteins. This means that this food is a 100% natural, nutritious product.

The most famous canned food for dogs of super premium class:

Animonda
Eukanuba
Royal Canin
Hill's Science Plan
Belcando
Arden Grange
Pro Plan

Wet food uses a greater variety of meats than dry food. For example: rabbit, horse meat, venison, duck, lamb, quail meat, tuna. Of course, because of this, canned food tastes better, but it costs more than dry food. As cereal ingredients, they can contain not only the usual rice, but also rarer components, for example, spelt or barley. Spelled is rich in calcium and fiber, improves intestinal processes and prevents diseases such as osteoporosis. Barley acts as a natural anti-inflammatory agent.

Medicinal and feed for breeds

A wide range of wet food diets is especially relevant when choosing super premium food for small breed dogs. It is among them that animals that are picky eaters or have poor appetite are most often found. These foods will also make it easier when choosing food for pets who suffer from food intolerance to certain foods or are prone to allergies.

A very large niche among canned dogs is occupied by super premium medicinal dog food. There are veterinary diets for dogs with digestive disorders, kidney failure, urolithiasis, diabetes, heart disease and many others. The main advantages of wet therapeutic diets over the same dry foods are their high palatability, as well as their special consistency, which facilitates artificial feeding of a sick animal.

Compound

Complete food for adult dogs of all breeds with turkey Hill's Science Plan™ Canine Adult Savory Turkey (USA) contains:

Turkey meat (not less than) 11%, pearl barley, beef meat, pork liver, dry whey, protein hydrolysate, fats of animal and vegetable origin, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, iodized salt, vitamin complex and micronutrient supplements. Content of vitamins and microelements: Vit. A - 7210 IU/kg, Vit. D - 300 IU/kg, vitamin E - 45 mg/kg, moisture - 74.5%, fats -3.8%, fiber - 0.3%, protein - 6%, potassium - 0.16%, phosphorus - 0 .13%, calcium – 0.15%, sodium – 0.05%, magnesium – 0.02%, carbohydrates – 12%, copper – 3.7 mg/kg, fatty acids: Omega-3 – 0.08%, Omega -6 – 0.87% . Energy value per 100 g: 101 kcal or 421 kJ. The recommended feeding rate per day for a dog weighing 10 kg is 1.5–2 cans of 370 g each. The price of a 370g can is about 190 rubles.

Eukanuba

Eukanuba food is one of the best and most recognized manufacturers of super premium dog food not only in Russia, but throughout the world. The brand has gained wide popularity thanks to the painstaking work of the company’s specialists, who have been distributing and improving diets for four-legged creatures for 60 years. Thus, Eukanuba food for puppies contains a lot of proteins and fats, and is designed specifically for the accelerated metabolism that puppies are characterized by. It contains freeze-dried meat, corn, wheat, rice, sugar beet powder, and egg powder. The product is enriched with vitamins and microelements, and the granules are convenient for even the smallest puppies to eat. It is worth noting that special food for puppies must be introduced gradually over several days, mixed with the usual diet.

Variety of assortment:

Mostly, the manufacturer offers dry food for puppies. The line includes food with lamb and rice for puppies of all breeds, medium breeds and small breeds Eukanuba Dog, for puppies of small breeds Eukanuba Puppy, for puppies of miniature breeds Eukanuba Puppy Toy Breed, for puppies with lamb and rice Puppy&Junior Lamb&Rice. They also produce canned Eukanuba Puppy Chicken with chicken in sauce for puppies.

Pros:

Balanced diet
Small granules
Good value for money.

Minuses:

Contains hydrolysates of animal proteins
Contains a significant amount of high-carbohydrate grains.

Specialized feed

For dogs with allergies

There are many reasons for allergies in our pets. Hypoallergenic super premium dog food can only help in case of food allergies. According to statistics, this is every fifth case. In other situations, an allergic reaction can occur due to insect bites (fleas), due to parasites (worms) and even with the wrong shampoo for dogs. Some dog breeds are genetically predisposed to allergies and have an innate hypersensitivity to specific food components.

