Pet Food Information

Guaranteed Analysis (As-Fed Basis)

Enter the percentages exactly as shown on the pet food label

Comparison: As-Fed vs Dry Matter Basis

Understanding Your Results

Dry matter basis is a way to compare pet food nutrients after removing water from the calculation. Pet food labels normally show nutrients on an as-fed basis, which means the percentages include moisture. That is useful for describing what is physically inside the bag, tray, pouch, can, or raw pack, but it can be misleading when you compare foods with very different water content. A dry kibble may contain about 8% to 12% moisture, while many canned foods contain much more water. Once the water is removed, the nutrient concentration in the remaining food solids can look very different from the label.

The simplest dry matter idea is this: if a food is 10% moisture, it is 90% dry matter. If a food is 78% moisture, it is only 22% dry matter. The dry matter is the part that contains the protein, fat, fiber, ash, digestible carbohydrate, vitamins, and minerals. When you divide a nutrient by the dry matter portion, you are asking a more useful comparison question: "Of the food solids, what percentage is this nutrient?"

This is why dry matter basis is especially helpful for comparing wet food against kibble, canned cat food against dry cat food, raw meals against cooked or processed foods, and treats against complete diets. It does not tell you whether a food is ideal for your pet, and it does not replace veterinary advice, but it gives you a cleaner first comparison than reading only the as-fed numbers.

Imagine one dry dog food label says 26% crude protein and one canned dog food label says 10% crude protein. At first glance, the kibble looks much higher in protein. But if the kibble is 10% moisture and the canned food is 78% moisture, those two labels are not being compared on the same water level. The kibble has 90% dry matter, so its protein on dry matter basis is \( \frac{26}{90} \times 100 = 28.9\% \). The canned food has 22% dry matter, so its protein on dry matter basis is \( \frac{10}{22} \times 100 = 45.5\% \). The food that looked lower in protein on the label is actually higher in protein concentration once moisture is removed.

The same issue applies to fat, fiber, ash, and estimated carbohydrates. A wet food with 5% fat can be much richer than it appears because that 5% is diluted by a large amount of water. A dry food with 4% fiber may not be directly comparable with a canned food with 1.5% fiber until both are converted. For pets that need careful nutrition review, the difference matters.

As-fed values are still important because they describe the product as served. Moisture affects texture, hydration, serving weight, storage, and how filling a portion may feel. Dry matter values simply answer a different question: how concentrated are the nutrients when water is excluded?

Most pet food labels include a guaranteed analysis. At minimum, it usually lists crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and moisture. Protein and fat are commonly shown as minimums, while fiber and moisture are commonly shown as maximums. Some labels also include ash, omega fatty acids, taurine, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, or other nutrients, depending on the product and marketing claims.

The word "crude" does not mean poor quality. It refers to the analytical method used to estimate the nutrient category. Crude protein is an estimate of protein content based on nitrogen. Crude fat is an estimate of fat content from laboratory extraction. Crude fiber measures only part of the fiber fraction, so it can understate total dietary fiber. Ash represents minerals left after organic matter is burned away in analysis; it is not an added filler called ash.

Because guaranteed analysis values are guarantees, they are not always exact averages. A label may guarantee at least 26% protein, but the typical batch may test higher. A label may guarantee no more than 10% moisture, but the actual moisture may be lower. This is one reason dry matter calculations are best used as practical comparisons, not as laboratory-precise nutrient reports. When exact nutrient values matter for a medical diet, ask the manufacturer for a typical analysis or nutrient profile, and work with a veterinarian.

For a broader feeding review, dry matter values should sit beside calories, serving size, body condition, activity level, and life stage. A dog owner comparing food amounts can pair this page with the dog food calculator, while a cat owner checking calorie intake can use the cat calorie calculator after converting label nutrients here.

The calculation starts with the moisture percentage on the label. Subtract moisture from 100 to get the dry matter percentage:

Then convert each as-fed nutrient by dividing by dry matter and multiplying by 100:

If ash is known, estimated carbohydrates on an as-fed basis can be calculated by difference:

Then convert carbohydrates to dry matter basis using the same dry matter denominator:

A label comparison is easiest to understand when the numbers are placed side by side. The two foods below are not recommendations; they are examples to show why moisture changes the interpretation.

