Today, we consider another food for sensitive dogs from Purina – the Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin and Stomach Lamb and Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food. This is a kibble variety which is great for your dog’s teeth, in terms of strengthening and cleansing.
This kibble is approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials. It has not just gone through laboratory testing, it has also gone through feeding trials as well which is considered a more superior testing method.
We will be getting into the main review in a bit. But just before then, since you’re here, we think this article on hypoallergenic dog foods might be interest you.
Table of Contents
Who Is The Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin And Stomach Lamb And Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food For?
This food is great for dogs who might be sensitive to chicken or beef. Fish is also another alternative but there are also dogs who react to that as well. If your pooch is one of those, then this might be a great choice. As the name suggests, it’s specifically made for dogs with symptoms of a sensitive stomach or skin in the form of gastrointestinal issues or dry, flaky skin and fur. It should help reduce stomach symptoms and bring back the shine to your dog’s coat. Finally, this food is for adults and not for puppies.
What Are The Ingredients In The Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin And Stomach Lamb And Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food?
The following are the ingredients in the Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin and Stomach Lamb and Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food:
- Lamb.
- Oatmeal.
- Barley.
- Canola meal.
- Fish meal.
- Brewers rice.
- Animal fat preserved with mixed tocopherols.
- Dried egg product.
- Dried brewers yeast.
- Natural flavor.
- Fish oil.
- Pea protein.
Lamb
Lamb is an excellent source of protein for dogs even though it’s not a common protein source in dog food. The more common sources are usually chicken and beef but it’s possible that your dog might be allergic to those. If you’ve confirmed that from your vet, then they might recommend something with lamb instead.
Lamb comes packed with a high volume of amino acids and dietary fats. As you know when it comes to dog nutrition, amino acids sourced from animals are much better than those sourced from plants. This is because animal protein contains more essential amino acids as needed in the body of your dog than plant proteins.
Lamb also contains a high level of dietary fats. This provides a good source of energy and fatty acids great for the health of your skin and fur. Plus, lamb comes with plenty minerals and vitamins needed to support your dog’s coat and muscles.
Now, one thing about lamb is that it comes with 60% moisture. So, yeah, that’s a lot of water in lamb which means that once lamb is cooked, the meat content is largely reduced. For this reason, lamb, when used in a dog food product, must be supported with other protein sources like in this product.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is another helpful ingredient for making dog food products for dogs with sensitive skin and stomach. Oftentimes, it is used as an alternative to grains as a carbohydrate source in a dog’s diet. It can also be used as an alternative to wheat as well.
Besides carbohydrates, oatmeal provides a high level of other nutritious elements which help to promote healthy growth in your dog.
A good example is linoleic acid which is a type of omega-6 fatty acid. Although not as great as omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids also help to pamper your dog’s skin and coat.They also protect the vital organs of the body such as the brain and heart.
Additionally, oatmeal contains soluble fiber as well. Soluble fiber is important in your dog’s diet as it helps to regulate the glucose levels in his blood. This can help with preventing diabetes. Plus, studies have shown that there’s some possibility that oatmeal helps with gastrointestinal trouble in dogs.
Barley
Barley is a component of many dog foods, especially the high quality ones. It’s quite unlike pearled barley which is usually found in low quality dog foods. And, yes, it is safe and healthy for your dog to eat.
This cereal grain is especially high in fiber and really low in cholesterol. It also works as a fantastic carbohydrate source to balance your dog’s diet as well.
Now, experts say that your dog only needs barley in limited quantities even though it is so nutritious. But, generally, if your dog is getting enough protein from meat sources, then a little barley now and then wouldn’t hurt.
For commercial food products like this, barley is also great as an ingredient. What’s important is that meat is used as the first ingredient as is the case with this product.
Canola Meal
A controversial, albeit nutritious ingredient, canola meal is a high-protein, non-animal sourced ingredient. It is obtained in form of a by-product from canola oil. You, probably, are more familiar with canola oil.
Canola meal is a good way to supplement protein levels in dog food (and animal feeds in general) especially when combined with pulses, for instance.
Be that as it may though, canola meal has had a lot of controversy surrounding its use. There has been a lot of debate over whether canola meal is safe for consumption by dogs for some disturbing reasons.
However, the major reason that worries people is rapeseed. Rapeseed isn’t good for pets at all and has been known to cause adverse health conditions in them. Now, some canola used to make canola oil, and consequently, canola meal, have been known to be made from genetically modified rapeseed. So, for this reason, a lot of people are, understandably bothered about canola meal.
From our research though, we haven’t seen any animal develop any unfavorable health condition from taking this food. So, it’s safe to assume that the canola meal used here is generally safe.
