AvoDerm Dog Food Review

AvoDerm is unique among dog foods because of its use of avocados as a key ingredient in all of their products. Avocados, according to the company, are used to help dogs with skin or coat problems, and the company guarantees on its packaging “see a softer, shinier coat in six weeks or less.”

The claim may seem dubious, but decades worth of dog owners have sworn by the product, and the company has remained in the top tier of the pet food industry since the 1980’s.

For this review we will analyze their Grain-Free Revolving Menu line-up, which is a big improvement from their basic AvoDerm Natural selection.

Quality of Ingredients

AvoDerm makes use of high quality ingredients in all of its products, and most of the protein sources for the food come from chicken and lamb, while actively trying to avoid beef, corn, or soy. Most, but not all varieties also have healthy grains, such as rice, oatmeal, and alfalfa. The company also promises no by-products or artificial colors in any of their foods.

As mentioned earlier, they key to this food, and what really sets it apart from the rest of the industry, is the inclusion of avocado in the food. Avocado, which has been used in the world of cosmetics for years, is touted by the company as being their secret weapons, providing for a better coat and healthier skin for all the dogs who eat it.

Full Ingredients and Analysis

Analyzing the first 10 ingredients in a dog food is a great way to understand the overall nutrient content of the dog food because AAFCO requires all dog food ingredients to be listed in order of predominance by their weight. Here’s a closer look at what’s inside AvoDerm Natural Grain-Free Revolving Menu Lamb & Sweet Potato Recipe Adult.

This dog food was found to have a healthy nutrient breakdown that meets AAFCO standards. The ingredients list is quite a bit longer than most, but we like that there is not corn fillers. There are a few more unique ingredients that you may not see in dog food quite as often, including chicory root fiber and probiotics (the crazy sounding fermentation names at the end of the list), but these both aid in digestion.

Having more probiotic bacteria will speed along digestion and reduce congestion, flatulence, and bloating. If not on ingredient list, probiotics can be added to dogs’ food, so if you ever wondered can dogs have sauerkraut, they can. But, we recommend doing some research before you put it into your pup’s bowl. 

More Ingredients You May Wonder About:

• Mixed tocopherols: Tocopherol may sound like a nasty chemical, but it’s actually a naturally occuring organic chemical compound and a type of Vitamin E. Tocopherol can be derived from various nuts and vegetable oils. These serve as a natural preservative for dog foods.
• Niacin: Also known as Vitamin B3.
• Calcium pantothenate: This is another B Vitamin that’s healthy for your dog and considered a requirement for a complete diet by the AAFCO. ^Reference
• L-ascorbyl: A source of Vitamin C.
• Pyridoxine: Also known as Vitamin B6, a healthy part of your dog’s diet. ^Reference
• Thiamine mononitrate: This is a scientific name for Vitamin B1. Too little Vitamin B1 can cause a variety of health issues and any excess is easily flushed from the body. Most manufacturers add this dog food to stay in line with AAFCO guidelines. ^Reference
• Copper: Copper is found in nearly all living things and is required in the diet to keep a dog healthy. As a result, nearly all dog foods add small levels of copper in accordance to AAFCO guidelines.
• Copper: Copper is found in nearly all living things and is required in the diet to keep a dog healthy. As a result, nearly all dog foods add small levels of copper in accordance to AAFCO guidelines.
• Yucca: Yucca is a plant that has the primary benefit of having your dog’s stool smell less. It’s a very common dog food ingredient. ^Reference
• Rosemary: Rosemary is a natural preservative and is very common in dry dog foods.

AvoDerm Dog Food Product Line

AvoDerm only has a handful of different product lines, most of whom have a corresponding wet food variety. Some also have treats, as well as both puppy, adult, and senior versions. They do not, at this time, have any breed specific varieties, but there are some products marketed to wider segments of the population, (ie. Joint health, weight control, and small breed).

AvoDerm

The flagship product of the company, the standard AvoDerm is by far the best seller and what they are most known for. In recent years, the company has significantly begun to expand on this line, adding in new varieties, including several grain free blends. All bags of AvoDerm, however, maintain the use of the avocado as a staple of their nutrition, and maintain the use of other high quality ingredients for which the brand is known.

Oven Baked

A newer addition to the AvoDerm lineup, Oven Baked foods are made in small batches and marketed towards animals with sensitive stomachs. The company also mentions on its website that Oven Bake foods all have vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant nutrients added in to help support your dog’s immune system, as well as the healthy Omega acids to help keep a shiny coat on your pet.

Health Solutions

Health Solutions is an all grain free blend that is directly marketed at animals that might have health problems. This line comes in three varieties, Joint Health, Senior Health, and Senior Health Small Breed, and has several added in vitamins and minerals added in to help keep your pup running at peak efficiency, no matter their age. They also add in DHA, to help keep their eyes sharp and their brain ticking.

Revolving Menu

In response to some of the wider variety offered by competing brands, AvoDerm rolled out Revolving Menu within the last few years, offering dogs options like Trout & Pea or Duck, among other things. According to their website, “these recipes were specifically formulated for the option of rotational feeding, so you can feel confident about giving your dog ‘variety,’” meaning that these are a great choice for anyone with a particularly picky dog, or for anyone who just wants to offer their pet something more than the standard chicken flavors that dominate so much of the market.

About AvoDerm

The history of AvoDerm can trace its roots back to 1947, when it started life as the Breeder’s Choice Pet Food Company. This early incarnation sought to sell numerous novelty meals to breeders and zoos, primarily in the form of frozen pet meals. In 1960, the company began to offer kibble and biscuits, adding a factory to their manufacturing facility that still exists today.

AvoDerm, as we know it now, however, seems to have come about by happy accident. In the early 1980’s, the owner of a local co-op avocado farm apparently had a surplus of his crop, and, seeing that he wouldn’t be able to sell them at the market, drove up to the doors of the Breeder’s Choice factory to ask if they might be interested. Company officials did a bit of research, and, in 1982, accepted the offer, launching the brand we know of today as AvoDerm.

Where to Buy

AvoDerm can be found at almost every pet food retailer, and is carrier by both specialty shops and big-name stores. Don’t expect to find it at the grocery store, however, as the brand is not about to lower itself to that tier.

AvoDerm is also available for purchase online, through their website, or from a number of other websites that cater to pet owners, and even on Amazon.com