On the label, the dry food looks higher in protein and fat. On a dry matter basis, the wet food is more concentrated in both protein and fat. That does not automatically make one food better. It simply shows why moisture-adjusted comparison is necessary before drawing conclusions.

For dogs, dry matter conversion is most useful when comparing foods across formats. Many dog owners compare kibble, canned food, fresh cooked food, freeze-dried food, and raw diets. Because those formats can have very different moisture levels, the label alone can make high-moisture foods look nutritionally weaker than they are.

A dog food review should not stop at protein percentage. Consider calorie density, feeding amount, body condition, digestibility, life stage, and whether the product is complete and balanced for the dog it is feeding. A high-protein dry matter value may be appropriate for one dog and unnecessary or unsuitable for another. A lower-fat value may help some weight plans, while another dog may need a more energy-dense diet.

If you are comparing dog foods for portion planning, use the dry matter calculator to understand nutrient concentration, then use the dog nutrition calculator to think through broader feeding needs. If you are evaluating a raw plan, the raw dog food calculator can help organize serving estimates, but raw or homemade diets should be reviewed carefully for balance and food safety.

Cat food comparisons often make dry matter basis especially useful because many cat owners compare dry kibble with canned, pouch, pate, shredded, and raw-style foods. A canned cat food may show 9% or 10% protein on the label because water takes up most of the product weight. After moisture is removed, the protein concentration may be much higher than a dry label comparison suggests.

Cats also have species-specific nutrition needs, so dry matter values should be interpreted with care. Estimated carbohydrate percentage can be useful when comparing foods, but it is not the whole diet. Taurine, essential fatty acids, minerals, calories, digestibility, palatability, and life stage adequacy all matter. For cats with diabetes, kidney disease, urinary concerns, food allergies, gastrointestinal disease, or weight problems, use the calculator as a label-reading aid, not as a treatment decision.

For body-weight context, the cat BMI calculator can help organize measurements, and the cat age calculator can provide age context. Those tools do not diagnose health status, but they can make nutrition conversations with a veterinarian more organized.

Dry matter basis and calorie basis are related, but they are not the same. Dry matter basis tells you the percentage of a nutrient in the food solids. Calorie basis tells you how much of a nutrient is supplied per unit of energy, such as grams per 100 kilocalories or grams per 1,000 kilocalories. A food can have a high dry matter protein percentage but still provide a different amount of protein per calorie than another food because fat and carbohydrate change energy density.

This distinction matters for weight management. A very energy-dense food can deliver many calories in a small portion. A high-moisture food may look lower on the label but may allow a larger serving weight for the same calories. Dry matter calculation helps you compare concentration, but feeding decisions also need the calorie content printed on the label or supplied by the manufacturer.

For dogs, you can pair dry matter review with the dog BMI calculator and dog size calculator when you are collecting body-size context. If a pet is losing or gaining weight unexpectedly, skip guesswork and ask a veterinarian to check body condition and health factors.

Dry foods usually have the smallest moisture adjustment. If a kibble lists 10% moisture, dry matter is 90%, so the label values rise modestly after conversion. Wet foods require a much larger adjustment because the dry matter portion is smaller. A canned food with 78% moisture has only 22% dry matter, so each nutrient is divided by 22 rather than 90.

Semi-moist foods sit between dry and wet products. Their moisture levels can make the dry matter conversion noticeably different from the label but usually less dramatic than canned food. Raw and fresh foods vary widely, so label or manufacturer moisture values are important. Do not assume that every raw, fresh, frozen, dehydrated, or freeze-dried product uses the same water content.

When measuring servings or comparing package weights, conversions can also become confusing. The weight converter is useful when a label, recipe, or feeding chart switches between grams, ounces, pounds, or kilograms. If you only need a quick percent calculation outside pet food, the percentage calculator can help check the arithmetic.

Do not change a therapeutic diet, prescription diet, growth diet, pregnancy or lactation diet, or medical nutrition plan based only on a calculator result. Dry matter basis is a label-reading method, not a diagnosis or treatment plan.

