Ultimate Pet Nutrition, founded in 2018 by veterinarian Gary Richter, offers a line of freeze-dried dog foods under the brand name Nutra Complete. Dr. Richter is also the author of “The Ultimate Pet Health Guide.” The company, reportedly based in Encino, CA, expanded its operations in 2023 by partnering with a new U.S. manufacturing facility. Products are primarily shipped from warehouses in Chatsworth, CA, and Memphis, TN, with international shipping available to Canada, Puerto Rico, the UK, Denmark, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, and the British Virgin Islands. Ultimate Pet Nutrition also supports organizations such as the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association and Pets for Vets. This review will assess the ingredient quality and safety of Nutra Complete dog food based on established criteria, focusing on its suitability as a dog food option.
IS NUTRA COMPLETE A GOOD DOG FOOD?
Nutra Complete’s freeze-dried dog food line is considered low risk according to our evaluation criteria. The company provides five distinct recipes, all of which achieve a high score of 9/10 for ingredient safety. However, there are notable concerns regarding ingredient quality.
The average protein content across the recipes stands at 40%, which is consistent with expectations for minimally processed dog foods. Carbohydrate levels average around 14%. Notably, Nutra Complete avoids added grains, but the inclusion of sweet potatoes contributes to the carbohydrate content, with some recipes exceeding recommended levels. Dogs do not have a specific nutritional requirement for carbohydrates, and excessive intake can potentially lead to an increased risk of obesity and insulin-related issues.
One recipe, the pork variant, features a higher fat content than protein. High-fat diets can disrupt gut bacteria populations and potentially contribute to toxin accumulation, as fat is a storage medium for toxins. Furthermore, pork fat is rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which are known to be inflammatory. While this recipe appears to be a higher quality offering and not formulated with fat for cost-saving purposes, it is a factor to consider.
A positive aspect of Nutra Complete recipes is the absence of artificial preservatives, fillers, and meat by-products. The presence of a substantial amount of whole food ingredients within the first 12 to 14 ingredients is also commendable. However, the addition of numerous vitamins, minerals, and amino acids detracts from the overall quality score. Ideally, nutrients should be derived from whole food sources, which provide a full spectrum of cofactors, enhancing bioavailability and safety. The inclusion of five or more added vitamin and mineral supplements may indicate a lower inherent nutritional value in the base ingredients.
The processing method for these recipes is described as light. The primary ingredient safety concern identified is the presence of foods with a high pesticide risk. The widespread use of pesticides poses significant health risks to plants, animals, and ecosystems. Opting for organic ingredients would effectively eliminate this risk.
The recipes also feature “glam ingredients” – desirable ingredients listed in minuscule amounts, such as cranberry, appearing after salt. While these do not result in point deductions, their contribution to the overall nutritional value is negligible.
Manufacturing, third-party testing, and packaging of these products are conducted in the USA, utilizing both domestic and imported components. However, specific sourcing information beyond this is not provided.
A significant concern is Nutra Complete’s failure to disclose the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio. The AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) permits a ratio as high as 30:1, which is considered inflammatory. Diets disproportionately high in omega-6 fatty acids can contribute to chronic inflammation in dogs.
Nutra Complete Freeze-Dried
Score: 7.7/10
Example Ingredient List (Premium Beef Recipe): Beef, beef liver, beef kidney, beef bone (ground), flax seed, dried kelp, blueberry, carrot, sweet potato, spinach, broccoli, chicory, salt, cranberry, yeast culture, pumpkin seed, ginger, potassium chloride, taurine, zinc amino acid complex, inulin, diatomaceous earth, iron amino acid complex, vitamin E supplement, yucca schidigera extract, niacin supplement, copper amino acid complex, L-carnitine, manganese amino acid complex, D-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, sodium selenite, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, mixed tocopherols (preservatives).
Nutra Complete Benefits:
- Manufactured in-house.
- High protein content.
- Light processing methods.
Nutra Complete Concerns:
- High carbohydrate content in some recipes.
- Excessive added vitamins and minerals.
- Inclusion of added amino acids.
- Use of ingredients with high pesticide/herbicide risk.
- Failure to provide omega-6:omega-3 ratio.
- Presence of “glam ingredients” in trace amounts.
NUTRA COMPLETE DOG FOOD RECALLS
As of the latest available information, Nutra Complete has not experienced any product recalls or voluntary withdrawals.
Evaluation Criteria
Our evaluation and scoring of dog foods are based on two primary criteria:
Are the Ingredients High Quality?
We identify low-quality ingredients and potential issues by assessing:
- Excessive carbohydrate content, which can disrupt gut balance.
- The use of unnamed proteins, indicating lower quality sources.
- The inclusion of cellulose (wood pulp) as a fiber source instead of whole foods.
- An overabundance of added vitamins and minerals, potentially substituting for real food nutrition.
- Excessive added amino acids or plant proteins, which can be used instead of more expensive meat proteins.
- The presence of inflammatory processed seed oils.
How Safe Are the Ingredients?
We assess ingredient safety by looking for:
- The degree of food processing.
- The inclusion of known genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
- Ingredients identified as high in pesticide content.
- The use of “natural flavor,” which can often be derived from MSG or animal digest.
- The presence of rice, known for its potential to absorb arsenic.
Each dog food is objectively evaluated against these criteria, and a score is derived from the average of ingredient quality and safety assessments. This review is unbiased and not sponsored; no affiliate links are used. DogNaturally Magazine has partnered with DogFoodReviews.com to provide dog owners with objective criteria for selecting the best dog foods available. The complete evaluation criteria can be found at DogFoodReviews.com.