Often, such a reaction manifests itself in the form of a rash on the animal’s skin, itching occurs, dandruff may appear and hair may fall out. Also, food intolerance affects the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract: diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, flatulence or intestinal grumbling. In such situations, it is imperative to switch your pet to a diet. Super premium hypoallergenic dog food is an elimination diet containing a very limited number of ingredients. They replace those food ingredients that most often cause allergies (chicken) with other sources of protein.

If you pay attention to the price, then, for example, hypoallergenic super premium dog food Akana will cost much more than its competitors, but the products of this brand are guaranteed to relieve your pet from the manifestations of an annoying illness.

In this category of food we can recommend Acana Lamb & Okanagan Apple (price of 18 kg bag - 7400 rubles), Royal Canin Anallergenic AN18 (8 kg pack will cost 3600 rubles) and Eukanuba Dermatosis FP (cost of 12 kg bag - 4200 rubles)

For small breed dogs

Mini-breed dogs (weighing from 1 to 10 kg) also have their own dietary characteristics. For them, manufacturers have separately created super premium food for small dogs, which takes into account the need for more energy. It contains more protein to maintain the dog's optimal physical shape, amino acids, vitamin and mineral complexes. As well as small granules for more comfortable nutrition.

When recommending super premium food for small breed dogs, we will focus on the brands Hills, Royal Canin and 1st choice

For large breed dogs

Dogs weighing more than 25 kg are large and especially need an additional source of substances that prevent diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, in addition to the main high-quality ingredients, glucosamine and chondroitin are added to super premium food for large dogs. These components strengthen the joints and help prevent arthritis, thereby keeping the dog's joints healthy for many years. Another important point for large breeds is the presence in the food of substances that prevent the occurrence of heart problems. For example, the Czech manufacturer Brit, whose super premium dog food is very popular, copes with this task perfectly - this food already includes substances that minimize the risk of developing arrhythmia in large dogs.

Our recommendation in this group of foods is Eukanuba and 1st choice.

For spayed and neutered dogs

After the castration or sterilization procedure, hormonal changes occur in the dog’s body. This entails the need to change the pet’s diet. Super premium food for neutered dogs is a balanced diet that meets the special needs of these animals. It contains low-calorie ingredients that help maintain a healthy dog's weight and also prevents obesity. For obese dogs, this type of food is recommended for gradual weight loss. Also, in the formulation of these foods, special attention is paid to the prevention of urolithiasis, because after castration or sterilization, the likelihood of its occurrence becomes higher.

Our portal recommends super premium food for sterilized dogs from the brand Eukanuba Daily Care Overweight, Sterilized (price per pack of 2.5 kg - 1300 rubles) or Pro Plan All Size Adult Light/Sterilised (pack of 3 kg will cost 900 rubles)

Brit Care

Brit Care food is produced in the Czech Republic and is classified as a super premium class of dog food. It is quite popular among feeds on the domestic market, and this is not surprising, because it contains many vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, B, D, iodine, tocopherol, selenium, biotin, and many other useful substances. The source of animal protein is lamb flour, as well as by-products such as heart and liver. Brit Care puppy food supports skeletal growth and protects cartilage with calcium, phosphorus and high levels of glucosamine and chondroitin, as well as improving mental performance, the nervous system and the intestines and liver. In addition, nutrition helps support immunity and protect health - it reduces the amount of pathogenic microflora in the intestines and maintains the good condition of the digestive tract. Brit Care diets are quite varied, and you can find suitable food for even the most demanding tailed friend.

Variety of assortment:

The Brit Care line of food is quite wide, mainly dry food for puppies: Brit Care Mini Grain Free Puppy Lamb for small breed puppies with lamb, Brit Care Junior Large Breed with lamb and rice for large breed puppies, Brit Care Mini GF Puppy Lamb grain-free for puppies of small and miniature breeds, Brit Care Salmon&Potato Puppy with salmon and grain-free potatoes for puppies, Brit New Care Puppy All Breed for puppies of all breeds with lamb and rice.

Pros: