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Health Extension Dog Food Review (Dry)

Health Extension Dog Food Review (Dry)

By Mike Sagman

Updated: March 22, 2024

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Which Health Extension Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?

Health Extension Dog Food receives the Advisors second-highest tier rating of 4.5 stars.

The Health Extension product line includes the 6 dry dog foods listed below.

Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Health Extension Chicken and Brown Rice Little Bites was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.

Health Extension Chicken and Brown Rice Little Bites

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, oatmeal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), pearled barley, menhaden fish meal, dried beet pulp, flaxseed, brewers dried yeast, dried egg product, coconut oil, organic apple cider vinegar, organic turmeric, organic black pepper, organic ginger, bovine colostrum, organic blueberries, cranberries, organic goji berries, organic tart cherries, organic pomegranate, organic pineapple, organic papaya, organic apple, dried kelp, dried seaweed meal, new zealand green mussel, organic carrots, organic pumpkin, green tea extract, sage extract, organic parsley, organic spinach, organic kale, sweet basil, thyme extract, organic ashwagandha, organic chaga, organic lions mane, organic reishi, organic turkey tail, organic shiitake, organic maitake, organic cordyceps, malted barley, vitamin A acetate, vitamin E supplement, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, niacin supplement, choline chloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, biotin, zinc polysaccharide complex, iron polysaccharide complex, manganese polysaccharide complex, copper polysaccharide complex, cobalt polysaccharide complex, calcium lodate, sodium selenite, yucca schidigera extract, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried bacillus licheniformis fermentation product, dried bacillus coagulants fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation product, dried aspergillus niger fermentation product

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4%

Red denotes any controversial items

Ingredient Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.

After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.

The second ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The third ingredient is ground brown rice, another name for rice flour. Ground rice is made from either white or brown rice and is considered a gluten-free substitute for wheat flour.

The fourth ingredient is chicken fat. This item is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesnt sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.

The fifth ingredient is lamb meal. Lamb meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh lamb.

The sixth ingredient is menhaden fish meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.

Menhaden are small ocean fish related to herring. Theyre rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Whats more, in their mid-depth habitat, menhaden are not exposed to mercury contamination as can be typical with deep water species.

This item is typically obtained from the clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings of commercial fish operations.¹

The seventh ingredient is flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided theyve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.

However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The eighth ingredient is coconut oil, a natural oil rich in medium-chain fatty acids.

Medium-chain triglycerides have been shown to improve cognitive function in older dogs.²

Because of its proven safety³ as well as its potential to help in the treatment of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) and chronic skin disorders, MCT can be considered a positive addition to this recipe.

The ninth ingredient is beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient, a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.

Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.

We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.

With 4 notable exceptions

First, brewers yeast can be a controversial item. Although its a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient is rich in minerals and other healthy nutrients.

Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.

Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.

In addition, a vocal minority insists yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is a claim weve not been able to scientifically verify.

In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can still be considered a nutritious additive.

Whats more noteworthy here is that brewers yeast contains about 48% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

Next, this recipe contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.

In addition, we note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added as probiotics to aid with digestion.

And lastly, this food also contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Health Extension Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 27%, a fat level of 20% and estimated carbohydrates of about 45%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 27% and a mean fat level of 15%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 50% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 57%.

Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the flaxseed and brewers yeast, this still looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.

Our Rating of Health Extension Dog Food

Health Extension is a grain-inclusive dry dog food using a notable amount of named meat meal as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.

Highly recommended.

Health Extension Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Health Extension through April.

No recalls noted

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

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More Health Extension Reviews

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