Is Sunshine Mills Veterinary Select Dog Food Best For My Dog?

Published: 9/24/2021
If you're worried your dog food isn't right for your pup, you might be thinking about switching Snoopy onto a new diet. There are plenty of reasons pet parents change their pup's diet, from controlling their weight to caring for their joints to improving digestive health.

One pet food that aims to help manage your mutt's weight and soothe their aching joints is Veterinary Select by Sunshine Mills, Inc. But is Veterinary Select all it's cracked up to be? Or are there better options on the market? Read on to find out Veterinary Select is right for your fur-baby!

Sunshine Mills, Inc. is a family-operated business headquartered in the small town of Red Bay, Alabama. The company has been producing dog food for over 50 years, having started as a producer of animal feed in 1949. Alan Bostick took over as president of the company in the 1970s, elevating Sunshine Mils, Inc. to an international brand operating in over 30 countries. 

Today, Sunshine Mills, Inc. owns 12 different food brands, including Paula Deen's Home Cookin', Nurture Farms, and Veterinary Select. The focus of this review is Veterinary Select, a dog food specifically designed as an inexpensive alternative to expensive prescription diets. 

Veterinary Select has three different dog foods:

• Veterinary Select Joint Care Dog Food

• Veterinary Select Digestive Care + Sensitive Skin Dog Food

• Veterinary Select Digestive Care + Weight Management Dog Food

As each name suggests, these foods are meant to manage your dog's weight, care for their skin, and help with digestion.

The price of Veterinary Select dog food may differ depending on the retailer. Each bag of Veterinary Select dog food weighs 18 ounces and generally costs around $19.99. From the Sunshine Mills, Inc. website, you can also purchase a pack of four bags for the discounted price of $64.95.

Suitable for all ages.

Suitable for all breeds.

The main source of protein across Veterinary Select’s 3 different dog foods is chicken meal and fat. The Veterinary Select Joint Care Dog Food lists chicken by-product meal as the main source of protein. 

Chicken meal is dried, ground-up chicken commonly used in pet food as it has higher protein levels and less water than other chicken cuts, usually at around 65% protein and 12% water. However, it's worth noting that protein is not the first ingredient in any of Veterinary Select's dog foods. In fact, it's either corn, wheat, or rice, which may put off people whose dogs have grain allergies.

Veterinary Select Digestive Care + Sensitive Skin Dog Food contains omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, which are proven to improve skin and coat health in dogs. It also includes a blend of soluble and insoluble fibers as well as prebiotics and probiotics to help improve your pup's digestion. 

Veterinary Select Digestive Care + Weight Management Dog Food is low in fat and calories. It also contains l-carnitine and l-lysine, which help improve your dog's heart health and reduce their weight. It also has the same mixture of fibers, probiotics, and prebiotics to improve your dog's gut health. 

Veterinary Select Joint Care Dog Food has glucosamine and chondroitin, which enhance joint health and rebuilds cartilage. It also contains higher levels of calcium and phosphorus, as well as amino acids to build up bone strength and improve muscle health. There's also l-carnitine, which will help your mutt maintain a healthy weight, and omega-3 acids to reduce inflammation around the joints. 

All Veterinary Select dog foods meet the minimum standards set by the AAFCO's (Association of American Feed Control Officials) Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.

Customer reviews of Veterinary Select dog food are generally good. Most reviewers stated their dogs loved the food and that it helped with their digestive issues and weight management. 

Others indicated they were disappointed that grain was the top ingredient in the food, while others felt it offered no improvement to their dog's health. It seems most reviewers agreed that Veterinary Select is a good-quality dog food, but that it didn’t have a massive impact on their hounds’ health. 

Sunshine Mills, Inc. isn't accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). At the time of writing, Sunshine Mills, Inc. has only 4 complaints on the BBB since the start of 2018, and none of them specifically reference Veterinary Select.

Where are the nutritional facts for Veterinary Select dog food?

Visit the Veterinary Select product page for additional information on nutrients and ingredients.

Does Sunshine Mills, Inc. ship to my country?

As mentioned, Sunshines Mills, Inc. is an international company operating in over 30 countries. You can find out about where they ship to on the Sunshine Mills website.