VeRus Dog Food
NOTE: The VeRUS web site has the following statement: “We’ve identified some inaccuracies in our website.” Information for our reviews is primarily based on the material found on dog food company web sites so we hope that they have provided accurate information.
Disclosure: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which will direct you to our partner sites. If you purchase the pet foods we recommend through those links, we may earn a small commission – at no extra cost to you.
Brief Overview
VeRUS Pet Foods is a privately owned company headquartered in Abingdon, Maryland. The company was started in 1993 by company founder Russell Armstrong. You can read about how Mr. Armstrong began the company on the VeRUS site. VeRUS is a holistic dog food company and, according to their web site, committed to quality manufacturing principles. Their ingredients (including vitamins and minerals) are sourced from the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. They do not source any ingredients from China, including vitamins and minerals. Their foods have no artificial preservatives, hormones, bioengineered ingredients (commonly known as GMO’s) or meat by products. Their meats all come from USDA-inspected facilities.
Who Manufactures VeRUS?
According to VeRUS their foods are manufactured in EU-certified facilities. EU (European Union) certification is a certification developed by the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that was created in response to the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE or “mad cow disease”) crisis in Great Britain several years ago. EU certification is part of an international strategy to eradicate food-borne epidemics. EU certification requires that all animal products used in pet food be derived from animals declared fit for human consumption.
VeRUS pet foods are made at EU-certified facilities. The company says that their dry food is manufactured in upstate New York and their canned formulas are made in South Dakota (blue labels) and New Zealand (green labels and cat-faced labels). It turns out that quite a few pet food manufacturers have EU-certified facilities. We looked and found 105 facilities that passed the most recent inspection (10/31/15). There are two EU-certified pet food manufacturers in upstate New York – Southern Tier Pet Nutrition, LLC, in Sherburne, NY; and O-AT-KA Milk Products Cooperative, Inc. in Batavia, NY. O-AT-KA makes some pet milk replacers for puppies and kittens, but it seems more likely that Southern Tier Pet Nutrition makes VeRUS’s dry foods.
There is only one EU-certified pet food facility in South Dakota, where VeRUS says their canned foods are made, and that is Performance Pet Products, LLC, in Mitchell. VeRUS also says that some of their canned food is made in New Zealand. Many pet lovers probably already know that canned food manufacturing facilities in Australasia have very high standards. Canning pet food in this part of the world is not, as some have suggested, a way to avoid regulation. You will find a number of high quality pet foods being canned in this part of the world today.
VeRUS Pet Food Recalls 2017
VeRUS says several times on their web site that they have never had a recall and we did not find any evidence of a recall for the company in the FDA database or in an online search.
VeRUS Dog Food Coupons 2017
Check Chewy.com and other online pet food sites for discounts on VeRUS foods. You can visit the VeRUS Facebook page to stay advised of upcoming specials and new products.
VeRUS Dog Food Overview
There is a lot to like about VeRUS dog foods. If you read through the company web site, the things they say about their food sound sensible. It’s clear that they have given a lot of thought to the choices they have made. It sounds like they believe in good nutrition and they have considered how each ingredient in the food adds to a dog’s health. At the same time, the company doesn’t seem to be touting a lot of gimmicks or trendy ideas about how to feed your dog. When you read some dog food web sites you can really get a hard sell about some odd ingredients; or they are all excited about their artwork or packaging and don’t say that much about the food. VeRUS actually explains why they use certain ingredients they believe are good for your dog, whether those ingredients are popular right now or not. That’s cool. We know that dog food companies have to try to set themselves apart from each other, but it’s nice to find companies that really want to focus on the food and ingredients.
According to VeRUS, they use ingredients from very good sources. For example:
- Chicken from cage free barns in West Virginia, free of antibiotics
- Menhaden fish wild caught in US waters off the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico; processed on the ship before the fish leaves the ship, using Vitamin C and Vitamin E as natural antioxidants
- Potatoes without the use of bioengineered ingredients (commonly known as GMO’s) are sourced locally in Pennsylvania
- Chelated minerals for better absorption; vitamins and minerals are human grade instead of feed grade used by many pet food makers; and they are not sourced from China
- Grass-fed lamb meal from New Zealand, the source of healthy flocks
- Kelp sourced from cold waters with no petroleum contamination
- Whole grains without the use of bioengineered ingredients (commonly known as GMO’s) are used instead of fractionated sources, and are North American grown
- Chicken fat is 99.95% clear fat coming from cage free Chickens
- The flax seed is ground just before blending to eliminate the potential for oxidation and assure freshness and efficacy
- Chicory extract is used as a natural prebiotic – improving digestibility
Other things to note in the foods include red meats that are range-raised on fresh grass and not grain-fed. They use green-lipped mussels from New Zealand which is believed to help keep joints healthy.
