Is Hills or Royal Canin better

Royal Canin vs Hills Which Is Better for Your Dog?

You can instantly recognize many pet food brands by their name or branding. Pedigree or Purina are good examples of that.

But when it comes to quality and specialized dog and cat food, Royal Canin and Hills are some of the most respected and recognizable brands. They have many similarities, but this article will explore the general differences between the two and look at a couple of recipes in detail. Read on to get more tips on where to place your bet in the Royal Canin vs Hills competition. Heres what well cover:

Royal Canin Company Overview

A French veterinarian established Royal Canin in 1968. He worked on improving dogs health through nutrition while providinggood-tasting food for dogs. Thats how the company laid the foundation for the modern pet foodformula.

The brand offers numerous dog food recipes and a significant amount of cat food formulations. Royal Canin focuses on various breeds, but it also has some veterinary recipes.

The company is generally loved and trusted. But, in 2006 and 2007, it had a few food recalls due to melamine contamination and excessive Vitamin D3.

Before getting into the Hills vs Royal Canin dog food battle, lets also look into Hills profile.

Hills Company Overview

Dr. Morris Frank started Hills Pet Nutrition in 1948 after he developed food to help his guide dog, which had kidney issues. It became the first vet-prescribed dog food. Always consult a vet before buying a prescription food, especiallyif your pet has health problems.Dont forget that some foods can be bad for your dog.

Hills has developed numerous dog and cat recipes, specializing in vet-approved food. Throughout the years, it established itself among the high-quality pet food companies. But since 2007, the company has recalled food at least five times due to melamine, salmonella, and elevated vitamin D levels.

General Royal Canin vs Hills Comparison

Well complete our comparison and review based on the 10 dog food recipes below.

Nutritional Content Comparison

Dogs need healthy fats and high-quality protein, preferably of animal origin. But the quality of plant-based ingredients is also crucial.

Both brands use ingredients that can be considered fillers or controversial. But if we ask ourselves, Which is better, Royal Canin or Science Diet by Hills? we believe Hills has slightly better components andprotein sources. At the same time, Royal Canin offers more recipes higher in crude protein.

Both companies use similar supplements. Carefully following the feeding instructions and calculating the calories is essential so you dont overfeed your dog. But the two brands share similar values, so transitioning between them should be easy.

Price Comparison

Is Royal Canin better than Hills when it comes to pricing?

Canin specializes in breeds by offering some top-tier dog food for large dogs and small dogs alike. In contrast, Hills provides solutions for various health conditions.

Comparing similar recipes of the two brands makes it evident that Royal Canin is more expensive in almost every case. Considering that the ingredients dont differ much, most pet parents wont find any reasons for the higher cost.

Check the latest prices of Royal Canin and Hills Dog Food on Amazon.

Dog Food Recipes Comparison

Lets check the recipes in detail for a more in-depth comparison of the two brands.

Royal Canin vs Hills Puppy Food

Lets look into dry dog food for small breed puppies. Well compare Hills Science Diet Puppy Small Paws and Royal Canin Small Puppy Dry Food.

Royal Canin Small Puppy Dry Food

Royal Canins recipe focuses on the immune system and digestive health of small puppies. Its recommended for small breedsup to 10 monthsor those that weigh up to 22 pounds.

The first ingredients are dehydrated poultry protein, rice, animal fats, vegetable protein isolate, and maize. It contains:

• 354 kcal/cup
• 29% protein
• 18% fat
• 3.3% fiber 3.3%.

The recipe has added fish oil, minerals, vitamins, and a few probiotic sources. The price starts at $51.19 for a 13-lb bag.

Hills Science Diet Puppy Small Paws

Well also look into this recipe to decide the winner between Royal Canin vs Hills Puppy Food.

The formula focuses on building lean muscle, immune support, and developmental health. Its best suited for small breed puppies up to one year old.

