Choosing the right food for your beloved pet can be a daunting task, given the multitude of brands and varieties available. You want to provide the best nutrition for your furry friend while also being mindful of your budget. This article provides a detailed comparison of two popular and well-established brands: Iams and Hill's Science Diet. Both have been trusted by pet owners for decades and have significantly contributed to the development of complete and nutritional commercial pet food.
Iams: A Legacy of Tailored Nutrition
IAMS is a widely recognized American brand with over 75 years of experience in the pet food industry. The brand is known for its formulas tailored to different life stages of pets. IAMS emphasizes high-quality animal protein and balanced nutrition.
Key Features of IAMS Pet Food
- Tailored Nutrition: IAMS provides recipes tailored to the unique requirements of dogs of various breed sizes, including puppies, adults, and seniors. They even offer breed-specific recipes for Yorkshire Terriers, Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, Labrador Retrievers, Bulldogs, and German Shepherds.
- High-Quality Protein: Animal-based protein is a top priority in IAMS formulations, which is essential for muscle growth and general health. Many of their recipes list real chicken as the first ingredient.
- Supports Healthy Digestion: Some IAMS formulas include omega-6 fatty acids, whole grains, and natural fibers to foster healthy digestion.
- Joint Support: IAMS Adult Large Breed dog food contains glucosamine and chondroitin to promote healthy joints.
- Affordability: IAMS is generally more affordable, offering good value for pet owners.
A Look at IAMS' History
The story of the Iams company begins in 1946 with its founder, Paul Iams, who had a business vision to innovate dog food. In the 1950s, Iams produced the first pet food that relied on protein sourced from animal-based ingredients. In 1982, Paul Iams retired and sold his company to his business partner. In 1999, Proctor & Gamble bought the company and held onto it until 2014, when Mars Incorporated took over the business, with the European portion of the company being run by Spectrum Brands.
IAMS Product Range
Iams Proactive Health offers over 20 dry dog food varieties and six wet dog food options. It has a line of wet and dry dog food tailored to your dog’s size and maturity.
Potential Drawbacks
- Ingredients: Some IAMS formulas use ingredients like wheat, corn, and maize gluten. While these are not inherently harmful, some pet owners prefer grain-free options or have pets with sensitivities. Iams Proactive Health also relies on lower-quality choices to keep its price lower. While real chicken may be the first ingredient in many of Iams Proactive Health’s most popular recipes, you’ll also find lower quality meat byproducts on the list.
- Past Controversies: IAMS has been the target of legal action and criticism for its handling of animals in the past, which may concern some consumers.
- Not a Boutique Brand: If you're searching for a premium, small-batch, low-ingredient diet, IAMS might not be your preference for dry dog food.
IAMS Recalls
Fortunately, Iams Proactive Health hasn’t needed to issue a recall in recent years. In 2011, the FDA issued a recall of Proactive Health Smart Puppy dry pet food due to aflatoxin contamination. In 2010 and 2013, Iams issued a recall related to salmonella contamination.
Read also: Hill's Science Diet: Pros, cons, and expert analysis.
IAMS Product Examples
- IAMS Minichunks Dry Dog Food: The top-rated Iams dry dog food on Amazon, this recipe earns its approval from satisfied owners of dogs responding in good health after regularly consuming this dog food. With the first ingredient listed as farm-raised chicken, this formula promotes muscle strength, encourages healthy digestion, and boosts your dog’s immune system and metabolism. Many dogs like the taste. Unfortunately, some dogs experienced stomach upset.
- IAMS Mature Adult Dry Dog Food: This specially formulated pet food recipe is designed to promote your aging dog’s wellness and nutritional needs. This selection is formulated with antioxidants to strengthen your senior dog’s immune system, key nutrients intended to help with bone and joint care, fiber and prebiotics to aid digestion, and protein provided by real chicken as the first ingredient. While most dog owners agree that this formula benefits their older dog, a few dog owners described some stomach upset with this recipe.
- IAMS Smart Puppy Dry Dog Food: Formulated for your puppy’s specific nutritional needs and overall wellness, this Iams selection pet food contains all 22 key nutrients that are found in a mother’s milk and essential omega 3 DHA, which enhances cognition for smarter puppies who are easier to train. Much of the protein is provided through real chicken as its first ingredient. Your puppy will benefit from strengthened muscles and healthier joint development. This pet food recipe contains lower quality byproducts and fillers.
Hill's Science Diet: Science-Based Nutrition
Known for its emphasis on science-based formulas, Hill’s Science Diet has been a long-trusted brand for dog owners. Veterinarians frequently prescribe Hill's Science Diet, which emphasizes research-based nutrition.
Key Features of Hill's Science Diet
- Science-Based Formulas: Hill's Science Diet emphasizes research-based nutrition, developing its recipes in partnership with veterinarians.
- High-Quality Ingredients: Hill’s Science Diet offers a balance of wholesome proteins, grains, vitamins, minerals, fruits, and vegetables. Real chicken is often the first ingredient.
- Wide Variety of Options: Hill’s Science Diet offers numerous selections of both dry kibble and wet canned pet food for dogs of every size and any age, as well as formulas designed to meet many nutritional needs. Options are abundant in a full range of flavors.
- Veterinarian Support: Royal Canin frequently receives praise for its veterinarian support and formulae supported by research.
The Story Behind Hill's Science Diet
A guide dog owned by Morris Frank in the 1930s became the inspiration for Hill’s Science Diet. Buddy the German Shepherd had been touring the country with Morris Frank in order to educate people about service dogs for the blind. Unfortunately, Buddy was suffering from kidney failure, prompting his owner to seek out help from Dr. Mark Morris, Sr. When it was determined that Buddy’s illness was a result of poor nutrition, Dr. The first Hill’s Science Diet dog food was stored in glass jars, which broke too easily. Dr. Morris then decided to package the pet food in cans. In 1948, he partnered with Hill Packaging Company in Topeka, Kansas. Throughout the years and with the help of his son, Dr. Mark Morris, Jr., the company grew in success. In 1976, the Colgate-Palmolive Company purchased the company, and it continues to maintain the tradition of highly nutritional dog food.