Ask a veterinarian before changing food for pets with kidney disease, urinary stones or crystals, heart disease, pancreatitis, diabetes, liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic vomiting or diarrhea, food allergies, severe obesity, underweight body condition, cancer, dental disease, or poor appetite. These cases often depend on specific nutrient targets, digestibility, calorie intake, hydration, medications, and lab results.

If you are tracking quality of life, appetite, hydration, and body changes in an older or chronically ill dog, the dog quality of life calculator can help organize observations for a vet appointment. It should not replace professional care, but it can make your notes clearer.

• Dividing by moisture instead of dry matter: If moisture is 78%, the dry matter is 22%. The nutrient is divided by 22, not by 78.
• Comparing one as-fed value with one DMB value: Convert both foods before comparing. Mixing bases creates the same problem the calculator is designed to solve.
• Treating guaranteed analysis as exact composition: Protein and fat may be guaranteed minimums, and fiber and moisture may be guaranteed maximums. Typical analysis can differ.
• Ignoring ash when estimating carbohydrates: Without ash, carbohydrate estimates are less precise. If ash is not listed, use the calculator's estimate only as a rough comparison.
• Assuming higher protein always means better food: Appropriate nutrition depends on species, age, health, calories, ingredients, digestibility, amino acid balance, and the pet's actual needs.
• Using DMB as a complete quality score: Dry matter basis is one useful lens. It does not show ingredient sourcing, safety, palatability, digestibility, clinical suitability, or complete-and-balanced status.

Use this checklist when comparing two foods. It keeps the dry matter result in context and helps avoid decisions based on one attractive number.

1. Confirm the food is intended for your pet's species and life stage.
2. Read the guaranteed analysis and enter protein, fat, fiber, moisture, and ash if available.
3. Convert both foods to dry matter basis before comparing nutrients.
4. Check calorie content, usually listed as kilocalories per kilogram and per cup, can, pouch, or serving.
5. Look for a nutritional adequacy statement and whether the food is complete and balanced or for intermittent/supplemental feeding only.
6. Compare serving cost only after considering calories and actual feeding amount, not just package weight.
7. For medical concerns, ask the manufacturer or veterinarian for typical analysis values and specific nutrient targets.
8. Track your pet's body condition, stool quality, coat, appetite, water intake, energy, and veterinary lab results after any diet change.

One of the best ways to understand dry matter basis is to hold the label nutrient constant and change only the moisture level. Suppose three foods all list 10% protein as-fed. If one has 10% moisture, another has 50% moisture, and another has 78% moisture, the dry matter protein result will not be the same. The nutrient percentage is being spread across different amounts of water.

This table explains why a wet food label can look low when you read it quickly. The label is not wrong; it is simply reporting the food as it is fed. The dry matter conversion answers a different question and makes the comparison fairer.

A guaranteed analysis is designed for labeling. It gives guaranteed minimums and maximums, not always the average value in the food. For example, crude protein might be listed as a minimum because the company is guaranteeing at least that amount. Crude fiber and moisture might be listed as maximums because the company is guaranteeing the product will not exceed those amounts. That means two labels can look similar even when the average nutrient levels differ.

A typical analysis, sometimes available from the manufacturer, is often more informative because it may list average tested values for a broader set of nutrients. It may include phosphorus, calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, taurine, metabolizable energy, and other details not shown on the front label. If your pet has a medical condition or you are comparing diets very closely, typical analysis is usually better than relying on label guarantees alone.

This calculator works with the numbers you enter. If you enter guaranteed analysis values, your output is a dry matter conversion of those guarantees. If you enter typical analysis values, your output is a dry matter conversion of the typical data. The formula is the same, but the quality of the input changes the usefulness of the result.

Many pet food labels do not list carbohydrate percentage. The common workaround is to estimate carbohydrates by difference. On an as-fed basis, you subtract moisture, protein, fat, fiber, and ash from 100. The remaining percentage is treated as estimated carbohydrate. Then it can be converted to dry matter basis with the same formula used for protein, fat, and fiber.

The weak point is ash. If ash is not listed, the calculator must use an estimate. That can make the carbohydrate number look more precise than it really is. A food with unknown ash is still useful to compare broadly, but it should not be treated as an exact carbohydrate report. For low-carbohydrate feeding goals or diabetes-related questions, ask the veterinarian and manufacturer for more complete nutrient data.

