Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula
The best-evidenced sensitive-skin food here: salmon-first, feeding-trial validated, 4.5/5 from about 20,100 ratings, and roughly $1.46 per 1,000 kcal. It is not a true limited-ingredient diet.
Score breakdown
The overall score of 83/100 is a weighted sum of the six dimensions below. Each dimension shows what we found in this specific formula.
Weight 30% · Algorithm-computed score 82/100
Algorithm: first ingredient “Salmon” is named whole meat; 1 named animal ingredients in the top five; protein 29.5% on a dry-matter basis (target for this stage: 24%). Deductions: By-product of canola oil extraction, used here as a plant protein source..
Weight 20% · Algorithm-computed score 70/100
Algorithm: first ingredient is a named animal source; among the top five, 0 by-product/unnamed and 1 plant-protein concentrate items.
Weight 18% · Editorially assessed score 90/100
AAFCO statement: Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that this formula provides complete and balanced nutrition for maintenance of adult dogs.. Formulated-to-meet profiles are acceptable but weaker evidence than feeding trials, which caps the score here.
Weight 14% · Editorially assessed score 84/100
Nine voluntary recalls since 2011, most of them small and lot-specific. Recent events cluster in the prescription channel: a December 2022 mislabelling of Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN cans and a February-March 2023 elevated-vitamin-D withdrawal of EL Elemental dry food. No mainstream retail Pro Plan dry food has been recalled.
Weight 10% · Algorithm-computed score 97/100
Algorithm: about $1.46 per 1,000 kcal ($ tier), normalized against same-species peers, wet and dry together (cheapest = 100, most expensive ≈ 15).
Weight 8% · Editorially assessed score 90/100
Owner ratings are consistently high across major retailers, with few recurring palatability complaints.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Real salmon first with rice and barley - a genuinely short, digestible carbohydrate base
- Feeding-trial validated, which is uncommon in the sensitive-skin category
- 4.5/5 across roughly 20,100 Chewy ratings, the largest review base in this ranking
- About $1.46 per 1,000 kcal, well under most competitors in this niche
What we don't
- Canola meal in the fourth slot contributes plant protein
- Contains fish and canola; not a true limited-ingredient diet for elimination trials
- 12% moisture is high, and a minority of owners report the salmon smell is strong
Ingredients & nutrition analysis
The first five ingredients tell most of the story:
Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach leads with real salmon, then rice, barley and oat meal - a deliberately digestible carbohydrate base with oats and barley supplying soluble fiber. It is one of the few foods in this niche backed by AAFCO feeding trials rather than formulation, and about 20,100 owners rate it 4.5/5.
What it is not is an elimination diet. Between salmon, canola meal, fish meal and barley there are plenty of potential antigens, so a dog with a suspected novel-protein need is better served by a genuine limited-ingredient formula. Used as intended - a dog with non-specific itch or intermittent loose stools - it is the best-value option in the category.
Alternatives to consider
Other products ranked in Best Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs:
80/ 100 Hill's Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe
Frequently asked questions
Is Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula right for my pet?
It is our pick for: Adult dogs with itchy skin or loose stools where a common protein is not the trigger. It is not the best fit for: Dogs needing a genuine novel-protein elimination diet, and fish-allergic dogs. Individual animals vary — if your pet has diagnosed health conditions, confirm the choice with your veterinarian.
How much does Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula cost?
Expect roughly $2.59 per pound ($ tier) depending on bag size and retailer. Check the linked retailers for current pricing; our value score compares cost per 1,000 kcal against comparable formulas.
How should I switch to this food?
Transition over 7–10 days, mixing increasing proportions of the new food into the old. Go slower for puppies, kittens, seniors and pets with sensitive stomachs, and watch stool quality during the switch.
Score history
Every change to this product's score is logged here, including the reason. Scores are recomputed by algorithm whenever ingredient or price data changes.
- 2026-10-19 — Product data refreshed: guaranteed analysis, ingredient list, AAFCO statement, calorie content and price replaced with values verified against the manufacturer's current US label and current US retail listings. Editorial scores for standards, safety and reviews reassessed against that data.