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Ingredient file // Ingredient

L-Carnitine

A compound made from amino acids that moves fat into the cells' energy factories.

Our read // In our catalog

In 1 of every 4 foods we track

Share of foods that list it

25%

629 of the 2,508 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 49 brands. 569 dry dog food, 53 wet dog food, 5 dog food topper.

Each square is 1% of the catalog

Where it sits on the label

Median position 28. In the top five of 1 food, so it is usually a minor ingredient.

Top five List position, heaviest first

Above the salt

4%

Usually listed after the salt, which caps it at roughly 1% of the recipe in 96% of foods.

Price per lb

Foods with it $3.25
All foods $3.23

Median of the cheapest bag price across 484 priced foods, about level with the catalog. The price is the food's, not the ingredient's.

Who leans on it

15%

of the foods that list it are from Blue. 49 brands use it in total.

What it is

Why it turns up in dog food

  • Helps the body burn fat for energy, which is why it appears in weight management and performance recipes.

Who uses it

Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps

Top brands, by foods that list it

  1. Blue 92
  2. Royal Canin 86
  3. NutriSource 55
  4. Zignature 40
  5. Hill's 37
  6. Nulo 29
  7. Earthborn Holistic 21
  8. Now Fresh 20
  9. Victor 20
  10. Verus 15

Plus 39 more brands.

Amazon best sellers that list it

  1. #1 Blue Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
  2. #4 Hill’s Science Diet ght Small & Mini Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food
  3. #6 Blue Life Protection Formula Adult Small Breed Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
  4. #8 Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat Formula All Life Stages Salmon & Potato Formula Dry Dog Food
  5. #26 Blue Life Protection Formula Senior Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
  6. #27 Royal Canin Small Adult Dry Dog Food
  7. #29 Blue Life Protection Formula Small Breed Senior Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
  8. #38 Iams Adult Large Breed Dry Dog Food

Rank on Amazon's dog food best seller list, checked October 2026.

Usually listed with, share of the foods that list it

  1. Chicken Fat 54%
  2. Natural Flavor 45%
  3. Chicken Meal 37%
  4. Peas 36%
  5. Flaxseed 35%
  6. Chicken 31%
  7. Brown Rice 30%
  8. Dried Plain Beet Pulp 25%
  9. Oatmeal 20%
  10. Barley 20%
  11. Brewers Rice 17%
  12. Pea Starch 15%

On the shelf

Foods that list it

629 foods in our reviews list it. Here are some of them.

