Royal Canin

Royal Canin Information

Royal Canin is one of the world’s most recognizable pet food brands and is seen on shelves all around the world.

Royal Canin is often best known for its huge range of breed-specific recipes, which most pet food brands do not produce.

Royal Canin is owned by Mars Petcare which is a huge pet food conglomerate. This conglomerate owns several other major pet food brands, such as Pedigree, Whiskas, Iams, Nutro, and Eukanuba.

Royal Canin products are produced at several Royal Canin facilities across the United States and the rest of the world. This includes facilities in France, South Africa, Brazil, Russia, and the UK.

However, for those concerned about food produced abroad, the vast majority of recipes sold in the United States are also produced there, and most of the other factories are to provide products for their respective countries and regions.

In addition, based on our research, Royal Canin does not outsource any of its production to 3rd party manufacturers and keeps all of its production in-house.

In the United States, Royal Canin is one of the most accessible pet food brands available and is sold at thousands of pet food retailers across the country, as well as at thousands of small veterinary practices.

In addition to a large physical presence, Royal Canin can be purchased from several pet food websites, such as Chewy, Amazon, and Petflow, although not all of these online providers stock their full range.

Royal Canin Product Range

Dog Food

Royal Canin has a truly enormous range of dog food products. This range is a mix between dry dog food recipes and wet/canned dog food recipes.

Royal Canin produces a substantial range of breed-specific recipes. This includes formulas for breeds such as Bulldogs, German Shepherds, Poodles, and Golden Retrievers, along with many more.

Royal Canin also produces some generic recipes for certain health problems. This includes recipes for sensitive skin, digestive care, and joint care. These generic recipes do not need to be prescribed by a veterinarian.

In addition to this, Royal Canin produces a huge range of veterinary recipes that are designed to be prescribed by a veterinarian to dogs with severe health problems.

These specialized recipes have had significant research and development put into them to ensure they are ideally suited to help counter these health issues.

Examples of these recipes include some for gastrointestinal, urinary, and renal issues, as well as hydrolyzed protein recipes for dogs with severe allergies.

Cat Food

Royal Canin’s cat food range is noticeably smaller than their dog food range which is in stark contrast to some of their competitors like Hill’s Science Diet or Purina Pro Plan.

This cat food range includes a mix of dry cat food and wet/canned cat food. There are a number of specialized recipes within this range, including recipes for Kittens, Senior cats, Indoor cats, and cats with specific health issues like hairball or weight management.

Royal Canin is one of a very small number of cat food brands to produce breed-specific cat food, such as recipes for Bengal cats, Siamese cats, and Persian cats.

Royal Canin Nutrition

Dog Food

The nutrition provided by Royal Canin recipes varies tremendously, given their massive product range.

Some recipes provide nutrition that is above average when compared to other brands, while some recipes provide nutrition that is below average.

On the whole, Royal Canin recipes provide nutrition that is average which includes average proportions of protein and fat and somewhat large proportions of carbohydrates.

Below is an example of the nutrition provided by a Royal Canin dry dog food recipe.

As you can see, the proportion of protein and fat sums to just over 50% of the recipe’s nutritional content, while carbohydrates make up 49%.

However, it is important to note that many Royal Canin recipes are for dogs and cats with specific health issues.

For recipes like these, the nutritional profile is far less important in comparison to the health issue, and so this should be taken into consideration when considering them.

If you would like to learn more about canine nutrition, we highly recommend you check out our Dog Food Guide.

Cat Food

The same concepts apply to Royal Canin cat food recipes, with their nutritional profile varying tremendously between product types and specialized recipes.

Royal Canin cat food provides nutrition that is generally average when compared to other brands. This average nutritional profile consists of moderate proportions of protein and fat and a somewhat large proportion of carbohydrates.

It is critical that cats consume a high proportion of animal-based protein and fat as they are obligate carnivores and thrive on a diet with minimal plant matter.

However, many of Royal Canin’s recipes are for specific health issues, and the nutrition offered by these recipes is secondary to their other benefits.