VeRUS also uses live probiotics in their foods, or at least freeze-dried live probiotics. They are the only pet food that uses this formula. Probiotics help keep healthy organisms in the gut so your dog can better digest his food. Many dog foods today add some kind of probiotic to their food but they are usually in a dry form. The science for these probiotics says that a certain percentage will be viable once they reach your dog’s gastrointestinal tract and most pet food companies add more than necessary to try to make sure that some of the organisms will survive. However, using freeze-dried live probiotics may be a better method of ensuring that your dog gets the organisms necessary for good digestion.
VeRUS’s canned foods use an epoxy lining which is considered safe and environmentally-friendly. BPA is not used as a stabilizer in their cans, although BPA is still a by-product of epoxy so no cans are, at this time completely BPA free. (The company recommends removing the food from the can and placing it in a glass jar after opening if you will be saving some to feed to your dog later. This will reduce the chances of BPA contamination.)
Per the company, VeRUS foods have no meat by-products, fillers, or synthetic chemical preservatives such as BHT, BHA, or ethoxyquin “added to our formulas.” “Added to our formulas” is a little troubling since pet food companies are not required to list things that are added to ingredients before they arrive at their facilities. This Facebook response about salmon and other fish is also not quite comprehensive. Elsewhere on their web site, VeRUS says that their Menhaden fish is “harvested without the use of ethoxyquin” – technically all fish is harvested without ethoxyquin. It’s a preservative, not a tool. We will take their word for it, but none of these phrases exactly means that their fish is free of ethoxyquin.
The issue with fish and ethoxyquin, for those who are unfamiliar with it, is that fish that will become fish meal has, per industry standards, been preserved on the boat with ethoxyquin when it is caught. Pet food manufacturers don’t have to list ethoxyquin as an ingredient on the label, however, because this was done before the fish meal arrived at their plant. They only have to list things that they add to the food. The FDA has asked the pet food industry to reduce the amount of ethoxyquin used in the industry – and most pet food watchers and owners would prefer to see it completely eliminated.
Another pet food additive of some controversy is ethoxyquin, which was approved as a food additive over forty-five years ago for use as an antioxidant chemical preservative to help prevent the destruction of some vitamins and related compounds in animal foods and to help prevent peroxide from forming in canned pet foods. In the 1990s, CVM began receiving reports from dog owners attributing the presence of ethoxyquin in the dog food with a myriad of adverse effects, such as allergic reactions, skin problems, major organ failure, behavior problems, and cancer. However, there was a paucity of available scientific data to support these contentions, or to show other adverse effects in dogs at levels approved for use in dog foods. Subsequent studies by the manufacturer of ethoxyquin showed a dose-dependent accumulation of a hemoglobin-related pigment in the liver, as well as increases in the levels of liver-related enzymes in the blood. Although these changes are due to ethoxyquin in the diet, the pigment is not made from ethoxyquin itself, and the health significance of these findings is unknown. Nevertheless, CVM has asked the pet food industry to voluntarily lower the maximum level of use of ethoxyquin in dog foods from 150 ppm (0.015%) to 75 ppm. Regardless, most pet foods that contained ethoxyquin never exceeded the lower amount, even before this recommended change.
We note that VeRUS also has kibbles that are free of rosemary. Rosemary is not just a nice herb. Rosemary and rosemary extract are used in many dog foods today as a natural preservative and antioxidant. However, it has been linked to seizures in dogs with epilepsy. It’s debatable whether the minute amount of rosemary in dog food would trigger a seizure, but there does appear to be some truth to the belief that essential oils, like rosemary, can have an adverse effect on dogs with epilepsy. If you have a dog prone to seizures, then it might be prudent to feed a dog food that does not contain this ingredient.
We also want to discuss the fact that VeRUS uses grains like whole brown rice and oats in their foods. We know that the trend at the moment is toward feeding dogs a grain free diet and there is lots of negative information online about grains for dogs. If your dog has always done well eating a diet that includes grains, you should not feel pressured to change to a grain free diet. Grain free is not the only way to keep your dog healthy. Domestic dogs have lived with us for 12,000-15,000 years and grains were included in their diet. If you remember back just 10-15 years ago, grain free dog foods were originally produced as a niche, specialty food for the small number of dogs with food allergies and intolerances. It is still true today that the vast majority of dogs do not have food allergies or food intolerances. We have lots more choices today about what to feed our dogs and that’s great. If you want to feed your dog a grain free food, go ahead. But please don’t be misled into believing that dog foods that include good quality grains are not good foods. Grain free is not always better and it may or may not be the best choice for your dog.
