Royal Canin Veterinary Gastrointestinal Low Fat (Review)

Our Recommendation

Royal Canin is specially formulated for dogs with sensitive stomachs and it requires a veterinarian’s prescription to purchase. The prescription requirement is enough to deter most dog parents from wanting to use this unless they have a dog that is truly in need of a specialty food that eliminates some or all of the potential for gastrointestinal distress.

• The low-fat formula provides what dogs need that normally have trouble digesting the fat levels typically found in standard dog foods.

• Contains highly digestible proteins, prebiotics, and EPA & DHA.

• The fiber content is limited so dogs can enjoy better absorption of nutrients. 

This is not a dog food that has a lot to offer for your money. The amount of grains and by-products that are present in a dog food that contains 76% moisture is concerning.  It would not be difficult to mimic a similar recipe at home at a lower cost.

I also have to wonder why a digestive support formula dog food would just contain prebiotics but there is no mention of the important probiotics that are found in plenty of other dog foods and at a much lower price.

At the same time if you have a smaller dog that is having a lot of stomach problems then this a formula to consider. I own really large dogs.  At their weight, I would have to feed the equivalent of 5-6 cans per day making it unaffordable. A raw or cooked diet for a dog with a sensitive stomach is much more cost effective.

Pet parents do claim that this dog food has made a huge difference in their dogs with sensitive stomachs, and it offers a diet option for dogs that suffer from allergies. If you are struggling to find relief or a long-term solution for stomach issues then in may be worth considering this dog food even if you have to get a prescription and order it. I just recommend looking into making a similar recipe yourself since you can get a lot of what it contains at any grocery store.

Ingredients

Water Sufficient for Processing, Pork
By-Products, Rice Flour, Corn Grits, Corn Meal, Powdered Cellulose,
Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Calcium Carbonate, Guar Gum, Natural Flavors,
Gelatin By-Products, Carrageenan, Potassium Citrate, Sodium
Tripolyphosphate, Sodium Silico Aluminate, Taurine, Hydrolyzed Yeast,
Fish Oil, Vegetable Oil, Vitamins [Dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Source
of Vitamin E), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Biotin,
Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium
Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin
B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement], Trace
Minerals [Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Sulfate,
Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate], Marigold Extract
(Tagetes Erecta L.).

Nutritional Analysis

Pet food ingredients, nutritional values, and the way they are labeled for consumers are monitored by several organizations in the United States including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the NGO, Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

Each year the AAFCO publishes two sets of nutritional minimum standards for dog food intended to help specify if a food is suitable for:

1. Dogs in the growth & reproduction phases of life
2. Adult dogs maintaining a healthy weight and activity level

Caloric Content

895 kcal/kg, 345 kcal/13.6 oz can

Guaranteed Analysis

* – indicates not yet analyzed

Feeding Amounts

Depending on your dog’s size and activity level, they may need more or less food in their daily feeding amounts.

Transition Instructions

A gradual transition over 7 days is recommended for dogs that want to change over to Royal Canin. On days one and two you should feed a mix of 75% of your old brand with 25% of Royal Canine. On days two and three, mix a 50:50 ratio followed up on days five & six with a mixture of 25% of the old brand and 75% Royal Canin. On day seven you can proceed with only feeding Royal Canin.

The Bottom Line

While Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat Dog Food can help out dogs suffering from stomach issues, it is far too expensive to make it practical for those with medium to large dogs. The high amount of by-products and grains combined with a lot of water means you are not getting a lot of actual food. I could see feeding this temporarily if needed but in the long term, you might as well cook a gastrointestinal-friendly dog food in which you choose the exact ingredients. 

I have to give kudos to Royal Canin for not using artificial colors and flavors. I am baffled as to why they don’t include basic probiotics. If I was feeding this food I would add the recommended dosage of probiotic powder into the food at feeding time. Dogs with sensitive stomachs would benefit from the addition and it doesn’t cost much to get a tub of probiotics that will last for many, many, feedings.