Fish Meal
Usually, fish meal is a fantastic ingredient to add to any dog food because it is high in proteins which gives the food a high dietary and nutritional value. What we love even more about fish meal is that it is animal-sourced protein, and therefore, contains more essential amino acids for dogs than plant proteins.
The only challenge here is that the fish is unnamed and so we can’t exactly tell if this is good fish like salmon or tuna. Many times when animals are unnamed, it’s usually because the animal in question is of questionable sources. Only low-quality dog foods have unnamed animals in their ingredient list.
Right now, it’s really left to the imagination what kind of fish exactly is used here.
Brewers Rice
This is a terrible ingredient to add to any dog food. It is a carbohydrate, true. However, even though it sounds like a whole grain, brewers rice actually isn’t. What brewers rice is is fragments of rice which are found as left-overs after rice has been processed.
It contains very little nutrients and is only found in low-quality dog food, typically used as a cheap filler.
Animal Fat Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols
Again, an unnamed animal. No one knows what this animal is even though your dog’s diet needs a sufficient helping of fats for energy and for their skin and fur. In this case though, the animal is unnamed and could be sourced from anywhere not excluding sick animals or euthanized pets.
Dried Egg Product
Many believe that dried egg product is high in protein which makes it great as a dog food ingredient. However, there are ongoing discussions about that in the world of science.
Companies who use dried egg product often claim that it comes with 50% protein while the binding agent (the egg white) is 80% protein. However, some professionals are concerned that much of the processed powdered protein is not really useful for dogs and their bodies.
Another thing that bothers these professionals is that the process involved in the making of the powdered egg product itself isn’t very clear. The process of sourcing the egg product itself is not very clear so you can only guess where exactly these eggs were sourced.
Generally, dried egg product is found in low-quality dog food.
Dried Brewers Yeast
This is an ingredient rich in nutrients and considered a great nutritional supplement too. Brewers yeast provides your dog’s body with chromium, selenium, protein, and vitamin B. It is also known to help with dry, itchy skin as well.
Natural Flavor
Helps to improve the palatability of the food.
Fish Oil
Just like fish, fish oil supplies a good quantity of omega-3 fatty acids, and we’ve already explained what fatty acids do in your dog’s body. But again, Purina does not mention the specific fish used so we can only guess what kind of fish was rendered to get the oil. It’s most likely low quality though, else they would have mentioned.
Pea Protein
Pea protein is great but it is plant-sourced and, therefore, not as desirable as protein from animal sources. It is probably added to boost protein levels in the food which is a great motive, but this boost isn’t a most desirable one, and meat-sourced proteins are better.
What Are The Benefits Of The Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin And Stomach Lamb And Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food?
The following are benefits of the Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin and Stomach Lamb and Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food:
- Most of the proteins in this particular dog food from Purina are sourced from animals and that’s great. It’s great because the majority of the essential amino acids needed by dogs are sourced from meat.
- It is relatively affordable.
- Worked for most dogs who have used it.
- Contains carbs, proteins, and fatty acids in a balanced proportion. This gives your dog energy and better skin and fur.
What Are The Cons Of The Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin And Stomach Lamb And Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food?
There are a number of anonymous meat ingredients in the ingredient list of this product. This is typically indicative of low-quality products as the meat could be anything at all. However, from all indications, these unnamed meats look like they are passable.
Check out these other helpful articles:
- Grain-free dog food: good idea or nah?
- Dog toys: the best way to keep your dog active.
- High protein food: sorting through the confusion
- Dog shampoo: knowing what’s right.
- Dog vitamin supplements: when and how to use them.
- Dog mineral supplements: the know it all guide.
What Are The Alternatives To The Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin And Stomach Lamb And Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food?
Alternatives to the Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin and Stomach Lamb and Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food include:
- The Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult Grain-Free Classic Chicken And Carrots Entrée Canned Dog Food: Chicken as first ingredient.
- Purina ONE SmartBlend Sensitive Systems Adult Formula Dry Dog Food: Salmon as first ingredient.
- Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult Grain-free Classic Turkey And Sweet Potato Entrée Canned Dog Food: Turkey as first ingredient.
Chicken Variety
The Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult Grain-Free Classic Chicken And Carrots Entrée Canned Dog Food
Would you prefer chicken to lamb? This is a great option. Chicken and carrots are excellent sources of protein, fats, vitamins and minerals that are great for your pup’s health. This product is also completely grain-free which is good news for those sensitive to grain.