Ingredients and Nutritional Value
Hill’s Science Diet lists certain ingredients that may give skeptical dog owners pause. However, research has found that inclusions of pet foods such as corn and meat meal actually enhance the recipe’s nutritional value. As for meat meal, this term is not to be confused with meat byproducts. For example, chicken byproduct, which can be found in Iams Proactive Health, contains any part of a chicken and is considered a low-quality ingredient. By contrast, chicken meal is made from fresh chicken meat that has been cooked to remove all its moisture.
Potential Drawbacks
- Price: Hill's is often more expensive. While it’s true that you’ll pay more, perhaps twice as much, for Hill’s Science Diet, you will be able to provide your dog with higher quality ingredients that don’t contain by-products or unnecessary fillers.
- Controversial Ingredients: Hill's Science Diet and Iams both use the following controversial ingredients in many of their products:
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Hill's Science Diet.
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Iams:
Read also: Benefits of Science Diet for Puppies with Sensitive Stomachs
Animal Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)Poultry Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)
- Harmful Ingredients: Hill's Science Diet and Iams both use the following harmful ingredients in many of their products:
Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex
Here are some of the harmful ingredients used only by Iams.
Hill's Science Diet Recalls
Last year, in January 2019, Hill’s Pet Nutrition reportedly received word that a dog had died from Vitamin D toxicity after eating one of its canned products. Before this most recent recall, in November 2015, Science Diet canned dog food products were removed from shelves due to labeling issues.
Hill's Science Diet Product Examples
- Hill’s Science Diet Adult Dry Dog Food: Hill’s Science Diet offers a line of adult dog food that is specially formulated and adapted for your dog’s size. While this brand is higher in price, it’s made with high-quality ingredients. Real chicken is the first ingredient, followed by other beneficial protein sources, to help your dog maintain lean muscle. Dogs tend to like the flavor. But be aware that your dog may like it so much, unwanted weight gain is possible.
- Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin Dry Dog Food: In a line of dog food that addresses certain health concerns, this grain-free pet food option made with only natural ingredients helps dogs who have a sensitive stomach and experience skin reactions. The prebiotic fiber in this recipe works to alleviate stomach issues and to improve your dog’s digestive health. While many dogs saw significant improvement with their stomach and skin issues, some dogs continued to experience intestinal upset.
- Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Dry Dog Food: Hill’s Science Diet offers a variety of dog foods created for every phase of your dog’s life from puppy through adult through their advanced years. This puppy recipe is created to support your puppy’s growing needs. This puppy food contains only natural ingredients.
Nutritional Analysis: Iams vs. Hill's Science Diet
To properly compare Hill's Science Diet and Iams, it's important to consider up-to-date nutritional and price information. According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture. All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on a dry matter basis.
Read also: Optimal Nutrition for French Bulldogs
Dog Food: Dry
| Hill's Science Diet | Iams | |
|---|---|---|
| Crude Protein | 24.6% | 27.6% |
| Crude Fat | 14.7% | 14.9% |
| Crude Fiber | 3.7% | 5.2% |
Dog Food: Wet/Canned
| Hill's Science Diet | Iams | |
|---|---|---|
| Crude Protein | 25.7% | 40.9% |
| Crude Fat | 17.3% | 23.4% |
| Crude Fiber | 3.5% | 5.4% |
Cat Food: Dry
| Hill's Science Diet | Iams | |
|---|---|---|
| Crude Protein | 35.0% | 35.7% |
| Crude Fat | 18.5% | 15.9% |
| Crude Fiber | 4.5% | 4.6% |
Cat Food: Wet/Canned
| Hill's Science Diet | Iams | |
|---|---|---|
| Crude Protein | 38.7% | 46.7% |
| Crude Fat | 21.5% | 21.8% |
| Crude Fiber | 3.6% | 4.9% |
Protein Comparison
- Dog Food: Iams guarantees about 3.06% more protein than Hill's Science Diet in dry food. Iams wet dog foods also provide more protein than Hill's Science Diet wet foods.
- Cat Food: Hill's Science Diet and Iams guarantee a similar amount of crude protein in dry food. For wet cat foods, Iams provides more protein (about 7.95% more).
Fat Comparison
- Dog Food: There is a relatively insignificant difference between the crude fat content of the two brands in dry food. For wet dog foods, Iams provides more fat (about 6.05% more).
- Cat Food: Iams typically provides less fat than Hill's Science Diet in dry food, but the difference is small. For wet cat foods, Iams and Hill's Science Diet provide roughly the same amount of fat.
Fiber Comparison
Both brands provide roughly the same amount of crude fiber in both dog and cat food.
Price Comparison
| Hill's Science Diet | Iams | |
|---|---|---|
| Dry Dog Food | ||
| Per Pound | $2.83 | $1.52 |
| Per Calorie | $0.0018 | $0.0009 |
| Dry Cat Food | ||
| Per Pound | $4.17 | $2.03 |
| Per Calorie | $0.0024 | $0.0012 |
| Wet Dog Food | ||
| Per Pound | $5.03 | $1.90 |
| Per Calorie | $0.0125 | $0.0038 |
| Wet Cat Food | ||
| Per Pound | $9.11 | $6.97 |
| Per Calorie | $0.0197 | $0.0151 |
The average cost-per-kcal eliminates the influence of moisture. Therefore, the average cost-per-kcal is the better metric to consider.
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