VeRUS points out that the cooking process for grains can make a big difference in the digestibility and available nutrients:
My dog only eats grain free because I bought food with grains and my dogs had many problems. Why should I go back to a grain product again?
There are many factors that may cause problems with dogs including diet. All foods are not created equal, including ingredients, ingredient quality, cooking process, and handling that may effect the performance of a food. Unless your dog was diagnosed with an allergy to a particular grain ingredient, it is most likely that your dog may have performed poorly on the food because of some other factor. Grains, like any carbohydrate, are undigestible for dogs unless they are ground and cooked properly. The most common cause of digestive problems associated with grains is undercooking. VéRUS adopts specific cooking procedures to maximize the starch conversion. Our normal cook is about 98%. This eliminates issues created by grains.
If you have any doubts about this response, try cooking some rice or another cereal or grain at home. Compare the grain when it is half-cooked to when it is thoroughly cooked and you’ll get the idea about how much easier it is to digest after it is fully cooked.
We like good grains in dog food, as long as there is also plenty of good quality meat protein. In some grain free dog foods there is good meat protein, but a lot of the protein tends to come from peas and lentils. We think this is misleading. And while the foods may not have grains, they do have carbs from vegetable sources which can also be problematic for some dogs (think potatoes which are a problem for some dogs). It really comes down to what works for your dog. We just don’t like to see dog lovers being hoodwinked by a lot of gimmicks.
VeRUS makes both cat and dog foods with human-grade meats and ingredients. Their foods are formulated to meet or exceed the nutritional guidelines established by AAFCO nutrient profiles. Their dry dog foods include the following:
VéRUS Life Virtue
Holistic formula features chicken, vegetables, and legumes. The food also includes lentils, chickpeas, split green peas, and yams.
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 24% Fat (min) 15%
Fiber (max) 3.5% Moisture (max) 10%
418 kcals/cup
VéRUS Cold Water Fish
Holistic formula includes cold water ocean fish, vegetables, and legumes. The fish includes fresh salmon and Omega 3 rich menhaden and herring meat protein, as well as lentils, chickpeas, split green peas, and yams. The formula also includes Omega 3 rich menhaden fish oil.
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 26% Fat (min) 15%
Fiber (max) 3.5% Moisture (max) 10%
419 kcals/cup
VéRUS Large Breed Puppy holistic formula is designed for dogs up to 20 months old and 60 pounds or more at maturity. The food includes fresh meats, vegetables, legumes for lower energy levels and moderate amounts of calcium and phosphorus to help minimize rapid growth.
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 23% Fat (min) 15%
Fiber (max) 4% Moisture (max) 10%
Calcium (min) 0.9% Phosphorus (min)0.8%
399 kcals/cup
VéRUS Life Advantage Chicken Meal, Oats and Brown Rice Holistic
Formula is made from cage free chicken and includes sun cured alfalfa, flaxseed, and chicory extract. Made for all life stages.
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 24% Fat (min) 15%
Fiber (max) 4.5% Moisture (max) 10%
422 kcals/cup
VéRUS Advanced Opticoat Menhaden Fish Meal and Potato Holistic
Formula contains cold water fish, menhaden oil and flaxseed oil – all rich in valuable EPA, DHA, and ALA Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids benefit a wide range of health problems including: allergies and immune conditions, arthritis, inflammatory diseases, dry hair and dull coat, heart problems and cancers. This food is considered especially good for dogs with allergies but it can be fed to all dogs.
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 22% Fat (min) 10%
Fiber (max) 4% Moisture (max) 10%
419 kcals/cup
VéRUS Adult Maintenance Lamb Meal, Oats and Brown Rice Holistic
Formula is free of common ingredients that causes food allergies and symptoms pertaining to food allergies such as itchy, watery eyes, tear stains and chronic ear infections.
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 22% Fat (min) 10%
Fiber (max) 4% Moisture (max) 10%
361 kcals/cup
VéRUS Puppy Advantage Chicken Meal, Oats and Brown Rice Holistic Formula is formulated to meet the energy demands of small and medium breed puppies whose mature adult weight is 50-60 lbs or less. This formula is enhanced with brain building DHA Omega- 3 fish oils.
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 26% Fat (min) 16%
Fiber (max) 4% Moisture (max) 10%
425 kcals/cup
VéRUS Weight Management Brown Rice, Lamb Meal and Oats Holistic
Formula for weight control.