If you would like to learn more about feline nutrition and what an Obligate Carnivore is, then be sure to check out our Cat Food Guide.

Royal Canin Ingredients

High-Quality Meat & Fish Ingredients

• Chicken
• Pork
• Salmon
• Whitefish
• Rabbit
• Venison
• Kangaroo

Given its huge product range, Royal Canin uses a surprisingly small list of meat and fish ingredients. The vast majority of their recipes utilize Chicken, Pork, or a mixture of the two.

Regardless, Chicken and Pork are both high-quality meat ingredients and can act as a dense source of animal-based protein and fat.

However, some specialized recipes from Royal Canin for digestive issues utilize uncommon and rare meat ingredients like Rabbit, Venison, and Kangaroo.

These ingredients are used as pets are unlikely to have been exposed to them, and hence there is a smaller chance of an adverse reaction. 

You can read more about how and why these ingredients are used in our article Best Hypoallergenic Dog Foods Guide.

Select Royal Canin recipes make use of organ meat ingredients as minor ingredients such as Pork Liver.

Organ meats such as this can greatly enhance the flavor and palatability of a recipe as well as boost the levels of several beneficial vitamins and minerals that may be in short supply in other foods.

You can read more about the use of organ meat ingredients in pet food in our article Organ Meat Ingredients In Pet Food.

Other Notable Ingredients

Royal Canin makes extensive use of grain ingredients in its recipes, including Brown Rice, Oat Groats, Corn Gluten Meal, and Wheat.

Grain ingredients, including these, can be controversial additions to pet food recipes, with many pet owners refusing to feed their pets grains.

However, there are also strong supporters of the use of grains, especially among those who feed food from large brands like Hill’s Science Diet or Purina Pro Plan.

Regardless of your perspective, these grain ingredients are a reliable and dense source of carbohydrates, plant-based protein, fiber, and more.

However, these aren’t the only grain ingredients used by Royal Canin; they also include Brewers Rice which is a grain by-product that can be an even more controversial inclusion.

It is a leftover product from rice processing and is often used by brewers thanks to its lower cost. While opinions vary, it can best be described as imperfect or broken rice kernels.

While many of the big pet food brands support its use and claim it can be beneficial in select circumstances, many others feel like it is a low-quality addition to pet food that is selected thanks to its lower cost.

You can learn more about Brewers Rice in our article Brewers Rice In Dog Food.

Chicken Fat is a regular addition to pet food recipes from a huge number of brands across the price spectrum.

It is typically added as it can enhance the flavor and palatability of the recipe and boost the overall levels of animal fat. Chicken Fat is often chosen over alternatives thanks to its low cost and high availability.

If you are interested in reading more about Chicken Fat, then head on over to our article Chicken Fat In Dog Food.

Beet Pulp is one of the most common minor ingredients to be found in pet food, and it is included as a source of soluble fiber.

Soluble fiber can be a critical component of a dog’s diet to ensure they keep regular digestion and stools.

However, outside of this fiber content, Beet Pulp provides very little meaningful nutrition, which can be seen as advantageous or disadvantageous depending on who you ask.

If you would like to learn more about Beet Pulp, then be sure to read our article Dried Beet Pulp In Dog Food.

Powdered Cellulose is an extremely controversial ingredient to be found in pet food and does feature in some Royal Canin recipes. In short, Powdered Cellulose is pure fiber that is sourced from some form of plant material.

While fiber is an important part of a dog’s diet, the source of this fiber is what concerns many, as Powdered Cellulose can be extracted from waste products from agriculture and industry.

While these aren’t likely to be the source of the Powdered Cellulose used by Royal Canin, consumers can’t know for sure.

Read more about this controversial addition in our article Powdered Cellulose In Dog Food.

Guar Gum and Carrageenan are found in Royal Canin wet/canned food recipes, and both of these ingredients are used as binding agents.

Binding agents are found in wet pet food recipes to help give the food a consistent texture and appearance. Outside of this binding function, they do not provide significant nutrition or any other purpose.

If you would like to understand more about these two ingredients and where they come from, read our articles Guar Gum In Pet Food & Carrageenan In Dog Food.