The first five ingredients are chicken meal, whole grain wheat, whole grain sorghum, chicken fat, and whole-grain corn. It contains:

• 397 kcal/cup
• 24.5% protein
• 15.5% fat
• 3% fiber

The recipe has added fish oil, minerals, vitamins, and flaxseed. The price starts at $38.99 for a 15.5-lb bag.

So, where do we stand on the Hills vs Royal Canin dog food debate?

Customers rate both recipes highly. They have a poultry by-product as a first ingredient and many filler-like components. Canins recipe is a bit higher in protein, but some of it comes from vegetables. Meanwhile, Hills has slightly lower fat and fiber content.

We would give the edge to Hills Science Diet Puppy Small Paws because of its much more affordable price.

Hills vs Royal Canin for Weight Loss

Lets examine dry dog food for weight management. Well compare Hills Science Diet Adult for Weight Management and Royal Canin Medium Weight Care Adult.

Hills Science Diet Adult for Weight Management

Hills recipe focuses on healthy weight loss and lean muscle support for adult dogs of all sizes.

The first ingredients are chicken, cracked pearled barley, brown rice, pea fiber, and corn gluten meal. It contains:

• 299 kcal/cup
• 24% protein
• 9% fat
• 5% fiber

The recipe also includes taurine, minerals, vitamins, and flaxseed. Prices start from $70.99 for a 28.5-lb bag.

Royal Canin Medium Weight Care Adult

To decide on the Hills vs Royal Canin Weight Loss topic, well look into Canins recipe, too. The formula focuses on building lean muscle, weight loss, and healthy metabolism. Its best suited for medium-sized adult dogs (2355 lb).

The first five ingredients are chicken by-product meal, pea fiber, corn, corn gluten meal, and wheat. It contains:

• 256 kcal/cup
• 25% protein
• 9% fat
• 12.5% fiber

The food has added fish oil, minerals, vitamins, and taurine. Prices start from $92.99 per bag of 30 lb.

The ingredients of the two recipes are similar, so its not easy to decide on the Hills vs Royal Canin dispute. Besides, both are well-liked by dog owners. They also have chicken as the first ingredient, but its a by-product in Royal Canin. The rest of the main ingredients for both could be considered fillers.

Canins recipe is a bit lower in calories, but the fat and protein content is pretty much the same. We prefer Hills Science Diet for weight management because it has a better price and chicken.

Royal Canin vs Hills Kidney Diet and Urinary Health

Lets look at some prescription recipes that can help improve kidney and bladder health. Well compare Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Urinary SO Small and Hills Prescription Diet u/d Urinary Care.

Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Urinary SO Small

Royal Canins veterinary recipe specializes in the prevention of struvite and calcium oxalate stones in small breeds.

The list of ingredients starts with brewers rice, corn, chicken fat, chicken by-product meal, and corn gluten meal. It contains:

• 358 kcal/cup
• 10% moisture
• 18% protein
• 15% fat
• 3.6% crude fiber

The recipe comes with added Vitamin B complex, fish oil, and taurine. The price starts at $49.99 for an 8.8-lb bag.

Hills Prescription Diet u/d Urinary Care

Lets continue the Royal Canin vs Hills Kidney Diet discussion by checking Hills prescription recipe. The formula aims to reduce the risk of urate and cystine stones, suitable for different breeds. It starts with brewers rice, corn starch, pork fat, egg product, and powdered cellulose. The food contains:

• 398 kcal/cup
• 10% moisture
• 8% protein
• 17.5% fat
• 3% crude fiber

Theres extra taurine, L-carnitine, and vitamins E and B. The price starts at $44.99 for an 8.5-lb bag.

Can we take a side in this Royal Canin vs Hills Prescription discussion? The recipes specialize in different stones, so your vet has the last say.

The main ingredients are similar. Hills formula is higher in fat but much lower in protein, which is typically recommended for urinary diets. Nevertheless, due to more competitive prices and slightly better user reviews, we chose Royal Canin as our favorite, especially for small dogs.

