Virbac

Virbac Veterinary HPM Junior Special Large review

Name: Virbac Veterinary HPM Junior Special Large
Brand: Virbac

70.2/100Excellent

DryPuppy

The steadier member of the HPM family, set up to build large breed youngsters slowly, and placed in our Excellent band. Protein stays high at 38.5% of dry matter while fat is pulled back to 16.5% and fibre raised to 6.0%. Calcium is declared, and it sits inside the growth range.

Where to buy: coming soon

Live retailer links are coming soon. Once we have them from UK retailers, where to buy and the best price will appear here.

Our view

Likely to suit

Large breed juniors, the one size group Virbac points this bag at
Rearing a big frame unhurriedly, at 358 kcal per 100g
Owners who want the calcium question answered on the label, with no need to write off for it
Youngsters suited to a protein rich, starch light bowl, with carbohydrate at 30.8% of dry matter against 39.0% typical
A young dog that has struggled on the usual meats, since pork is still fairly rare in dog food

Worth watching

Birds grouped as poultry, so no use for a diet built on avoiding one species
Fish oil on the list
Under the 376 kcal typical of puppy dry food, so the bowls will look generous

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

How this scores

How we score

70.2/100Excellent

Protein and processingGood

Nutritional balanceOutstanding

TransparencyExcellent

ValueExcellent

The details

Dog fit

Listed for large breed puppies. No single daily amount fits a growing dog, so start from Virbac's chart and adjust as the waistline tells you.

Food type

Dry

Life stage

Puppy

Breed size

Large

Main protein

Pork

The score, in context

Virbac Veterinary HPM Junior Special Large 70.2

All one Excellent. Typical dry food: Good.

The nutrition reads Outstanding; grouped species and part-purified fibre are what keep protein and processing further back.

What's in it

Dehydrated pork and poultry proteinsDried before weighing, which is why protein sits high. The poultry is not pinned to a species
Rice, peasThe only real starch
Poultry fatsNo bird named
LignocellulosePurified fibre powder, bulk without much nutrition of its own
Hydrolysed pork and poultry proteins
Dried (sugar) beet pulp, psyllium fibreEveryday and soluble fibre
MineralsCalcium 1.21% of dry matter, inside the growth range
Fish oil, linseedMarine and plant omega 3 for a young dog still laying down coat, brain and joints
Fructo-oligosaccharides, inactivated brewer's yeast, inactivated Lactobacillus helveticus

A properly dosed panel, with choline at 3000 mg/kg, taurine at 1500 mg/kg and vitamin E at 590 mg/kg.

Named ingredients

Dehydrated pork and poultry proteins; Rice; Peas; Poultry Fats; Lignocellulose; Hydrolysed pork and poultry proteins; Dried (sugar) beet pulp; Minerals; Fish oil; Linseed; Fructo-oligosaccharides; Psyllium fibre (Plantago (L.) spp.); Inactivated brewer's yeast; Inactivated Lactobacillus helveticus.

Against the range

One large breed junior kibble. Dehydrated pork and poultry proteins lead, with pork named and the birds grouped under poultry. Rice and peas are the only real starch. Fibre comes from a mix of psyllium, beet pulp and purified lignocellulose, with fish oil and linseed for the omega 3 fats, and calcium is printed at 1.21% of dry matter.

Nutritional analysis

Declared analysis

Energy

358 kcal/100g

Protein

35%

Fat

15%

Fibre

5.5%

Ash

7.5%

Moisture

Dry weight

Protein

38.5%

Fat

16.5%

Fibre

Ash

8.2%

Carbs

30.8%

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.

Oils

100%

Pricing & size