Purina Pro Plan vs. Eukanuba: The Pros and Cons of Each

  • By: Andrew
  • Time to read: 11 min.

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Purina Pro Plan and Eukanuba are great dog foods for your treasured pet. It isn’t easy to distinguish between them. Wouldn’t it be easier if you could tell the difference between them before you choose which one to feed your dog?

Purina Pro Plan and Eukanuba are known for the quality of protein your pet needs and providing good digestion, bone and joint support, and increased mobility. However, price may be an issue, the presence of animal by-products in their food, and cornmeal and wheat gluten ingredients.

These foods may have a few extra ingredients that you might find questionable, but that doesn’t take away from how good these foods are. Continue reading to learn more about these two foods, as well as the pros and cons of each. Once done, you will know which one is a good fit for your dog.

Purina Pro Plan Pros

Purina Pro Plan is one of the leading manufacturers of dog food. They have many decades of experience to back their brand. Purina is the first dog food that added real meat as the first ingredient to their foods. Many different pros make Purina Pro Plan the right choice for your pet.

Quality Protein

The protein provided in this food is designed to give your pet more energy. Since the food’s main ingredients contain beef, chicken, lamb, salmon, and turkey, you are sure that your pet is getting quality protein.

This food is free from additional protein supplements making the proteins your pet consumes all-natural and adequate. A quality protein helps keep your pet active and healthy in all walks of life. However, there are going to be some by-products in the food, but it is minimal. The by-products are just filler.

Good Digestion

The formula of Purina Pro Plan is to make sure your dog can digest the food while absorbing the necessary nutrients. In order to have good digestion, This type of dog food is full of the enzymes needed to make sure there is a healthy digestive flow.

The high-quality ingredients provide everything your dog needs to have healthy bowels as well as good gut health. To maintain being strong and healthy—good digestion is essential for your dog. Purina Pro Plan works because it will not cause constipation in your pet, nor will it cause bloating and other unpleasant side effects when digestive health is disturbed.

Immunity Support

The immune system of a dog is very strong when it comes to most things. That is why your dog can eat off the ground, drink from puddles, and even eat random items. Vaccines and diet aid Their natural immunity to most common illnesses. Purina Pro Plan is made up of the right nutrients that support your dog’s natural immunity so that he can keep eating and stay healthy.

In this premium dog food, you will find that all the essential nutrients and vitamins your dog could need to live a healthy life. Eating a diet of this food can reduce the need your dog may have for added vitamins in the future and ailments caused by deficiencies.

Weight Management

Dogs don’t have a natural turn off switch when it comes to food. Sure, there is the odd dog that will stop eating when they are full, but that is rare. Most dogs will eat as long as there is food available to them. As a result, a lot of domestic dogs eat more than they need and end up gaining weight. Since you want to take care of your dog correctly, Purina Pro Plan formulates the food to ensure that your dogs’ weight can be maintained.

If your dog is just switching to Purina Pro Plan from another brand and is already experiencing weight issues, you do have options. There is also a food that is specially formulated for weight management. The weight management food does not compromise on nutrition but rather contains fewer fillers.

Proper Nutrients

The nutritional content of Purina Pro Plan is such that your dog will need nothing else. Your dog will not need to take additional vitamins as the formula made to design this food is such that it will keep your dog healthy. You can rest easy knowing that your dog will have a well-rounded diet with this brand of pet food.

As mentioned above, all the essential nutrients are there to ensure your dog has all he needs to stay healthy. Vitamins will not be necessary when consuming a diet of this food. Regardless of the formula of food you choose under this brand, it will have all the nutrients necessary for adequate health.

Increased Mobility

Your dogs’ diet is going to affect his mobility directly. The right diet will ensure that the bones and joints are healthy and robust—a diet that is rich in protein, calcium, and phosphorus. Purina is made to give your dog the added nutrition he needs to have healthy bones and strong joints, which will increase his mobility and keep him active.

