Castor & Pollux Organic Chicken | Dog Food Review

Nutrition

This food has a fair amount of protein fat but is somewhat high in carbs, which is lowering the fat content slightly and making it less nutritionally balanced compared to other dog foods we evaluated. Carbohydrates are cheap so they keep the food’s cost low. They are nutritionally useful to dogs in the right amounts, however, high amounts of carbs can reduce the much-needed meat-based protein and fat content.

To evaluate dog foods, we first calculate out the moisture. This is called the “dry matter basis” and shows you only the solid ingredients in the food. These estimated “dry matter” numbers are different from the food label, but a better way to understand the real nutritional value of the food. We also calculate the carbs. Find out more

Dry Matter

Min. Protein 29.21%

Min. Fat 17.98%

Min. Carbs 44.94%

Max. Fiber 5.62%

Max. Ash 7.87%

Max. Moisture 0.00%

Food Label

Min. Protein: 26.0%

Min Fat: 16.0%

Min Carbs: N/A

Max Fiber: 5.0%

Max Ash: N/A

Max. Moisture: 11.0%

Calories

371 Calories per Cup

This product has an average amount of calories. It’s important to understand how many calories you are feeding to prevent under or overfeeding. Average calorie foods like this are typically best for fairly active dogs who need a moderate amount of daily calories. Based on your dog's current weight and activity level you may want to feed more or less than the recommended amount. It's helpful to know that weight loss foods often have fewer than 340 calories per cup, weight maintenance foods typically range from 340-380 calories, and high-activity dog foods are usually over 400 calories.

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FDA Alert

Grain-Free Dog Foods

This is a grain-free dog food. The FDA is investigating a potential connection between grain-free diets and canine heart disease. There is not enough evidence yet to affect our ratings but we've created an article for you explaining the topic.

Learn More

98.0%

WATCHDOG
SCORE

Ingredients

98%

Total Ingredients

Controversial Ingredients

Organic Chicken, Organic Chicken Meal, Organic Oatmeal, Organic Barley, Organic Chickpeas, Organic Peas, Organic Pea Protein, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Organic Sunflower Seed Meal, Organic Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Organic Chicken Liver, Organic Blueberries, Organic Alfalfa Meal, Salt, Organic Sunflower Oil, Salmon Oil, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Choline Chloride, , Potassium Chloride, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product.

The average dog food we reviewed has 39 total ingredients, with 1 controversial ingredient. This product has 0 controversial ingredients. That’s what you want to see in a food.

Top 5 Ingredients

Dog food ingredients are listed in descending order of weight. So when looking at a dog food label, take a close look at the first 5 ingredients. They make up about 80% of the total weight.

Organic Chicken
Organic chicken is generally a healthy dog food ingredient. It provides nutrients like protein, fat, B vitamins, selenium and choline. Organic dog food ingredients are free of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, pesticides, chemical fertilizers and artificial preservatives. They are also not allowed to be genetically modified.

Organic Chicken Meal
Organic chicken meal is generally a healthy dog food ingredient. Meat meals are the result of cooking. Water is removed from meats to create a protein-rich meal powder. Meat meals contain about four times the protein meats do, so generally, they're a good source of nutrients. Organic dog food ingredients are free of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, pesticides, chemical fertilizers and artificial preservatives. They are also not allowed to be genetically modified.

Organic Oatmeal
Oats are a cereal grain and a source of carbs, protein, dietary fiber, several B vitamins and dietary minerals like manganese. They are a high-quality dog food ingredient that can potentially help with colon health. Oatmeal are oats that have been ground or cut. Organic dog food ingredients are free of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, pesticides, chemical fertilizers and artificial preservatives. They are also not allowed to be genetically modified.

Organic Barley
Barley is a type of grass and a cereal grain. It is a source of calories and several nutrients, including protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, niacin and various minerals. Barley provides carbs, energy, fiber and other healthy nutrients for dogs. Organic barley is generally a healthy dog food ingredient. Organic dog food ingredients are free of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, pesticides, chemical fertilizers and artificial preservatives. They are also not allowed to be genetically modified.

Organic Chickpeas‍
Chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) are a legume that provides nutrients such as protein, fiber, folate, iron and phosphorus. They are generally a healthy dog food ingredient. Organic dog food ingredients are free of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, pesticides, chemical fertilizers and artificial preservatives. They are also not allowed to be genetically modified.

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‍Controversial Ingredients

Castor & Pollux Organix Organic Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe has no controversial ingredients.

‍Country of Origin

This food is made in the USA. that’s good because high quality and food safety standards need to be followed.

Meat & Fat Quality

This food contains a variety of clearly labeled meat and fat sources. What makes all of them great is that they are organic (some dog owners will find this preferable), but more importantly, they clearly show you which animals and plants they come from. Very transparent, very good. Here they are: Organic Chicken, Organic Chicken Meal, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Organic Chicken Liver, Organic Sunflower Oil, and Salmon Oil. Well done, Castor & Pollux!

Artificial Preservatives

Castor & Pollux Organix Organic Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe contains 0 controversial artificial preservatives. It’s good to know that ‍not all artificial preservatives are bad. That’s because they serve an important purpose, which is to prevent food from spoiling. However, we consider 11 artificial preservatives controversial because of their potential link to cancer and other serious health conditions.

Artificial Colors

No artificial colors, either. Absolutely excellent!

Artificial Flavors

Last but not least, this product manages to shine by also not using any artificial flavors. No artificial preservatives, colors or flavors is exactly what you want to look for in dog food. Well done!

Recalls

100%

Brand Recalls

This brand has a below average number of recalls.

Transparency

95%

We love dog food brands that are committed to transparent business practices. If you make quality dog food you should be willing to openly talk about how it’s sourced and produced. That’s why we reached out to pet food companies, asking questions about all their brands and products. Each company had three weeks to reply to our messages.

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How Easy Was it to Reach the Company?
Castor & Pollux responded within 1 day with complete answers. Unfortunately, they have an aggressive disclaimer in their email that prohibits us from sharing the answers they provided.

Does Castor & Pollux have a veterinary nutritionist on staff? If so, who are they?‍‍‍