Here is a simple example. A food lists 10% moisture, 26% protein, 14% fat, 4% fiber, and 7% ash. Estimated carbohydrates as-fed are \(100 - (10 + 26 + 14 + 4 + 7) = 39\%\). Dry matter is 90%, so carbohydrates on dry matter basis are \( \frac{39}{90} \times 100 = 43.3\% \).

Dry matter values should always be interpreted next to the food's intended use. A complete adult maintenance diet, a puppy or kitten growth diet, an all-life-stages diet, a senior-focused diet, a veterinary therapeutic diet, a treat, and a topper are not the same kind of product. A topper might have appealing protein or fat numbers on dry matter basis but still be intended only for supplemental feeding. A treat might be high in one nutrient and still not be balanced as a daily diet.

Look for the nutritional adequacy statement. It tells you whether the food is formulated for a life stage or intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding. This statement matters because dry matter percentages alone do not show whether essential nutrients are present in the right proportions. Calcium and phosphorus balance, for example, can be especially important in growth diets, and it cannot be judged from crude protein, crude fat, fiber, and moisture alone.

Age also changes how you interpret nutrition. A growing puppy, active adult dog, sedentary adult dog, pregnant animal, lactating animal, senior cat, and chronically ill pet may have very different needs. Tools such as the dog age calculator can help with broad age context, but diet decisions should still follow life-stage labeling and veterinary guidance.

A dry matter result may show that one food is much higher in fat, lower in estimated carbohydrates, or higher in protein than another. That information can help you ask better questions, but it should not lead to a sudden diet change without considering the pet. Abrupt switches can cause digestive upset in some dogs and cats, especially if the new food differs in fat level, fiber type, moisture, ingredient profile, or calorie density.

For many healthy pets, diet changes are made gradually over several days by mixing increasing amounts of the new food with decreasing amounts of the old food. Some pets need slower transitions. Pets with chronic digestive disease, pancreatitis history, kidney disease, diabetes, urinary disease, allergies, or prescription diets should not be transitioned without veterinary input.

After a food change, watch stool quality, appetite, vomiting, itching, coat quality, water intake, urine changes, energy, and body weight. A calculator can make the label easier to understand, but the pet's response matters just as much.

If you are comparing foods seriously, customer support can sometimes provide better data than the package. The best questions are specific. Ask for the typical analysis on a dry matter basis. Ask for calories per kilogram and per serving unit. Ask whether values are average tested values or calculated estimates. Ask for phosphorus, calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, and other nutrients if they matter for your pet.

You can also ask who formulates the diet, whether the diet is complete and balanced for the life stage shown on the label, whether feeding trials or formulation methods were used, and how quality control is handled. These questions go beyond dry matter math, but they are part of responsible food comparison.

Keep your comparison notes in a simple format: product name, food form, life stage, calories, moisture, protein DMB, fat DMB, fiber DMB, estimated carbohydrates DMB, ash source, and any manufacturer data. That makes it easier to compare options without relying on memory or marketing claims.

The strongest use of this calculator is comparison, not judgment. It is very good at answering questions like: "Which of these two foods is higher in fat after moisture is removed?" or "Is this canned food actually lower in protein than this kibble?" or "What is the estimated carbohydrate level if I include ash?" It is not designed to decide whether a brand is trustworthy, whether a diet is safe for a disease, or whether a pet will do well on the food.

A practical workflow is to use the calculator first, then check calories, then check life-stage adequacy, then consider your pet's body condition and health. For a broader collection of tools, the main calculators page can help you find related converters and planning tools, while the health and fitness calculators section includes additional body-measurement tools. Use those pages as supporting context, not as a substitute for professional care.

If a result surprises you, double-check the moisture input first. Most unusual dry matter results come from entering the wrong moisture value, leaving ash blank when carbohydrate precision matters, or comparing foods with very different intended uses. Once the inputs are correct, use the result to ask clearer questions rather than to chase a single perfect number.