Royal Canin Animal Testing

While specific information is limited, it is clear that Royal Canin participates in a huge quantity of testing and feeding trials. 

Along with Purina and Hill’s, Royal Canin is one of the world leaders in research and development. They have taken part in countless studies, and this research strongly contributes to their formulation process.

While Royal Canin claims their trials and testing are not invasive or cruel, there are some in the industry who disagree.

Royal Canin has a very detailed page on its website that explains some of its research and testing methods and philosophy; you can find that here if you are interested.

We strongly believe that laboratory or invasive testing of animals is a cruel and outdated practice. We hope that in the future, it will be eliminated.

Royal Canin Recalls

Based on our research (FDA, AVMA, DogFoodAdvisor), Royal Canin is not a recall-free pet food brand as its products have been recalled in the past.

However, the last recall we could find information on was during 2007, which does mean that Royal Canin has been recall-free for over a decade, which is a notable achievement given its huge size and the millions of pets they feed.

April + May 2007 Melamine Contamination

Many brands across the industry, including Royal Canin, were affected by a recall in relation to Melamine contamination.

Melamine is an industrial chemical and is not an appropriate ingredient to find in pet food recipes.

This Melamine contamination was due to the sourcing of ingredients from non-US sources such as China. Most commonly, these ingredients were Wheat Gluten or Rice Protein concentrate.

This contamination was discovered after another pet food brand conducted feeding trials for its recipes, and a total of 14 dogs and cats died, mostly from kidney failure.

A variety of Royal Canin recipes were affected by this recall, including both dry dog food recipes and dry cat food recipes. You can find the full list below.

Date Codes between July 28, 2007, and April 30, 2008:

• Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice Adult dry dog food
• Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice Reduced dry dog food
• Sensible Choice Lamb and Rice Reduced dry dog food
• Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice Puppy dry dog food
• Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice Large Breed Puppy dry dog food
• Sensible Choice Natural Blend Adult dry dog food
• Sensible Choice Natural Blend Senior dry dog food
• Sensible Choice Natural Blend Puppy dry dog food
• Kasco Chunks dry dog food
• Kasco Hi Energy dry dog food
• Kasco Maintenance dry dog food
• Kasco Mealettes dry dog food
• Kasco Mini Chunks dry dog food
• Kasco Puppy dry dog food
• Kasco Cat dry cat food

• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Early Cardiac EC 22 dry dog food
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Skin Support SS21 dry dog food
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Feline Hypoallergenic HP23 dry cat food
• Sensible Choice Chicken Meal & Rice Formula Senior dry dog food
• Sensible Choice Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Puppy dry dog food
• Sensible Choice Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Adult dry dog food
• Sensible Choice Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Senior dry dog food
• Sensible Choice Rice & Catfish Meal Formula Adult dry dog food

February 2006 High Levels of Vitamin D

This recall was more specific to Royal Canin and affected wet/canned dog food that was sold via veterinary clinics. This recall was due to excessive levels of Vitamin D3 in certain batches of food.

Excessive levels of certain vitamins or minerals can cause pets harm which is why it is critical that they are closely monitored and adjusted.

Some in the industry praised Royal Canin for their transparency and proactiveness around this recall and stated that other less reputable pet food companies might not have been so transparent.

You can find the recipes affected by this 2006 recall below:

• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Urinary SO dog food, 13.6 oz. cans, Codes 511A/B and 521 A/B, best by March 2007
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Urinary SO dog food, 13.6 oz. cans, Code 525A, best by June 2007
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Low Fat LF dog food, 13.6 oz. cans, Code 526A/B, best by June 2007
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Calorie Control CC in Gel dog food, 12.7 oz. cans, Code 515B, best by April 2007
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Calorie Control CC in Gel dog food, 12.7 oz. cans, Code 528A, best by July 2007
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Feline Sensitivity VR cat food, 5.8 oz. cans, Code 518A, best by May 2007
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Feline Calorie Control CC cat food, 5.8 oz. cans, Code 449A, best by November 2006
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Feline Calorie Control CC cat food, 5.8 oz. cans, Code 451A, best by December 2006
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Feline Calorie Control CC cat food, 5.8 oz. cans, Code 515A, best by April 2007
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Feline Renal LP cat food, 3 oz. pouches, Codes 519B and 522B, best by September 2006
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Feline Renal LP cat food, 3 oz. pouches, Code 526A, best by October 2006
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Feline Renal LP cat food, 3 oz. pouches, Codes 541A and 543A, best by February 2007