Evanger’s EVX Restricted Diet: Hip & Joint and Senior Support Wet Dog Food40.9% protein
Show 59 more Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Turkey and Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food30.0% proteinFromm Classic Adult Large & Giant Breed Dry Dog Food26.7% proteinWholeHearted Adult Small-Breed Beef & Brown Rice Recipe with Whole Grains Dry Dog Food27.8% proteinDiamond>Naturals Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete Adult Dog Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food35.6% proteinDiamond>Naturals Diamond Naturals Large Breed Adult Dog Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food25.6% proteinDiamond>Naturals Diamond Naturals Adult Dog Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food25.6% proteinDiamond>Naturals Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Lamb & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food30.0% proteinDiamond>Naturals Diamond Naturals Light Adult Dog Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food20.0% proteinDiamond>Naturals Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Dog Lamb & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food27.8% proteinDiamond>Naturals Diamond Naturals Large Breed Adult Dog Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food24.4% proteinDiamond>Naturals Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Dog Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food30.0% proteinDiamond>Naturals Diamond Naturals Senior Dog Chicken, Egg & Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food27.8% proteinDiamond>Naturals Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat All Life Stages Dog Salmon & Potato Formula Dry Dog Food27.8% proteinDiamond>Care Diamond Care Weight Management Formula Dry Dog Food24.4% proteinGo! Solutions Weight Management + Joint Care Salmon Grain-Free Dry Dog Food24.4% proteinZignature Original Trout & Salmon Formula with Probiotics Dry Dog Food34.4% proteinKirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Turkey and Sweet Potato Dry Dog Food26.7% proteinBlue Life Protection Formula Homestyle Recipe Grain-Free Senior - Chicken & Garden Vegetables Wet Dog Food36.4% proteinBlue Natural Veterinary Diet WM Wet Dog Food31.8% proteinWellness Complete Health Age Advantage Pate Chicken Wet Dog Food31.8% protein4health with Wholesome Grains Adult Large Breed + Mobility Chicken and Rice Dry Dog Food26.7% proteinWellness Complete Health Pate Age Advantage Tuna & Salmon Wet Dog Food47.7% proteinBlue True Solutions Small Breed Care Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe for Small Breed Adult Dogs Dry Dog Food31.1% proteinBlue True Solutions Large Breed Care Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe Dry Dog Food26.7% protein4health with Wholesome Grains Adult Salmon and Potato Formula at Tractor Supply Co Dry Dog Food27.8% protein4health Shreds Large Breed Adult Chicken Formula Dry Dog Food26.7% proteinNow Fresh Good Gravy Beef Coated in Bone Broth Dry Dog Food28.9% proteinKirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Beef and Sweet Potato Dry Dog Food26.7% proteinPure Balance Pro+ Chicken Recipe for Healthy Weight Can Wet Dog Food34.1% proteinPure Balance Pro+ Chicken & Brown Rice Stew for Puppy Can Wet Dog Food38.9% proteinPure Balance Pro+ Mature Cup Wet Dog Food41.7% proteinRayne Nutrition Plant-Based Chunky Stew Wet Dog Food27.1% proteinHill’s Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Hearty Vegetable & Chicken Stew Wet Dog Food25.0% proteinRoyal Canin Veterinary Canine Weight Control loaf in sauce Wet Dog Food32.6% proteinBlue True Solutions Small Breed Wet Dog Food34.1% proteinNulo FreeStyle Paté Small Breed Turkey & Lentils Recipe Wet Dog Food47.7% proteinNulo FreeStyle Paté Small Breed Duck & Chickpeas Recipe Wet Dog Food47.7% proteinNulo FreeStyle Paté Adult Trim Turkey & Cod Recipe Wet Dog Food45.5% proteinNulo FreeStyle Paté Small Breed Beef & Lamb Recipe Wet Dog Food45.5% proteinEukanuba Premium Performance 26/16 Exercise Small Bites Dry Dog Food28.7% proteinStella & Chewy’s SuperBlends Chicken & Salmon Dry Puppy Food: Raw Coated Oven Baked Kibble with Superfoods, Antioxidants & Probiotics Dry Dog Food31.8% proteinNow Fresh Good Gravy Premium Quality Salmon Recipe Dog Food Topper28.9% proteinEvanger’s Super Premium New! Gamebird Recipe with Coconut Oil for Dogs - Dry Dog Food26.7% proteinWholeHearted Healthy Benefits Weight Control Lamb and Pea Recipe Dry Dog Food29.5% proteinVictor Purpose Sensitive Skin & Stomach Beef Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food26.7% proteinRoyal Canin Size Health Nutrition Large Weight Care Dry Dog Food27.8% proteinNow Fresh Large Breed Turkey, Salmon & Duck Grain-Free Dry Dog Food30.0% proteinNow Fresh Small Breed Puppy Turkey, Salmon & Duck Grain-Free Dry Dog Food31.1% proteinVerus VēRUS Canine Small Breed Chicken Formula Dry Dog Food30.0% proteinNow Fresh Good Gravy Large Breed Adult Beef Dry Dog Food28.9% proteinNow Fresh Lamb & Pork Grain-Free Dry Dog Food26.7% proteinNow Fresh Good Gravy Salmon Small Breed Dry Dog Food28.9% proteinNow Fresh Trout, Salmon & Herring Grain-Free Dry Dog Food26.7% proteinVerus VēRUS Canine Small Breed Turkey Formula Dry Dog Food28.0% proteinSimply Nourish Hip & Joint Recipe Wet Dog Food63.3% proteinI and Love and You Top That Move Beef With Bison Recipe In Gravy Dog Food Topper44.4% proteinAbound Pro Vet Formulated Puppy Chicken & Vegetable Stew Wet Dog Food38.9% proteinHalo Holistic Grain Free Chicken & Salmon Recipe Small Breed Wet Dog Food43.2% proteinHalo Holistic Grain Free Turkey & Duck Recipe Small Breed Wet Dog Food50.0% protein
An ingredient on its own tells you very little. What matters is how much of it there is and where it sits in the list. That is why we weigh the top five rather than reacting to any single name further down. Back to the wiki

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