Is Acana WSAVA-Approved?
WSAVA does not approve, certify, or endorse any dog food brand. No such list exists. What "WSAVA-approved" actually refers to is whether a manufacturer satisfies the five questions the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee tells owners to ask. Acana meets 1 of the 5, so it sits between the fully compliant brands and those that meet none. It substantiates its diets through formulation to AAFCO profiles rather than feeding trials, and typically costs $55–$90 per month for a 50 lb adult dog.
Acana against the 5 WSAVA questions
| WSAVA question | Acana |
|---|---|
| Employs a full-time qualified veterinary nutritionist | No |
| Diets formulated by a credentialed expert | Partial |
| Substantiates diets with AAFCO feeding trials | No |
| Owns and operates its manufacturing plants | Yes |
| Runs a documented quality-control program | Partial |
| Criteria fully met | 1 of 5 |
| Typical monthly cost (50 lb dog) | $55 – $90 |
Acana across our catalogue
We track 92 complete-and-balanced Acana dog foods. Everything below is measured from those products rather than from the brand's marketing.
- Products tracked
- 92
- Dry / wet
- 72 / 20
- Adult / puppy / senior
- 36 / 7 / 0
- With by-products
- 0 of 92
AAFCO substantiation
Formulated to meet AAFCO profiles
Acana substantiates adequacy by formulation, meaning the recipe is calculated and laboratory-analysed against AAFCO nutrient profiles rather than fed to dogs in a trial. This is legal, common, and weaker evidence than a feeding trial.
What Acana actually contains
Guaranteed-analysis figures are label minimums, shown separately by food type because a 10%-moisture kibble and a 78%-moisture canned food are not comparable as-fed.
| Form | Products | Crude protein | Crude fat (median) | Energy (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dry | 71 | 15–36% (median 29%) | 17% | 3,405 kcal/kg |
| wet | 20 | 8–9.5% (median 8%) | 3.5% | 982 kcal/kg |
A cross-section of the Acana line
12 of the 91 Acana products whose label data we were able to verify, spread across the range. Repeat recipes at different bag sizes are collapsed to one entry.
| Product | Life stage | Protein | Fat | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACANA 2 Pack of Wild Atlantic Dog Food, 4.5 Pounds Each, Grain-Free, Made in The USA | Adult | 33% | 17% | $14.62/lb |
| ACANA Butcher's Favorites Grain-Free Wild-Caught Salmon Dry Dog Food, 17-lb bag | All life stages | 36% | 17% | $5.65/lb |
| ACANA Classics Dry Dog Food Salmon and Barley Recipe 22.5lb Bag | Adult | 25% | 15% | $2.89/lb |
| ACANA Free-Run Poultry Wholesome Grains Dry Dog Food, 22.5-lb bag | All life stages | 27% | 17% | $3.42/lb |
| ACANA Grain Free Dry Dog Food Red Meat Recipe 13lb Bag | Adult | 29% | 17% | $4.15/lb |
| ACANA Highest Protein Grain Free Dry Dog Food Wild Atlantic Recipe 25lb Bag | Adult | 33% | 17% | $4.36/lb |
| ACANA Limited Ingredient Lamb & Pumpkin Wholesome Grains Dry Dog Food, 4-lb bag | All life stages | 27% | 17% | $7.50/lb |
| ACANA Premium Beef & Poultry Pate in Bone Broth Variety Pack Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz can, case of 6 | All life stages | 8% | 3.5% | $6.36/lb |
| ACANA Premium Chunks Lamb in Bone Broth Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz can, case of 12 | All life stages | 8% | 3% | $6.36/lb |
| ACANA Premium Pate Duck in Bone Broth Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz, case of 12 | Adult | 8% | 4% | $6.36/lb |
| ACANA Red Meat Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 13-lb bag | All life stages | 29% | 17% | $4.15/lb |
| ACANA Singles Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food, Duck & Pear, Biologically Appropriate & Grain Free | Adult | 31% | 17% | $2.77/lb |
What Acana costs
Across 86 priced products the median works out at $5.08 per pound, with most falling between $3.91 and $6.36. That is above the $3.74 median for dry dog food across every brand we track.
Bagged retail pricing only. Packages under 2 lb are excluded because their per-pound figures are unreliable.
Strengths
- Less expensive than Orijen with similar formulation philosophy
- Owned manufacturing
- Recipes built around regional ingredient sourcing
Watch-outs
- Same brand named in FDA DCM investigation as Orijen
- Formulation-only substantiation
- No full-time board-certified veterinary nutritionist
Who Acana suits
Best for: Owners who want Orijen's philosophy at a lower price and accept the trade-offs.
Avoid if: You want full WSAVA compliance or your dog has cardiac risk factors.
Acana head-to-head
Personalized recommendation
WSAVA compliance is one input. Your dog is the other.
IntelliBowl's free 60-second quiz ranks 13+ brands (including Acana) against your dog's age, breed, weight, activity, allergies, and budget. Completely free.
Methodology: Scores reflect Acana's publicly documented manufacturer-quality practices as of May 2026, assessed against the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee's 5-question rubric. WSAVA itself does not certify, approve, or rank any brand. Monthly cost reflects typical US 2026 retail for a 50 lb adult dog at premium spec, before autoship discounts. See our recommendation methodology.