Selection

There is an extensive range of selection when it comes to picking the right Purina Pro Plan. You can find a variety of foods that will support certain dietary restrictions or even weight issues. This brand of food is made to ensure your dog gets what he needs when he needs it. If general food won’t do, there is a specialty one for your pet. The various selection includes:

  • Hypoallergenic
  • Breed size
  • Low calorie
  • Low fat
  • Natural
  • Sensitive skin
  • Sensitive digestive system
  • Weight management

You should also know that this pet food brand also comes in wet food, dry food and even has treats that your dog will love.

Purina Pro Plan Cons

With all the good things that come with the Purina Pro Plan, you can find something you aren’t going to like. There is always going to be something that you won’t particularly like.

Ingredient Selection

Purina is very particular with their food, which means that you aren’t going to get much selection when it comes to ingredients. As a result, you can do little if your dog has any food sensitivities or specific dietary requirements. If your dog has specific diet requirements, you are going to want to find another brand.

Price

When it comes to dog food, there is a large selection of choices when it comes to price ranges. If the Purina Pro Plan is one of the choices you are considering, be prepared to pay more. Purina’s careful selection of ingredients and food preparation comes with a hefty price tag.

Animal By-Products

Despite Purina’s careful ingredient selection and their pride in using real meat as a first ingredient, tucked in the list is animal by-products. Most animal foods use by-products as a filler ingredient to bulk up the brand. Purina is no exception to the bulking rule.

Eukanuba Pros

Right dog foods are made with meat as one of the first ingredients. When Purina paved the way by making meat the top ingredient, other foods followed. Eukanuba is no exception to the meat’s first rule. Eukanuba is a dog food full of active ingredients that are made to make your dog healthy.

Quality Protein

Like Purina, Eukanuba makes high-quality animal protein the first ingredient on the list. These proteins come mainly from beef, chicken, and turkey. The protein helps make the food taste appealing to dogs so that they eat it up without a fuss. This food is made to ensure that your dogs get the right amount of protein needed to keep them healthy.

Energy

The carb blend used in this food is made to give your dog the right amount of energy needed to get through the day. Dogs are full of energy and need enough carbohydrates to keep going. Eukanuba is made to ensure that your dog gets the carbohydrates needed to maintain their energy throughout the day.

The carbs are specially chosen to ensure energy is the focus of consumption. However, you may find that your dog cannot handle the carbohydrates as well as the proteins. Dogs are natural carnivores. The carbohydrates may not react well with their stomachs. It is especially true in smaller dogs or those who are closer in ancestral lines to wild packs.

Clean Teeth and Gums

The calcium and the nutrients in Eukanuba are made to ensure that your dog will have clean teeth and healthy gums even when eating. This food is specially formulated to make sure that as your dog eats, the texture of the food will help clean the teeth and the gums simultaneously. The added calcium adds to the support for proper dental health and hygiene.

Digestive Health

When Eukanuba was formulated, it was made to ensure that there are enough probiotics to help aid in digestive health. Additionally, the nutrients in the food itself are designed to be absorbed safely to support gut health. Your dog will not have an issue with bowel movements or another stomach upset when using this food specially formulated to ensure that your dog’s digestive health is taken care of so that you don’t need to worry.

Healthy Joints and Bones

This dog food is made from high-quality proteins that are designed to help with healthy bones and joints. However, there are added Omega fatty acids in this food that is also good for joint health. These omega fatty acids come from fish products that are added to the food for additional support of bones and joints. Another additive is calcium that will also support bone growth and healthy joints.

Immunity Support

It is no secret that a good diet will help to keep your immune system healthy. The same goes for your pet. Eukanuba is formulated to ensure that your dog gets the nutrients they need to stay healthy. As stated above, dogs tend to get into everything, and they need the added immune support. From the right formulation of dog food along with the added antioxidants, your dog will get all the immune support necessary to stay healthy.