A high dry matter protein result means the food solids contain a larger proportion of protein. It does not automatically mean the food is superior, more digestible, or more appropriate for every pet. A low dry matter protein result does not automatically mean a food is poor, either. Some diets are formulated for specific calorie levels, ingredient constraints, life stages, or clinical needs. Protein quality, amino acid balance, digestibility, and the pet's health status all matter.

A high dry matter fat result usually means the food is energy dense. That can be helpful for some active, underweight, or high-energy pets, but it may be unsuitable for pets that need lower fat or lower calorie intake. A low dry matter fat result may help some weight-control plans, but it could be too low for another pet depending on the full nutrient profile. Always compare fat with calories, not just with percentage.

A high dry matter fiber result can mean the food is designed for stool quality, satiety, hairball support, or weight control, but crude fiber is incomplete as a fiber measure. A low dry matter fiber result may be normal for many wet foods and meat-forward diets. For pets with constipation, diarrhea, anal gland issues, hairballs, or other digestive concerns, the type of fiber can be as important as the amount.

A high estimated carbohydrate result may be expected in many dry foods because starch helps form kibble texture. A lower estimated carbohydrate result is common in many wet foods, but the exact number depends on ash and the accuracy of the label values. Use carbohydrate estimates as a screening tool, then ask for typical analysis if the number will influence a medical or strict feeding decision.

Scenario 1: A wet food looks lower in protein than kibble

This is the classic dry matter problem. The wet food may list 9% or 10% protein because most of its weight is water. After conversion, that food may be similar to or higher than the kibble. The correct conclusion is not that wet food is automatically better; it is that the as-fed label alone was not enough for a fair comparison.

Scenario 2: A food looks moderate in fat but converts very high

Wet foods can look modest in fat on an as-fed label. Once water is removed, the fat concentration may be much higher. That matters when comparing richness, calories, and tolerance. If your pet has been advised to eat a low-fat diet, dry matter fat is useful to discuss with a veterinarian, but the veterinarian may also need grams of fat per 100 kilocalories.

Scenario 3: A dry food and wet food have similar DMB values but different calories

Two foods can have similar dry matter protein and fat percentages but very different serving weights and calories per package unit. A large portion of wet food may be mostly water, while a smaller portion of dry food may provide many calories. That is why dry matter comparison should be paired with the calorie statement and feeding guide.

When comparing two or three products, use a simple worksheet. This keeps the process practical and prevents the decision from becoming a collection of disconnected label claims.

This worksheet also helps when you speak with a veterinarian or manufacturer. Instead of saying one food "looks better," you can show the exact values you compared and ask whether those values fit your pet's health, age, and body condition.

Dry matter basis cannot tell you whether a food is digestible, whether the protein source has the right amino acid pattern, whether the food was manufactured safely, whether the food is palatable, or whether it is appropriate for a specific disease. It cannot show ingredient quality by itself, and it cannot prove that a food will improve coat, stool, weight, allergies, or energy. Those claims require more evidence than a percentage conversion.

It also cannot replace feeding trials, nutrient profiles, veterinary examinations, or lab work. A diet can have attractive dry matter numbers and still be wrong for a pet if calories are excessive, minerals are inappropriate, the life stage is mismatched, or the pet has a medical condition. This is why the best use of the calculator is focused: compare labels more accurately, then combine the result with other decision factors.

Think of dry matter basis as a translation tool. It translates label percentages into a common moisture-free language. It does not decide the full nutritional story. Good feeding decisions still depend on the pet in front of you.

Example one: a dry food lists 30% protein, 18% fat, 3% fiber, 10% moisture, and 7% ash. Dry matter is 90%. Protein converts to \( \frac{30}{90} \times 100 = 33.3\% \). Fat converts to \( \frac{18}{90} \times 100 = 20.0\% \). Estimated carbohydrates as-fed are \(100 - (10 + 30 + 18 + 3 + 7) = 32\%\), so carbohydrates dry matter basis are \( \frac{32}{90} \times 100 = 35.6\% \).