Despite Royal Canin’s recent recall-free record, we always suggest that pet owners remain vigilant of any future recalls of Royal Canin or any other pet food brand to ensure their pets remain healthy and safe.

Best of Royal Canin

Royal Canin Sporting Life Trail 4300 Review

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As we mentioned earlier, many of Royal Canin’s recipes are breed-specific or specific to a health problem.

Therefore we’ve recommended one of our favorite Royal Canin generic recipes, which is best suited to working dogs or those that are very active.

This recipe includes a very high proportion of protein and fat compared to most Royal Canin recipes, and this is thanks to a large portion of Chicken By-Product Meal.

Chicken By-Product Meal is made by taking some of the less desirable cuts and parts of a Chicken and processing it to produce a nutritionally dense ingredient.

While many disagree with its use, supporters of Royal Canin would argue that dogs would naturally eat food such as this.

The recipe uses a large range of grain ingredients such as Brewer’s Rice, Corn, Wheat, and more.

These grain ingredients are present to provide nutrition in the form of carbohydrates, fiber, and some vitamins and minerals.

Royal Canin Featured Articles

Best WSAVA Approved Dog Food – The WSAVA guidelines on dog food are gaining popularity and are being heavily discussed among dedicated pet owners.

Royal Canin is one of the core five brands that meet the WSAVA guidelines, which is why they earn themselves a deserved place in this article. This article out to see why Royal Canin meets the criteria and which other brands feature.

Best Dog Food With Kangaroo – Kangaroo meat is a rare addition to pet food recipes, but it is typically used in recipes for dogs with severe health issues like allergies or sensitivities.

This is as most dogs are unlikely to have been exposed to Kangaroo meat before. This trend holds true for Royal Canin, who has a veterinary diet recipe that utilizes Kangaroo meat as an ingredient. Check out this article to see what other brands utilize Kangaroo.

Best Cat Food In South Africa – While many of the smaller North American brands have yet to expand abroad, the big pet food brands like Royal Canin have branched out all over the world.

In South Africa, there are limited options in the cat food market, but Royal Canin is a reliable option which earns it a place in this article. 

