Eukanuba and Purina are two really popular dog food brands currently on the market, and many pet owners have grown to love one or the other, and RELIGIOUSLY guard the brand.
While both Eukanba and Purina Pro Plan have their pros, there are interesting comparisons to be made between the two, and paying attention to these details can help you settle on the best type of dog food for your pet.
In this article I’ll compare Eukanuba vs Purina Pro Plan on a range of factors, including the nutritional values, product recalls, the taste, ingredients used, range of selections, and the prices.
Table of Contents
About Eukanuba
Eukanuba is a dog and cat food manufacturing company that was founded in 1969 and is located in Leipsic, Ohio. Eukanuba is made with a special blend of high-quality ingredients sourced from New Zealand, Europe and the United States.
The company is also owned by the industry’s confectionery giant Mars – along with a host of other well-known dog food manufacturers like Pedigree and Whiskas.
Eukanuba currently produces 17 different products for dogs and 13 for cats, and as the website says, the dog food is specially catered for active and athletic dogs and contains nutrients to create THE lifestyle for your pet.
Check PricesAbout Purina Pro Plan
Purina is a company that manufactures dog and cat food and is currently under the Nestle Global conglomerate.
The company was founded in 1894 and started off with manufacturing animal feed, and later began specializing in dog and cat food after 1926.
The company has also engaged in multiple food-related research and other canine and feline-related scientific ventures according to its website and continues to create innovative products.
These products focus mainly on canine and feline health and incorporate vital nutrients into the products to cater to healthy and active pets at home.
Check PricesEukanuba Vs Purina Pro Plan
While both brands has a lot of similarities, let’s take a look at how these compare:
Nutritional Value
Both dog food brands have a lot of protein in their products, and the two brands tend to use different types to enhance their quality and flavor.
Purina Pro Plan tends to have a higher protein level in its product, due to its unique mixture of various types of meat (explained further in the ingredients section). But Eukanuba has a higher fat content compared to Purina.
Also Read: Canidae vs Wellness
However, both brands have nutrients like glucosamine in their food, which is really important for the bones and joints in your pets, and overall have a variety of other formulas that are essential for your pet’s well-being.
| Dry Food | Dry Food | Wet Food | Wet Food | |
| Eukanuba | Purina Pro Plan | Eukanuba | Purina Pro Plan | |
| Protein | 28.25% | 30.92% | 41.21% | 45.42% |
| Carbs | 52.11% | 47.22% | 30.46% | 28.73% |
| Fiber | 4.34% | 4.08% | 7.73% | 7.26% |
| Fat | 15.30% | 17.79% | 20.60% | 18.59% |
Recalls
To date, three major recalls have been made for Eukanuba products, and six recalls for Purina Pro Plan.
EUKANUBA – March 2007 (Melamine contamination), July 2010 (Salmonella contamination), August 2013 (Salmonella contamination).
PURINA PRO PLAN – June 2011 (Salmonella contamination), July 2011 (Salmonella contamination), May 2012 (low thiamine levels), August 2013 (Large scale pet food recall), March 2016 (insufficient minerals and vitamins), July 2021 (plastic pieces contamination).
Ingredients
Eukanuba tends to use chicken or lamb, or a mixture of both sometimes, while Purina Pro Plan uses a more diverse mixture of proteins like fish – cod and salmon, and also classics like chicken, quail and duck.
Also Read: Farmina vs Orijen vs Wellness
But the downside is Purina Pro Plan is very selective with its ingredients, and they don’t offer a huge selection or range of specific ingredients in each product.
So if your dog is allergic to any of these ingredients or has specific dietary requirements, you’ll have to find another brand altogether – but this is not the case with Eukanuba.
However, Eukanuba has animal by-products in their food (which is also present in Purina Pro Plan, but NOT as a top ingredient). They also have ‘un-specified’ meat by-products, which might be something that won’t sit well with you.
Prices
Prepare to pay a lot, because both dog food brands have quite high prices! Purina with its very particular blend of ingredients fetches a hefty price which fluctuates across its many different selections.
Eukanuba also retails for high prices, which, if you really think about it, is not really worth it since it also contains a lot of animal by-products – and you might find the prices a bit too high compared with the quality of the product.
| Prices | Prices | |
| Dry Dog Food | $3.05 (lb) | $3.33 (lb) |
| Wet/Canned Dog Food | $0.21 (oz) | $0.29 (oz) |
Selection
Purina Pro Plan provides the following range of selections, so you can be sure that your pet dog gets the exact blend of nutrients catered to its current health status – especially weight issues – which is quite prominent among dogs these days.
Also Read: Homemade dog food recipes
- Hypoallergenic
- Breed size
- Low calorie
- Low fat
- Natural
- Sensitive skin
- Sensitive digestive system
- Weight management
Eukanuba also has a range of selections, although not as diverse as Purina Pro Plan, which focuses on health and nutrition, with an emphasis on an active and athletic lifestyle for your pet dog.
- Weight Control
- Joint health
- Skin health
- Digestion issues
- Pregnant or nursing pets
- Life stages
The Verdict
At the end of the day, despite both products retailing for very high prices, Purina Pro Plan seems like it is a better option compared to Eukanuba – only when comparing the ingredients.
Purina has an interesting blend of rich proteins and is very high in protein content compared to Eukanuba. However, there’s the issue of a higher number of product recalls for Purina and a lack of ingredient variation which might affect your decision.
But compared to Eukanuba – which contains un-specified animal by-products, Purina Pro Plan seems the better option out of the two brands. But regardless, it all depends on your preference, and what your dog ends up finding palatable as well.
