Hill's Science Plan

Hill's Science Plan Small & Mini Senior Dog Food with Chicken review

Name: Hill's Science Plan Small & Mini Senior Dog Food with Chicken
Brand: Hill's Science Plan

53.6/100Good

DryAdultSenior

A small breed senior kibble from Hill's, in our Good band, and a noticeably richer recipe than the brand's slimming bags. Fat runs to 17.6% of dry matter and energy to 379 kcal per 100g, so a small bowl goes a long way. The senior thinking sits in the small print: a named prebiotic blend and fish oil.

Find it on eBay

Affiliate link. Off the Leash may earn a commission from purchases on eBay, at no cost to you.

Our view

Likely to suit

Small and mini breeds in their senior years
An older dog with a shrinking appetite, since a modest bowl still does the job
Gut support in the food itself, oat bran and fructo-oligosaccharides named at 0.6%
Marine omega 3, from fish oil at 1.8%

Worth watching

Fish oil plus wheat, barley and oats, so no use to a dog kept off fish or gluten
Protein at a modest 22.4% of dry matter for an older dog losing muscle
Rich enough that a small dog who never misses a meal needs a measured bowl

Written by our editorial team. Independent guidance, not veterinary advice.

How this scores

How we score

53.6/100Good

Protein and processingGood

Nutritional balanceAverage

TransparencyGood

ValueGood

The details

Dog fit

Listed for small and mini adults and seniors. Weigh the portion, as the energy is concentrated and a small dog of this kind eats far less than a 15 kg one.

Food type

Dry

Life stage

Adult, Senior

Breed size

Small

Main protein

Chicken

The score, in context

Hill's Science Plan Small & Mini Senior Dog Food with Chicken 53.6

All one Good. Typical dry food: Good.

Real senior touches pull the score up, and modest protein on a cereal carrier pulls it back down.

What's in it

Chicken and turkey meal17% poultry, 11% chickenAlready dried, so the share counts for more than fresh meat would.
Broken rice, wheat, maizeGrain is the backbone of the recipe.
Animal fat, digestNeither names a source.
Barley, oats, dried beet pulpThe more nutritious end of the cereals.
Vegetable oilSource unnamed.
Fish oil1.8%Marine omega 3, which no plant oil supplies directly.
Minerals, flaxseed
Oat bran, fructo-oligosaccharides (ActivBiome+ blend)0.6%Fermentable fibres for the bacteria in the large intestine.
Dried tomato pomace, dried citrus pulp, spinach powder

Iron, iodine, copper, manganese, zinc and selenium, each printed per kilo, with a natural antioxidant.

Named ingredients

Chicken and turkey meal (chicken 11%; total poultry 17%), broken rice, wheat, maize, animal fat, digest, barley, oats, dried beet pulp, vegetable oil, fish oil (1.8%), minerals, flaxseed, oat bran, fructo-oligosaccharides, dried tomato pomace, dried citrus pulp, spinach powder. ActivBiome+ Multi Benefit prebiotic blend (0.6%): Oat bran, fructo-oligosaccharides.

Against the range

Nutritional analysis

Declared analysis

Energy

378.8 kcal/100g

Protein

20.6%

Fat

16.2%

Fibre

1.8%

Ash

5.1%

Moisture

Dry weight

Protein

22.4%

Fat

17.6%

Fibre

Ash

5.5%

Carbs

52.5%

As-fed composition

Estimated breakdown of the finished product by ingredient category, from the declared ingredient list and ingoing weights. These are estimates, not measurements.

Meat

39.7%

Carbs

54.3%

Veg

0.1%

Oils

5.3%

Other

0.5%

Pricing & size