Royal Canin
Adult Medium
Overall score 58/100 · Average
Summary
Rice as 1st ingredient, not meat. Unspecified animal fats. Correct formula but lots of cereals. Insufficient transparency.
Sub-scores
Composition analysed
Rice, dehydrated chicken (14%), corn, animal fats, wheat, hydrolyzed poultry proteins, beet pulp, flaxseed oil, FOS, vitamin E
- B Rice cereal
- A Dehydrated chicken 14% protein
- C Corn cereal
- D Animal fats (unspecified) fat
- C Wheat cereal
- B Hydrolyzed poultry proteins protein
- B Beet pulp fiber
- A Flaxseed oil fat
- A FOS (Fructo-oligosaccharides) fiber
- A Vitamin E vitamin mineral
Nutritional analysis
- Crude protein
- 25%
- Crude fat
- 14%
- Ash
- 6.2%
- Fibre
- 1.2%
- Moisture
- 9.5%
Strengths
Weaknesses
Similar alternatives
Royal Canin Medium Adult is arguably the most sold dog kibble in Europe. It is the default recommendation of most French and European veterinary clinics, not because it is the best nutritionally, but because Royal Canin invests heavily in vet school partnerships, continuing education programmes, and in-clinic distribution. The formula itself is middling: rice as the first ingredient (not meat), unspecified animal fats, three cereals in the top five, and a transparency score that ranks among the lowest in our database. At 58/100, it gets a C grade, which means adequate but significantly below what a dog deserves for the price paid. If your vet recommends Royal Canin, ask them to compare the ingredient list with Acana, Wellness CORE, or even Blue Buffalo. Most will concede that the composition is weaker, but that the formulation is AAFCO validated and the brand has never had a major safety recall in Europe.
Compared to the competition
Orijen scores 92/100 vs Royal Canin's 58/100. The price is higher but the ingredient quality is in a différent category entirely.
Hill's Medium Adult scores 72/100, a B grade. It has better protein positioning (chicken first) and no unspecified fats. For the same price range as Royal Canin, Hill's is the better choice.
Frequently asked questions
Why do vets recommend Royal Canin?
Royal Canin (owned by Mars since 2001) funds veterinary education at most European and North American vet schools. Vets learn nutrition from Royal Canin representatives, receive free samples for their clinics, and earn margins on in-clinic sales. This is not a conspiracy - it is a business model. The food is safe and meets AAFCO standards, but it is not the best available for the price. Independent nutritionists who are not in a commercial relationship with Mars consistently rank it below premium brands.
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