Royal Canin Full Product Range

Dog Food

Dry Dog Food

Large Weight Care

Labrador Retriever Puppy

X-Small Aging 12+

X-Small Adult 8+

German Shepherd Adult

Dachshund Puppy

French Bulldog Puppy

Large Comfort Care

Giant Puppy

Giant Junior

German Shepherd Adult 5+

Yorkshire Terrier Adult 8+

Jack Russell Terrier Adult

Bulldog Puppy

X-Small Weight Care

Large Dental Care

Medium Digestive Care

Small Dental Care

Giant Adult

Medium Dental Care

Miniature Schnauzer Puppy

Medium Puppy

Small Digestive Care

Sporting Life Trail 4300

Rottweiler Adult

Poodle Puppy

Bulldog Adult

Bichon Frise Adult

Jack Russell Terrier Puppy

Large Digestive Care

Large Sensitive Skin Care

Large Aging 8+

Beagle Adult

Poodle Adult

Maltese Adult

Small Sensitive Skin Care

Boxer Puppy

Small Indoor Adult

Boxer Adult

Large Adult 5+

Labrador Retriever Adult

Medium Adult 7+

Cavalier King Charles Puppy

Cavalier King Charles Adult

Large Joint Care

Chihuahua 8+

German Shepherd Puppy

Dachshund 8+ Adult

Shih Tzu Adult

Shih Tzu Puppy

Yorkshire Terrier Puppy

Large Puppy

Dachshund Adult

Golden Retriever Adult

Great Dane Adult

Miniature Schnauzer Adult

French Bulldog Adult

Medium Sensitive Skin Care

Small Aging 12+

Small Comfort Care

Small Starter Mother And Babydog

Small Adult

Setter Adult

Medium Comfort Care

Small Weight Care

Yorkshire Terrier Adult

Medium Aging 10+

Medium Adult

Large Adult

Golden Retriever Puppy

Dalmatian Adult

Chihuahua Adult

X-Small Adult

Poodle 8+ Adult

Medium Weight Care

Small Puppy

Small Adult 8+

Small Indoor Senior

Small Indoor Puppy

X-Small Puppy

West Highland White Terrier Adult

Rottweiler Puppy

Pug Puppy

Small Coat Care

Pug Adult

Cocker Spaniel Adult

Chihuahua Puppy

Pomeranian Adult

Veterinary Diet Selected Protein Adult KO

Veterinary Diet Weight Control Large Dog

Veterinary Diet Ultamino 

Veterinary Diet Selected Protein PW Moderate Calorie

Veterinary Diet Satiety + Hydrolyzed Protein

Veterinary Diet Select Protein Adult PV 

Veterinary Diet Renal Support A

Veterinary Diet Mature Consult

Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal Low Fat

Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal Puppy

Veterinary Diet Selected Protein KO

Veterinary Diet Selected Protein PW

Veterinary Diet Selected Protein PR

Veterinary Diet Vegetarian 

Veterinary Diet Weight Control Small Dog

Veterinary Diet Selected Protein PW Large Breed

Veterinary Diet Weight Control

Veterinary Diet Hydrolyzed Protein Small

Veterinary Diet Urinary UC 

Veterinary Diet Urinary SO + Satiety

Veterinary Diet Urinary SO Moderate Calorie

Veterinary Diet Urinary SO Small

Veterinary Diet Urinary SO

Veterinary Diet Hydrolyzed Protein HP

Veterinary Diet Urinary SO + Hydrolyzed Protein

Veterinary Diet Urinary SO Aging 7+

Veterinary Diet Dental Small Dog

Veterinary Diet Dental 

Veterinary Diet Hydrolyzed Protein PS

Veterinary Diet Skin Support

Veterinary Diet Hydrolyzed Protein Moderate Calorie

Veterinary Diet Selected Protein PD

Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal High Fiber

Veterinary Diet Multifunction Renal Support + Hydrolyzed Protein

Veterinary Diet Mobility Support JS Large Breed

Veterinary Diet Mature Consult Small Dog

Veterinary Diet Renal Support F

Veterinary Diet Early Cardiac

Veterinary Diet Renal Support S

Veterinary Diet Satiety Support Weight Management

Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal 

Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal Moderate Calorie

Veterinary Diet Satiety Support Weight Management

Veterinary Diet Hepatic 

Veterinary Diet Calm

Veterinary Diet Mobility Support JS

Veterinary Diet Glycobalance

Wet Dog Food

Poodle Adult Loaf In Sauce

Yorkshire Terrier Adult Loaf In Sauce