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 17% Fat (min) 8%
Fiber (max) 3.5% Moisture (max) 10%
359 kcals/cup
Overall, the fat percentages in VeRUS dog foods are low to moderate – and much lower than those found in most super premium dog foods. Some people may prefer these lower fat levels for their dogs. Protein levels are moderate. These foods are not formulated for people who want to feed their dogs a high protein diet. VeRUS says that their foods have 25-50 percent more nutrient availability than standard commercial diets because of the quality of their ingredients and their cooking procedures. In our opinion, that may be stretching things. There are some very good dog foods on the market and some of them use very good ingredients. VeRUS notes that they use low ash chicken meal from muscle tissue that yields about 25 percent more digestible protein than the same amount of chicken by-product meal. Well, we know other companies that also use low ash chicken. So, while we think that the protein levels in VeRUS are all right, we are not willing to accept that they are providing more nutrient availability than some of their competitors. Sure, they are going to be lots better than most grocery store brands, but when compared to their real competition – which is other super premium dog foods – we don’t think that they can really claim they have more nutrient availability.
The fiber percentages for the VeRUS foods (3.5 to 4.5 percent crude fiber, max) are similar to many other commercial dog foods. The calories for most of the foods are around 420-425. This is moderate in terms of calories for most dogs.
VeRUS also makes eight canned dog foods. Can size is 13.2 ounces for cans made in the U.S. and 13.7 ounces for cans made in New Zealand.
VéRUS Lamb and Brown Rice Formula Canned Dog Food
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 8% Fat (min) 5%
Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 78%
Ash (max) 1.87%
441 kcals/can
VéRUS Chicken and Brown Rice Formula Canned Dog Food
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 8% Fat (min) 5%
Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 78%
Ash (max) 1.55%
470 kcals/can
VéRUS Beef and Barley Formula Canned Dog Food
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 8% Fat (min) 5%
Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 78%
Ash (max) 1.75%
463 kcals/can
VéRUS Duck and Potato Formula Canned Dog Food
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 8% Fat (min) 5%
Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 78%
Ash (max) 2.27%
366 kcals/can
VéRUS Fish and Potato Formula Canned Dog Food
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 8% Fat (min) 5%
Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 78%
Ash (max) 1.83%
397 kcals/can
VéRUS Turkey and Veggie Formula Canned Dog Food
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 8% Fat (min) 5%
Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 78%
Ash (max) 1.46%
427 kcals/can
VéRUS Garden Select Formula Canned Dog Food
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 8% Fat (min) 5%
Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 78%
Ash (max) 1.19%
399 kcals/can
VeRUS NZ Lamb & Veggies (Grain Free)
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 9% Fat (min) 11%
Fiber (max) 1% Moisture (max) 75%
367 kcals/can (can is 13.7 ounces)
VeRUS Beef and Kiwi (Grain Free)
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 9% Fat (min) 7%
Fiber (max) 1% Moisture (max) 76%
281 kcals/can (can is 13.7 ounces)
VeRUS NZ Lamb and Tripe (Grain Free)
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 9% Fat (min) 10%
Fiber (max) 1% Moisture (max) 74%
371 kcals/can (can is 13.7 ounces)
VeRUS NZ Chicken and Salmon (Grain Free)
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 10% Fat (min) 8%
Fiber (max) 1% Moisture (max) 76%
398 kcals/can (can is 13.7 ounces)
All of VeRUS’s canned foods are BPA and BPS-free. Note that the crude fat percentages in the canned foods made in New Zealand are much higher than the canned foods made in the U.S.
VéRUS Advanced Opticoat Menhaden Fish Meal and Potato Holistic Formula Formula Dog Food Review
Reading through the testimonials on the VeRUS web sites, we noticed that VeRUS Advanced Opticoat seemed to be very popular, especially with owners who had dogs with allergies and skin problems. We thought it would make a good food to review.
According to VeRUS, the food contains cold water fish, menhaden oil and flaxseed oil which are all rich in valuable EPA, DHA, and ALA Omega-3 fatty acids. It is certainly true that Omega 3 fatty acids benefit a wide range of health problems including: allergies and immune conditions, arthritis, inflammatory diseases, dry hair and dull coat, and possibly heart problems.
The first five ingredients in this food are: Menhaden Fish Meal, Potato, Ground Barley, Ground Oats, Menhaden Fish Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols). If you are opposed to grains, in general, then this is not the food for you. If you believe that grains inevitably contribute to food allergies and skin problems in dogs, then you probably won’t like this food. However, there are lots of people who have fed it with great success. Not all grains are alike.
