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Iams vs Purina Dog Chow

Iams vs. Purina Dog Chow

In this comparison article for Iams vs Purina Dog Chow, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Iams and Purina Dog Chow, we'll use up-to-date nutritional and price information.

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best pet food brand for your pet. Factors such as ingredient quality, guaranteed analysis, product safety, brand history, and cost are among the most important factors to consider.

Throughout this Purina Dog Chow vs Iams comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Iams Review Page or Purina Dog Chow Review Page.

Guaranteed Analysis: Purina Dog Chow vs. Iams

According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.

All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on a dry matter basis.

Iams Dog Food vs. Purina Dog Chow Dog Food

Dry Dog FoodIamsPurina Dog Chow
Crude Protein27.6%26.2%
Crude Fat14.9%12.3%
Crude Fiber5.2%4.9%
Wet/Canned Dog FoodIamsPurina Dog Chow
Crude Protein40.9%49.5%
Crude Fat23.4%14.5%
Crude Fiber5.4%6.8%

Crude Protein Comparison For Dog Food

Protein is an extremely important part of your dog's diet. Without sufficient protein, dogs can develop a wide-range of serious health problems.

Both brands provide roughly the same amount of crude protein. For wet dog foods, Purina Dog Chow provides significantly more protein (about 8.63% more).


Crude Fat Comparison For Dog Food

Dietary fats serves a multitude of roles in the proper development and function of our canine companions. Here are some of the benefits (not exhaustive):

  • Help produce prostaglandins, which reduce inflammation among other critical functions.
  • Aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
  • Improve skin and coat health
  • Improve the palatially of your dog's food

According to our average data, Purina Dog Chow typically provides less fat than Iams. However, this difference is relatively small and doesn't represent a significant difference between the two brands. In addition, Iams wet dog foods also provide more fat than Purina Dog Chow wet foods.


As you can see, Purina Dog Chow and Iams guarantee a similar amount of crude fiber. With regards to wet dog food, Purina Dog Chow and Iams also provide roughly the same amount of crude fiber.

Iams Pet Food Ingredients vs. Purina Dog Chow Pet Food Ingredients

Iams and Purina Dog Chow both use the following controversial ingredients in many of their products:

Liver
Wheat Gluten
Corn Gluten Meal
Meat By-Products
Chicken By-Product Meal
Poultry By-Product Meal

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Iams.

Caramel
Beet Pulp
Corn Meal
Canola Oil
Corn Grits
Iron Oxide
Fish Digest
Ground Corn
Pea Protein
Brewers Rice
Caramel Color
Vegetable Oil
Feeding Oatmeal
Poultry Giblets
Powdered Cellulose
Chicken By-Products
Dried Tomato Pomace
Dried Meat By-Products
Ground Whole Grain Corn
Animal Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)
Poultry Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Purina Dog Chow.

Soybean Flour
Whole Grain Corn
Whole Grain Wheat
Ground Yellow Corn
Meat And Bone Meal
Turkey By-Product Meal

We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.

Iams and Purina Dog Chow both use the following harmful ingredients in many of their products:

Blue 2
Red 40
Yellow 5
Yellow 6
Added Color
Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex

Product Safety: Recall History of Iams & Purina Dog Chow?

Iams has been recalled 2 times.

  • Aug. 14, 2013: Salmonella
  • July 30, 2010: Salmonella

According to our records, Purina Dog Chow has never been recalled.

Price Comparison: Which Brand Is More Expensive?

Dry Dog FoodIamsPurina Dog Chow
Per Pound$1.52$1.22
Per Calorie$0.0009$0.0008
Wet Dog FoodIamsPurina Dog Chow
Per Pound$1.90$2.14
Per Calorie$0.0038$0.0042

The average cost-per-lb is heavily influenced by the varying amounts of moisture present in each brand's food products (wet vs. dry food, dry vs. freeze-dried food, etc). However, the average cost-per-kcal eliminates the influence of moisture. Therefore, the average cost-per-kcal is the better metric to consider.

If you'd like to calculate the average cost-per-day or cost-pet-year of feeding Iams or Purina Dog Chow, input your pet's weight into our cost analyzer widget.

Averages price data can identify whether or not there exists a significant price difference between two brands. However, the actual price that you'll pay for Iams or Purina Dog Chow will depend on your shopping habits.

Pet owners who use our price comparison feature typically save more than 25% off retail prices for Iams and Purina Dog Chow. In addition, we currently have some great coupons for our readers.


Disclosure: PawDiet has an affiliate relationship with stores featured (or linked-to) in this article. We are compensated for referring customers. Thank you for shopping with our retail partners!

Where To Buy Iams Pet Foods

You can purchase Iams pet foods from the following stores:


33 Recipes In-Stock Today

15 Recipes In-Stock Today

24 Recipes In-Stock Today

Where To Buy Purina Dog Chow Pet Foods

You can purchase Purina Dog Chow pet food products from these retailers:


4 Recipes In-Stock Today

1 Recipes In-Stock Today

4 Recipes In-Stock Today

Type Of Pet Foods Available

ProductIamsPurina Dog Chow
Dry Dog Food24 Recipes5 Recipes
Wet Dog Food8 Recipes9 Recipes
Dog TreatsNoneNone
Dry Cat Food13 RecipesNone
Wet Cat Food13 RecipesNone
Cat Treats2 TreatsNone

Top Rated Iams Recipes

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Top Rated Purina Dog Chow Recipes

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