Puppy Loaf In Sauce

Puppy Loaf In Gel Tray

Starter Mother And Babydog Ultra Soft Mousse In Sauce Tray

Large Adult Pouch

Mature Adult In Gel

Joint Care Loaf In Sauce

Pomeranian Adult Loaf In Sauce

Pomeranian Loaf In Gravy Pouch

Large Puppy Pouch

Starter Mother And Babydog Ultra Soft Mousse In Sauce Can

Large Aging 8+ Pouch

Digestive Care Pouch

Medium Adult Pouch

Poodle Pouch

Comfort Care Pouch

Chihuahua Pouch

Boxer Adult Loaf In Sauce Canned

Labrador Retriever Adult Loaf In Sauce

Chihuahua Adult Loaf In Sauce

Mature 8+ In Gel Canned

German Shepherd Adult Loaf In Sauce

Beauty Adult In Gel Tray

Dachshund Adult Loaf In Sauce Canned

Weight Care Loaf In Sauce Canned

Shih Tzu Loaf In Sauce Canned

Sensitive Skin Care Loaf In Sauce Canned

Digestive Care Loaf In Sauce Canned

Coat Care Loaf In Sauce Canned

Sensitive Skin Care Pouch

Medium Aging 10+ Pouch

Dachshund Pouch

Coat Care Pouch

Golden Retriever Adult Loaf In Sauce

Adult Canned In Gel

Adult Beauty In Gel Canned

Small Adult Pouch

Small Aging 12+ Pouch

Medium Puppy Pouch

Small Puppy Pouch

Weight Care Pouch

Yorkshire Terrier Pouch

Puppy Canned

Comfort Care Loaf In Sauce

Adult Weight Care In Gel Canned

Veterinary Diet Selected Protein PR Loaf

Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal Puppy Ultra Soft Mousse In Sauce

Veterinary Diet Selected Protein PW Loaf

Veterinary Diet Urinary SO Thin Slices And Gravy

Veterinary Diet Renal Support E Loaf In Sauce

Veterinary Diet Satiety Support Weight Management Loaf In Sauce

Veterinary Diet Renal Support D Morsels In Gravy

Veterinary Diet Selected Protein PV Loaf

Veterinary Diet Vegetarian Loaf In Sauce

Veterinary Diet Hydrolyzed Protein Loaf

Veterinary Diet Glycobalance Loaf In Sauce

Veterinary Diet Urinary SO + Satiety Loaf In Sauce

Veterinary Diet Urinary SO Moderate Calorie Thin Slices In Gravy

Veterinary Diet Urinary SO Aging 7+ Loaf In Sauce

Veterinary Diet Renal Support T Loaf In Sauce

Veterinary Diet Urinary SO Loaf

Veterinary Diet Recovery Ultra Soft Mousse In Sauce

Veterinary Diet Hepatic Loaf

Veterinary Diet Mature Consult In Gel

Veterinary Diet Weight Control In Gel

Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal Low Fat Loaf

Veterinary Diet Canine Gastrointestinal Loaf

Veterinary Diet Selected Protein PD Loaf

Cat Food

Dry Cat Food

Indoor Adult

Kitten

Appetite Control Spayed / Neutered 7+

Indoor 7+

Fit And Active

Maine Coon Kitten

Maine Coon Adult

Bengal Adult

Hairball Care

Digestive Care

Aroma Selective

Kitten Spayed / Neutered

Oral Care

Indoor Long Hair

Ragdoll Adult

Weight Care

American Shorthair Adult

Appetite Control Spayed / Neutered

Mother & Babycat

Persian Adult

Siamese Adult

Protein Selective 

Savor Selective

Sensitive Digestion

Hair & Skin Care

Urinary Care

Aging Spayed / Neutered 12+

Persian Kitten

Wet Cat Food

Spayed & Neutered Thin Slices In Gravy

Weight Care Loaf In Sauce

Intense Beauty Loaf In Sauce

Indoor Adult Morsels In Sauce

Indoor Adult Loaf In Gravy

Indoor 7+ Morsels In Sauce

Indoor 7+ Morsels In Gravy

Hairball Thin Slices In Gravy

Spayed & Neutered Loaf In Sauce

Persian Adult Loaf In Sauce

Maine Coon Adult Thin Slices In Gravy

Aging 12+ Thin Slices In Gravy

Instinctive 7+ Thin Slices In Gravy

Aging 12+ Loaf In Sauce

Digest Sensitive Loaf In Sauce

Kitten Thin Slices In Gravy

Intense Beauty Pouch

Weight Care Thin Slices In Gravy

Digest Sensitive Pouch

Intense Beauty Thin Slices In Gravy

Mother And Babycat Ultra Soft Mousse In Sauce

Digest Sensitive Thin Slices In Gravy

Adult Instinctive Thin Slices In Gravy

Adult Instinctive Pouch

Adult Instinctive Thin Slices In Gravy

Weight Care Pouch

Indoor Adult Morsels In Gravy

Kitten Loaf In Sauce