A pet food nutrition calculator removes misleading moisture weight from Guaranteed Analysis labels to reveal true protein, fat, and fiber percentages on a Dry Matter Basis. Compare up to 3 wet or dry pet foods side by side to see which actually delivers more nutrition per serving.
?? Dry Matter Basis (DMB)
Pet food labels show nutrients including water weight. A wet food with 78% moisture has its protein diluted by nearly 4× compared to kibble with 10% moisture.
Dry Matter Basis removes the water to show what percentage of the actual food solids is protein, fat, fiber, etc. making every food type directly comparable.
DMB Value = (Label Value ÷ Dry Matter%) × 100
Example: 10% protein in wet food (78% moisture) ? 10 ÷ 22 × 100 = 45.5% true protein
Dry Matter Breakdown
Side-by-Side Comparison
AAFCO Compliance Check
Recommended Gear
Ensure your pet's food stays fresh and nutritious! We highly recommend a vacuum-sealed food storage container and a digital pet food scale to track exactly how many calories they are getting.
Why You Need a Dry Matter Basis Calculator
When comparing pet foods, you can't just look at the guaranteed analysis on the label. A can of wet food might say "10% protein," while a bag of kibble says "30% protein." However, the wet food is 78% moisture, while the kibble is only 10% moisture. To accurately compare the two, you must calculate the Dry Matter Basis (DMB), which removes the water weight. KibbleMath instantly does this math for you, showing the true nutritional value of your dog or cat food and comparing it to AAFCO guidelines. All calculations are performed 100% locally on your device for absolute privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dry Matter Basis in pet food?
Dry Matter Basis (DMB) removes water weight from pet food nutrition labels to reveal the true nutrient concentration. A wet food labeled at 10% protein with 78% moisture actually has 45.5% protein on a dry matter basis (10% / (1 - 0.78) = 45.5%). Without DMB conversion, comparing wet and dry food labels is meaningless.
How do you compare wet and dry pet food nutrition?
Convert both to Dry Matter Basis. For each nutrient, divide the Guaranteed Analysis percentage by (1 - moisture percentage). A dry food with 26% protein and 10% moisture has 28.9% DMB protein. A wet food with 10% protein and 78% moisture has 45.5% DMB protein. The wet food actually has more protein per calorie.
What protein percentage should dog food have?
AAFCO minimum is 18% crude protein for adult dogs and 22.5% for puppies (on dry matter basis). Most veterinary nutritionists recommend 25-35% DMB protein for active adult dogs. Working dogs and puppies may benefit from 30-40%. However, protein quality (amino acid profile and digestibility) matters more than raw percentage.