Selection

There is a range of dog food choices when it comes to Eukanuba. You will be able to find dog food for weight management, senior dogs, and sporty dogs, as well as the available foods. However, if your dog has particular diet concerns such as gluten or other sensitivities, you will not find food for your dog in this brand. The selection of Eukanuba dog foods include:

  • Weight Control
  • Joint health
  • Skin health
  • Digestion issues
  • Pregnant or nursing pets
  • Life stages

Furthermore, it is also mentionable that a range of pet food from this brand includes wet food, dry food, and even treats. Each type of food is developed for optimal pet health and nutrition.

Eukanuba Cons

Along with all the good things about this pet brand food, there are some drawbacks. To certainly make an informed decision—it is only right to know the cons and the pros.

Animal By-Products

Eukanuba has animal by-products in their pet food formula. Though Purina Pro Plan also has these by-products in the food, Eukanuba has them as one of the top ingredients. That might not sit well with you when you try to give your dog a full and well-rounded diet.

You will find that the animal by-products are close to the actual animal protein in this pet food. It is also noteworthy to mention that they have what is called “unspecified” meat by-products. These products may not sit well with your pet.

Carbohydrates

The carbohydrates added to this pet food are designed initially to provide more energy to your pet, but there might be too many carbs. With the use of cornmeal and wheat gluten in this food, you may find that there are too many carbs and not enough quality-proteins.

One primary reason this is an issue is that many canines have allergy problems or blood sugar issues when consuming too many carbohydrates. You should be very careful with this if your pet is prone to sensitivities or obesity.

Cost

Like Purina Pro Plan, the cost of Eukanuba is significantly more than you might get with a budget brand. The price is incredibly disappointing when you consider the number of animal by-products and the use of added carbohydrates to the food. You may find that this food’s cost is significantly more than you would be willing to pay for the quality.

The Verdict: Purina Pro Plan Is Slightly Better Than Eukanuba

When it comes to comparing dog foods, creating a list of pros and cons is the standard way to make the distinction between the foods. Each list of pros is quite similar in both foods. For example, both foods use quality proteins, support immunity, and digestive health. Furthermore, there is a well-rounded number of nutrients in the foods that help to support various health issues in your pet.

The number of cons in each brand is also similar. However, Eukanuba pulls ahead with more cons than the Purina Pro Plan. The use of animal by-products is found in both types of dog food, disturbing someone who wants their pet to eat only quality protein. Additionally, the food price for both is relatively high compared to more generic brands, but you do get what you pay for when picking a premium brand of dog food.

Overall, Purina Pro Plan pulled ahead in that they do not have the same amount of animal by-products in their food the way Eukanuba has in theirs. Though it is present in both foods, you will find that these products are further down the list of ingredients in Purina Pro Plan than in Eukanuba.

It is safe to conclude that the animal by-products in Purina Pro Plan are there as a filler ingredient and not as a primary ingredient the way it is in the contender. Though the filler ingredients are not ideal, many food brands use them, and the key is to keep it minimal, and Purina Pro Plan has done just that.

One good thing about each brand is that they are relatively close when it comes to cost. Both brands range at the same price level and offer the same selection when it comes to dry food, wet food, and even treats for your pet.

Conclusion

Both dog food brands are top contenders. If you are interested in either brand, it is only fair to really weigh the pros and cons of each to help you determine their credibility.

Both dog foods have an extensive list of pros that include:

  • Available selections
  • Quality proteins
  • Support for immunity
  • Aid in bone and joint health
  • Good digestive health

Although there are so many good things about each dog’s food, some things make them not useful such as animal by-products and the cost. Eukanuba has added carbohydrates and a limited dietary selection.

When comparing both premium dog food brands, there is no clear winner. Purina Pro Plan edges forward a tad bit compared to Eukanuba because of the animal by-products and carbohydrate bulkers’ use.

Both pet foods are good choices when looking for support for your pet. You will be doing good with either of these brands.

More about Purina Pro Plan and Purina One

Most pet parents want the best dog food for their canines because food affects their physical and mental wellbeing. Therefore, I have written a few more articles where I compare Purina with other brands on the market.

Sources

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