Menhaden are small fish with oily flesh from the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. They are frequently used as a source of fish oil, fish meal, and in animal feed. Menhaden fish meal can have a crude protein percentage of around 62 percent, making it a very desirable ingredient for pet food. Humans don’t usually eat menhaden fish today but we rely heavily on menhaden fish oil. Menhaden fish oil contains a staggering amount of Omega-3 fatty acid, as well as some Omega-6 fatty acid.
Some dogs can have issues with potatoes, though they are sometimes used as a substitute carbohydrate in grain free dog foods. Potatoes are 92 percent carbohydates, 7 percent protein, and 1 percent fat. They are a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium and Manganese. They are also a source of dietary fiber – particularly the potato skin.
Ground barley is considered to be another good dietary fiber, helping to move things through the gastrointestinal tract. It is 90 percent carbs, 7 percent protein, and 3 percent fat. It’s also a good source of Manganese.
Oats are also considered to be a good source of dietary fiber. Oats are 70 percent carbohydrates, 15 percent protein, and 15 percent fat. They are also a good source of Thiamin, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Manganese.
Complex carbohydrates such as oats, barley, and potatoes provide a lot of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in the food. Their fiber also helps dogs feel full when they eat without some of the side effects that can come from other carb and fiber sources in dog foods such as gassiness and digestive problems. If you have fed some dog foods that are loaded with peas and lentils then you may have noticed that some dogs have trouble digesting them.
Other ingredients in VeRUS Advanced Opticoat of interest include Beet pulp. As VeRUS correctly explains on their site, this is not a filler ingredient. Beet pulp is a very good insoluble fiber and it’s good for your dog’s colon. The food also contains kelp, which is sometimes used as a source of trace minerals, such as iodine. The food also includes L-Carnitine, which is an amino acid compound used in dog foods to help convert fat to muscle. It works on the dog’s energy and metabolism.
The food also contains flaxseed oil and flaxseed. Containing 12 percent protein, 22 percent carbs, and 66 percent fat, flaxseed is a good source of Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Thiamin and Manganese. It’s also a plant source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. While plant sources of Omega-3 fatty acids are not considered to be as good as fish sources, they are still desirable. There is some concern that flaxseed can interfere with a dog’s hormones. Most studies on this subject relate to humans, but some dog breeders have reported problems with female dogs and failure to conceive, as well as adsorption of litters.
Finally, the food features chelated minerals which are minerals bonded to proteins. This makes them easier for a dog to digest and absorb so the dog can use them more easily. Chelated or proteinated minerals are often found in better quality dog foods. They are more expensive for the dog food manufacturer to source than plain minerals.
VeRUS Advanced Opticoat contains 419 kcal/cup. This makes it moderate in terms of calories.
Nutrition Statement
VeRUS Canine Advanced Opticoat Holistic Formula is formulated to meet or exceed nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all stages of dogs life.
- GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
- Protein (min) 22%
- Fat (min) 10%
- Fiber (max) 4%
- Moisture (max) 10%
- Alpha Linolenic Acid (min) .80%*
- DHA (min) 0.48%*
- EPA (min) 0.81%*
- Total Omega 3 (min) 2.0%*
- Potassium (min) 0.66%*
- Calcium 1.11%*
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) 69.25 mg/kg*
- Probiotic Activity (min) 3 mil CFU/gram*
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles
The dry matter basis figures for this food are: protein 24.4 percent; fat 11.1 percent; fiber 4.4 percent; carbohydrates 51.1 percent.
This food has average protein and below average fat compared to most super premium dog foods. The fiber content is also average for most kibbles; and the carb percentage is very high compared to many natural/holistic dog foods.
Some people will find the protein percentage in VeRUS Advanced Opticoat too low for their liking, though it is above AAFCO guidelines and the protein sources in the food are of very good quality. The fat percentage in this food and most of VeRUS’s foods are quite low which some people may like. The carbohydrate percentage is very high.
If you are looking for a good food for a dog with allergies or skin problems and your dog can eat these ingredients, we do think this is a good food. The Omega-3 fatty acids and the good quality of the ingredients may benefit a lot of dogs. However, the high percentage of carbs will be problematic for a lot of dog lovers, along with the lower protein percentage.
Where can you buy VeRUS dog food?
You can buy VeRUS on Chewy.com and other online pet food sites. You can also check the “Dealer Locator” page on the VeRUS web site.
Final Thoughts
We really like the ingredients that VeRUS uses in their foods and their thoughtful approach to formulating pet food. Some people will be put off by the lower protein percentages and the higher carb percentages. However, we think these are good foods. Many people like these foods for their dogs, including dogs with allergies and skin problems. We think they are worth a look. Recommended as long as your dog has no problem with particular ingredients.