Hills Urgent Care vs Royal Canin Recovery Vet Prescription Diets

Lets look into some wet food options for the two brands. Well compare Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Recovery and Hills Prescription Diet a/d Urgent Care. Both recipes are suitable for cats and dogs.

Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Recovery Wet

Before talking about Hills Science diet vs Royal Canin, lets define what a recovery dietis. Royal Canins recipe is fordogs and cats (also puppies and kittens) recovering from a serious disease, operation, or trauma. Its a vet-recommended formula, high in protein for muscle support, very palatable, and soft (so it can be fed by tube).

The first ingredients are water, chicken, chicken liver, gelatin, and powdered cellulose. It contains:

• 163 kcal ME/can
• 9.4% protein
• 5.2% fat
• 3.1% fiber

The recipe has added taurine, fish oil, minerals, and vitamins. The price starts at $62.16 for 24 cans x 5.8 oz.

Hills Prescription Diet a/d Urgent Care Canned

Well also look into Hills recipe to decide on Hills Urgent Care vs Royal Canin Recovery topic. The formula serves the same goal and focuses on energy-dense ingredients and antioxidants to support a weakened immune system and better satiety.

Both cats and dogs can enjoy the contents of water, turkey liver, pork liver, chicken, and turkey heart. The food contains:

• 183 kcal/5.5oz can
• 8.5% protein
• 5.2% fat
• 0.5% fiber

It has added fish oil, minerals, vitamins, and taurine. The price starts at $71.99 for 24 cans x 5.5oz.

Now, where do we stand on the debate of Royal Canin vs Hills for cats and dogs? Pet parents love both recipes. The guaranteed analysis and prices are similar, but Hills recipe has more and better protein sources. Also, unlike the Canin formulation, it has no carrageen.

Royal Canin vs Hills Dental Veterinary Diets

Finally, lets compare two more dry veterinary recipes. To take care of our pets teeth, well look at Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Nutrition Canine Dental and Hills Prescription Diet t/d Dental Care.

Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Nutrition Canine Dental Medium and Large

Royal Canins recipe improves the oral health of medium and large dogs with special kibble shape, calcium, and phosphorus. The ingredient list begins with brewers rice, chicken by-product meal, corn, chicken fat, and wheat gluten. The nutritional values are:

• 320 kcal/cup
• 20% protein
• 15% fat
• 4.9% fiber

It also contains added fish oil, minerals, vitamins, and taurine. Prices start at $68.99 for a 17.6-lb bag.

Hills Prescription Diet t/d Dental Care

Lets conclude the Royal Canin vs Hills Dental discussion by looking into Hills recipe. The dental formula reduces plaque and tartar buildup by employing special fiber matrix technology and appropriate kibble size. Its suitable for most breeds.

The first five ingredients are brewers rice,whole grain corn, chicken by-product meal, powdered cellulose, and chicken fat. It contains:

• 248 kcal/cup
• 18.3% protein
• 16.5% fat
• 10.8% fiber

It has extra minerals, vitamins, and taurine. The price starts at $97.99 for a 25-lb bag.

So, where do the dental recipes fall on the Royal Canin vs Hills Prescription scale?

Clients rate both formulas favorably, but Canins is a bit higher in calories and protein. In contrast, Hills t/d Diet contains a lot more fiber. Both recipes have filler ingredients, and the first two for Hills are rice and corn, while the second ingredient in Royal Canins is the chicken product. We prefer Royal Canins Dental recipe because of this and the Guaranteed Analysis.

Conclusion

Royal Canin vs Hills: which one would you choose?

We looked at 10 recipes to discover the similarities between the brands and their particular advantages and disadvantages. Both offer high-quality food and similar recipes.

Selecting one of the two isnt easy and depends on the recipe and needs of your dog. But based on the few formulas we explored, we chose Hills three times and Royal Canin two times. Thats why we give a slight edge to Hills.