Fish Variety
The Purina ONE SmartBlend Sensitive Systems Adult Formula Dry Dog Food
Is your dog sensitive to chicken as well as lamb? Then fish might be a better source of protein. Check out the Purina ONE SmartBlend Sensitive Systems Adult Formula Dry Dog Food. It is affordable and comes in two sizes – a 16.5-pound bag as well as a 31.1-pound bag.
Turkey Variety
The Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult Grain-free Classic Turkey And Sweet Potato Entrée Canned Dog Food
This is another variety, if, perhaps, your dog does not fancy lamb. This comes with turkey instead of fish or lamb or chicken. It’s quite delish being a canned food (wet dog food) and comes in a pack of 12 13-ounce cans.
Quick Comparison Table
| Featured | Chicken Protein Source | Fish Protein Source | Turkey Protein | |
| Product |
Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin And Stomach Lamb And Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food
|
Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult Grain-Free Classic Chicken And Carrots Entrée Canned Dog Food
|
Purina ONE SmartBlend Sensitive Systems Adult Formula Dry Dog Food
|
Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult Grain-Free Classic Turkey and Sweet Potato Entrée Canned Dog Food
|
| Ingredients | Lamb, Oat Meal, Canola Meal, Fish Meal, Brewers Rice, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols). | Chicken, Water Sufficient for Processing, Liver, Meat By-Products, Carrot, Guar Gum | Salmon, Rice flour, Pearled Barley, Oat meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken By-product, Beef Fat (naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols) | Turkey, Water sufficient for processing, Liver, Meat By-products, Chicken, Sweet Potatoes. |
| Kibble/Canned | Kibble | Canned | Kibble | Canned |
| Sizes Available | 4-pound bag, 16-pound bag, and 24-pound bag available | 13 Ounces of 12 | 16.5-pound bag. 31.1-pound bag | 13 Ounces, Case of 12 |
| Best For | Alternative to fish as first ingredient. | Alternative to fish as first ingredient. | Dogs with sensitive skins and stomachs | Dogs with grain sensitivities or allergies. |
What Are Customers Saying About The Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin And Stomach Lamb And Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food?
First off, a good number of people happened to switch to this particular food for fear of the consequences of continually feeding their dogs a non-grain diet. Recommendations came in from a couple of vets, so that’s a good sign. As to whether the food does its job, that much can be deduced from what customers’ comments and all. The product has an impressive track record. Nonetheless, there were still a few dogs who wouldn’t go near the food though it appears to be of good quality.
Should I Get The Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin And Stomach Lamb And Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food?
In summary, the Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin and Stomach Lamb and Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food is a great product although not the best. Most of the protein the food gives is gotten from animals which are better for your dog. We are really worried that a number of meats here are unnamed which is indicative of low-quality food. But then again, this product is regarded as inexpensive so that might be expected even though it’s not very safe. Be assured, though, that if we found anything iffy about these unnamed products, we would have let you know. So, it’s okay to assume that the unnamed meats are generally okay.
Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin And Stomach Lamb And Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food — FAQs
Is the Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin and Stomach Lamb and Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food Any Good?
The Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin and Stomach Lamb and Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food is a better-than-average food for dogs with sensitive systems. The first ingredient is salmon which is an excellent protein source. It also comes with many other high-quality ingredients that make this food work. Customers who have fed this to their dogs happened to see appreciable improvements.
Is Purina Pro Plan Bad For Dogs?
Generally, Purina Pro Plan is an average dog food line. The first ingredients in these foods are always excellent protein sources and many other ingredients used in the foods are usually highly nutritious. Moreover, Purina tries to maintain quality, safety standards in its manufacturing processes. Still, there are several questionable ingredients in these foods that place it slightly below the bar.
Is Purina Pro Plan Or Purina One Better?
The Purina Pro Plan has a higher protein, fat, and fiber content than Purina One but it doesn’t make the Purina One less nutritious. So, it’s not exactly a question of which of these foods is better, it’s more about which suits your dog’s dietary needs per time and what your vet recommends. Both are at about the same level when it comes to quality and they also both contain several questionable ingredients.
Does Purina Pro Plan Have Taurine In It?
Taurine is naturally found in meat and so the Purina Pro Plan does not contain synthetic taurine. This is why taurine is not listed in the ingredients. It’s already naturally occurring in the meat.
Does Purina Pro Plan Contain Probiotics?
This would depend on the particular food. Some Purina Pro Plan products contain probiotics while others do not. The Purina Pro Plan SAVOR Shredded Blend Adult Dry Dog Food, for instance, contains probiotics while the Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin and Stomach Lamb and Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food does not.
How Long Does Purina Pro Plan Last?
An opened bag of Purina Pro Plan lasts between 3 months to 6 months. To keep the food fresh, it’s best to store the food in an air-tight food storage bin for preservation.
