Pro Plan (Pro Plan) - premium dog food. They are produced by the American company Purina (Nestle Purina PetCare Company) at its own factories in France, Italy and Russia. In addition to this brand, the organization also owns the One and Dog Chow lines for dogs, as well as Felix, Friskies, Cat Chow, Gourmet, One and Pro Plan for cats.
Purina ready-made pet food is in great demand on the Russian market. Dried and canned food is easy to find even on supermarket shelves, and the variety of lines allows you to choose a diet taking into account all the needs of your pet. But is Pro Plan really as good as advertised?
In the review, I: examined in detail the types and composition of the proplan, indicated its positive and negative aspects, and provided real reviews from dog owners. At the end you will find feeding recommendations as well as a list of better diets for less money.
Pro Plan feed quality
The popularity of the food is explained by its quality composition. Balanced pet food contains all the nutrients necessary for the proper development of a pet - proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
Veterinarians recommend that a cat’s diet be based on dry food, but the Pro Plan line of food also includes:
- wet canned food;
- medicinal feed.
When compared with other cat foods from the premium segment, it can be noted that ProPlan has a good protein content - up to 40%. Hence, there are only positive reviews about Pro Plan cat food.
Reviews
Veterinarian review
Pro Plan is low in nutrition and contains many ballast allergenic substances - corn, wheat, soy. In addition, the manufacturer does not indicate the type and percentage of raw materials. It is impossible to determine what kind of meat was used in production: dried, frozen or fresh. It is also unknown which parts of the carcasses were put into pellets: fillets, offal or paws, heads, wings, etc.
I don’t even know what class to put Pro Plan into. On the one hand, this diet has a premium attitude, on the other hand, it contains chemical flavoring additives that are used in economy category drying.
In any case, I don't recommend Pro Plan. Even among the premium ones there are better and cheaper foods.
Customer Reviews
Maryana: “We tried different foods, but the dog was allergic to everything. Then the doctor recommended Pro Plan with salmon. It fit perfectly. We take 18 kg bags and burst them on both cheeks.”
Fatinia2015: “We started feeding the puppy Pro Plan on the advice of the breeder. This is our first dog, so we trusted him. However, in vain: the dog seemed to feel fine, but his eyes were leaking, his hair was coming out a little, and the piles were huge. Then they finished reading the ingredients and were horrified: there was almost no meat, just grain. My pet likes the crackers, but we think it’s because of the flavorings. And there is zero benefit. We will change the food."
Feed composition
Balanced food suggests that it is not recommended to give your pet any nutritional supplements, but in reality there is little meat. As a source of protein, the feed includes:
- chicken (since there is no clause “chicken meat”, the composition may include skin and bones);
- flour from poultry by-products (this can be not only heart, kidneys, but also chicken heads, paws, etc.);
- vegetable components (soy flour, corn gluten).
These plant components of Pro Plan food can cause unwanted health complications for your domestic cat. In particular, corn in the diet often causes allergies, hair loss, and itchy skin.
Other allergens present in the food include wheat flour, cellulose powder and brewer's yeast. The latter are present in some types of ProPlan food.
As useful components of the food, the composition contains vitamins and probiotics, minerals - calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and others. They ensure the flawless functioning of all systems of the pet’s body.
The price of ProPlan cat food compared to other brands - Go Natural, Acana - is affordable for everyone who cares about the health of their pets. You can buy it at most pet stores and large supermarkets.
"ProPlan": composition
Manufacturers have selected the optimal composition of products so that pets develop, grow and receive the required amount of all substances important for the body. Main ingredients: chicken, turkey, salmon, beef and lamb. Another product of meat origin is poultry protein in dry form.
Compound:
- Corn is a source of carbohydrates. Used in recipes for calorie content. It does not bring any particular benefit to small breed dogs.
- Salmon (20%), it is rich in omega-3 fatty acid. At the same time, 80% consists of water, which is why out of 20% 5% remains.
- Salmon protein in dry form. Used to raise protein levels in granules.
- Corn gluten is a source of protein produced by processing grains into starch.
- Corn flour.
- Rice is a source of complex carbohydrates and serves only for calorie content.
- Animal fat. How it is extracted is unknown, so we cannot talk about the usefulness and quality of this ingredient.
- Flavoring feed additive – monosodium glutamate. Many feed manufacturers use various odor and taste enhancers. If you study the reviews, you can see that this component can cause side effects, for example, allergies.
- Beet cake – processing of beets into sugar. Typically, this is a substance for volume and weight.
- Food-grade fiber, in simple words cellulose.
The food optimally combines fatty acids, antioxidants and minerals, they strengthen the nervous, immune, and digestive systems, and have a beneficial effect on the pet’s coat and skin.