Example two: a canned food lists 11% protein, 6% fat, 1.5% fiber, 78% moisture, and 2.5% ash. Dry matter is 22%. Protein converts to \( \frac{11}{22} \times 100 = 50.0\% \). Fat converts to \( \frac{6}{22} \times 100 = 27.3\% \). Estimated carbohydrates as-fed are \(100 - (78 + 11 + 6 + 1.5 + 2.5) = 1\%\), so carbohydrates dry matter basis are \( \frac{1}{22} \times 100 = 4.5\% \). This food looks low in every nutrient on the label because it contains a lot of water, but the dry matter comparison tells a clearer story.

Example three: a semi-moist food lists 18% protein, 8% fat, 2% fiber, 30% moisture, and ash is not listed. Dry matter is 70%. Protein converts to \( \frac{18}{70} \times 100 = 25.7\% \), and fat converts to \( \frac{8}{70} \times 100 = 11.4\% \). If you estimate ash at 7%, estimated carbohydrates as-fed are \(100 - (30 + 18 + 8 + 2 + 7) = 35\%\), so carbohydrates dry matter basis are \( \frac{35}{70} \times 100 = 50.0\% \). Because ash was estimated, the carbohydrate result should be treated as approximate.

These examples show why the calculator asks for moisture every time. Moisture is the denominator that changes the whole comparison. If you save only one habit from this page, make it this: never compare a wet label and a dry label directly without converting both to dry matter basis first.

Essential Calculations

1. Locate the Guaranteed Analysis: Find this section on your pet food label. It lists minimum percentages for protein and fat, maximum for fiber and moisture.
2. Enter As-Fed Values: Input the exact percentages shown on the label into the calculator. These are "as-fed" values that include moisture.
3. Include Moisture Content: This is critical - moisture percentage is always listed and typically ranges from 10% (dry food) to 80% (wet food).
4. Add Ash if Available: Ash (mineral content) is sometimes listed. If not, the calculator estimates it at 6-8% for accurate carbohydrate calculation.
5. Calculate and Compare: The calculator converts all nutrients to dry matter basis, allowing fair comparison between any food types regardless of moisture content.
6. Review Carbohydrates: Since carbs aren't required on labels, the calculator estimates them by subtraction - useful for low-carb or diabetic pet diets.

Note: DMB values reveal that wet foods often have higher protein and fat percentages than dry foods, despite lower as-fed numbers.

How do I convert as-fed to dry matter basis?

Divide the as-fed percentage by the dry matter content (100 minus moisture percentage), then multiply by 100. For example: 26% protein with 10% moisture = 26 ÷ (100-10) × 100 = 28.9% protein on dry matter basis. This removes water from calculations to show true nutrient concentration.

What is the dry matter formula for pet food?

The dry matter basis formula is: DMB% = (As-Fed% ÷ (100 - Moisture%)) × 100. First calculate dry matter content by subtracting moisture from 100%. Then divide each nutrient's as-fed percentage by this dry matter percentage and multiply by 100 to get the dry matter basis value.

How do I calculate dry matter fat in dog food?

Take the fat percentage from the guaranteed analysis and divide by (100 - moisture%), then multiply by 100. Example: food with 16% fat as-fed and 78% moisture has 16 / 22 x 100 = 72.7% fat on dry matter basis. If your pet needs a low-fat diet for a medical reason, confirm the target range with a veterinarian.

Why does my wet food have such high dry matter protein?

Wet food appears to have low protein (often 8-12% as-fed) because it's 75-80% water. When you remove moisture through dry matter calculation, the protein concentration is often 40-60% - higher than many kibbles! This is why comparing labels without dry matter basis is misleading.

How do I calculate carbohydrates in pet food?

Carbs aren't required on labels, so calculate them by subtraction. On dry matter basis: Carbs = 100 - (Protein + Fat + Fiber + Ash). If ash isn't listed, estimate 6-8% for dog food, 5-7% for cat food. Example: 30% protein + 18% fat + 4% fiber + 7% ash = 59%, so carbs = 100 - 59 = 41% DMB.

Is dry matter basis the same as guaranteed analysis?

No. Guaranteed analysis shows "as-fed" values that include moisture, while dry matter basis removes moisture to show nutrient concentration. Guaranteed analysis is what's printed on labels; dry matter basis is calculated from those values for accurate comparison. AAFCO nutritional standards use dry matter basis.