Merrick vs. Purina Bella
In this comparison article for Merrick vs Purina Bella, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Merrick and Purina Bella, we'll use up-to-date nutritional and price information.
There are many factors to consider when choosing the best pet food brand for your pet. Factors such as ingredient quality, guaranteed analysis, product safety, brand history, and cost are among the most important factors to consider.
Throughout this Purina Bella vs Merrick comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Merrick Review Page or Purina Bella Review Page.
Guaranteed Analysis: Purina Bella vs. Merrick
According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.
All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on a dry matter basis.
Merrick Dog Food vs. Purina Bella Dog Food
| Dry Dog Food | Merrick | Purina Bella |
| Crude Protein | 37.3% | 31.3% |
| Crude Fat | 16.7% | 17.6% |
| Crude Fiber | 4.3% | 4.5% |
| Wet/Canned Dog Food | Merrick | Purina Bella |
| Crude Protein | 43.7% | 43.9% |
| Crude Fat | 20.3% | 19.4% |
| Crude Fiber | 8.6% | 5.6% |
Crude Protein Comparison For Dog Food
Dogs require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Twelve of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining ten are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these ten essential amino acids.
The table shows that Purina Bella provides far less protein than Merrick. The difference in protein content is roughly 6.01%. For wet dog foods, Purina Bella and Merrick provide roughly the same amount of protein.
Crude Fat Comparison For Dog Food
Like protein, fats are an essential part of a dog's body. Fats are needed for the proper development and function of the canine body.
As you can see, Merrick and Purina Bella guarantee a similar amount of crude fat. With regards to wet dog food, Merrick and Purina Bella also provide roughly the same amount of crude fat.
Merrick and Purina Bella both provide roughly the same amount of crude fiber. For wet dog foods, Merrick typically provides a little more fiber (about 3.09% more).
Merrick Pet Food Ingredients vs. Purina Bella Pet Food Ingredients
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Merrick.
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Purina Bella.
We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.
Here are some of the harmful ingredients used only by Purina Bella.
Product Safety: Recall History of Merrick & Purina Bella?
Merrick has been recalled 6 times.
- Jan. 28, 2011: Salmonella
- Aug. 8, 2011: Salmonella
- July 2, 2010: Salmonella
- Aug. 3, 2010: Salmonella
- Aug. 13, 2010: Salmonella
- May 23, 2018: elevated levels of beef thyroid hormone
According to our records, Purina Bella has never been recalled.
Price Comparison: Which Brand Is More Expensive?
| Dry Dog Food | Merrick | Purina Bella |
| Per Pound | $5.54 | $1.41 |
| Per Calorie | $0.0032 | $0.0008 |
| Wet Dog Food | Merrick | Purina Bella |
| Per Pound | $4.45 | $3.56 |
| Per Calorie | $0.0101 | $0.0087 |
The average cost-per-lb is heavily influenced by the varying amounts of moisture present in each brand's food products (wet vs. dry food, dry vs. freeze-dried food, etc). However, the average cost-per-kcal eliminates the influence of moisture. Therefore, the average cost-per-kcal is the better metric to consider.
If you'd like to calculate the average cost-per-day or cost-pet-year of feeding Merrick or Purina Bella, input your pet's weight into our cost analyzer widget.
Averages price data can identify whether or not there exists a significant price difference between two brands. However, the actual price that you'll pay for Merrick or Purina Bella will depend on your shopping habits.
Pet owners who use our price comparison feature typically save more than 25% off retail prices for Merrick and Purina Bella. In addition, we currently have some great coupons for our readers.
- $10 Off + Free Shipping Orders $60+ @ PetFlow (Use Code SAVENOW)
- 10% Off Treats @ PetFlow (Use Code HOT10)
- 20% Off The Entire Site @ OnlyNaturalPet (Use Code AFPAWDIET)
Disclosure: PawDiet has an affiliate relationship with stores featured (or linked-to) in this article. We are compensated for referring customers. Thank you for shopping with our retail partners!
Where To Buy Merrick Pet Foods
You can purchase Merrick pet foods from the following stores:
Where To Buy Purina Bella Pet Foods
You can purchase Purina Bella pet food products from these retailers:
Type Of Pet Foods Available
| Product | Merrick | Purina Bella |
| Dry Dog Food | 37 Recipes | 2 Recipes |
| Wet Dog Food | 65 Recipes | 10 Recipes |
| Dog Treats | 38 Treats | |
| Dry Cat Food | 13 Recipes | |
| Wet Cat Food | 51 Recipes | |
| Cat Treats | 2 Treats |