Puppy food is formulated with the OPTISTART complex - a special ingredient - colostrum - the first food after birth. The composition is enriched with natural antibodies, helps strengthen the immune system to combat daily problems.
OPTISTART:
- strengthens the immune system;
- prevents the development of intestinal infections;
- Supports optimal vision and brain development.
Dry food
Dry granules contain all the necessary elements, vitamins and nutrients that the animal needs. Veterinarians talk about the benefits of this type of food for pets - teeth are strengthened, plaque is removed, and the formation of tartar is prevented.
The Pro Plan line of dry food includes balanced nutrition taking into account age (food for kittens, adult animals and pets over 7 years old), taste preferences (with chicken, salmon, turkey, lamb), health characteristics (for cats with sensitive digestion, for maintaining immunity, sensory organs).
The photo of ProPlan cat food shows that the granules are small in size. This is convenient for those animals that have problems with teeth and digestion, if they are not prescribed a special veterinary diet.
Feed disadvantages
Disadvantages of ProPlan food for small breed dogs:
- the origin of the meat components is unknown;
- a large percentage of plant materials, as well as odor and taste enhancers, which can cause allergies;
- no data on antioxidants and preservatives;
- high price despite the fact that the composition contains fairly inexpensive components.
Wet food
Wet food - meat, fish in sauce or jelly - is not inferior to dry food in taste and nutritional content.
The line includes ProPlan wet food for cats:
- with duck in sauce;
- with salmon or cod in sauce;
- with turkey in sauce or jelly;
- pates - with chicken, turkey, tuna;
- with ocean fish in jelly or sauce.
Separately presented are spiders for kittens aged 2 to 12 months, and food for adult cats over 7 years old.
Price and where to buy
You can buy this food at competitive prices in the online store of goods for animals “Zooservice”
- "Zooservice" (link):
- Packaging 0.4 kg - from 283 rubles;
- Packaging 1.5 kg - from 974 rubles;
- Packaging 3 kg - from 1827 rubles;
- Packaging 10 kg - from 4808 rubles;
- Pouches 85 g - from 60 rub.
- "Yandex Market" ().
Prices shown above are current as of May 2021 and may change over time. For the exact current price, see the pet store’s website using the link above.
Veterinary diets
ProPlan medicinal food for cats is a specially developed diet to maintain the health of animals suffering from various diseases.
- Wet food for cats - rating of the best foods, an overview of their compositions and reviews of veterinarians (120 photos)
Hills food for cats: review of composition, recommendations for selection and tips for use in the diet (130 photos)
Vitamins for cats against hair loss - expert reviews, the best complexes, products and nutritional supplements for cats (135 photos and videos)
Proper nutrition recommended by veterinarians will prolong the life of pets.
The line of special diets includes foods that are used:
- for diseases of the liver, kidneys;
- for diet therapy for food allergies;
- to maintain dental and oral health;
- with inflammation of the urinary tract;
- with diabetes mellitus.
Of particular note are veterinary diets designed to reduce weight and maintain normal body weight, recommended for animals suffering from obesity, food for disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and maintenance nutrition that animals need during the recovery period after surgery, serious infectious and viral diseases, and injuries. .
It is up to the veterinarian to choose the right diet. Some animals with chronic pathologies require special nutrition throughout their lives.
Reviews from veterinarians
Dmitry K.
From the practice of prescribing Pro Plan to my patients, the risk of obesity is significantly reduced, sugar and blood pressure levels are maintained, and the load on the heart in dogs is reduced. A huge plus is medicinal and dietary food. Of course, food is prescribed with caution to animals with a predisposition to allergies to cereals - almost all food contains wheat or corn. But the manufacturer has provided for these – gluten-free options.
Olga S.
In my practice, I give preference to other diets and recommend them to patients from other manufacturers. Although she did not abandon it completely, offering only medicinal and dietary types. The main complaints about Pro Plan products: animal protein is mainly obtained from offal, vague formulations, often without specific names, contains a lot of carbohydrates and chemical additives to enhance taste.
Owner reviews
Lyubov R.
My French Bulldog absolutely loves Pro Plan. We started feeding him when he was still a puppy, the breeder advised. Then they were transferred according to age to a new type. There have never been any allergic reactions, the gastrointestinal tract works like a clock, the coat and skin are in excellent condition. Sometimes I buy different flavors, swap chicken for lamb or turkey. I try to buy on sale or on promotion - the price is a little high for me.
Elena G.
The bull terrier puppy was allergic from a very early age. A little something is wrong - it itches. We tried many options in different segments and price categories. We couldn't find one that would suit the dog. Some dogs refused to eat at all and never came to the bowl. In the end, together with the veterinarian, we chose a diet food without animal protein. Everything came together here - he was happy, his body did not give a negative reaction.
