health extension air dried dog food review

Discover Health Extensions Air Dried recipes

Health Extension's Gently Air Dried dog food offers a convenient and budget-friendly alternative to homemade meals, frozen, or freeze-dried raw foods. Crafted in small batches, these recipes are complete and well-balanced, providing your dog with up to 85% of its protein from high-quality animal sources. Packed with over 30 superfoods, including organic apple cider vinegar, turmeric, colostrum, lion's mane mushroom, goji berry, and coconut oil, it's a nutritional powerhouse that boosts immunity.

Gently Air Dried prioritizes fresh, human-grade ingredients, starting with chicken, beef, or salmon, and pairs them with nutrient-rich vegetables like pumpkin, carrots, and sweet potatoes. Suitable for dogs of all life stages, it's a smart choice for your pet's well-being.

Health Extension Dog Food Review (2024)

Health Extension Dog Food Review

Regardless of whether you are a proud parent of a big muscular dog or a cute, cuddly pup, nutrition makes for one of the most integral aspects of rearing a pet. That being said, it is essential for you to ensure that your pet is getting the right amount of balanced nutrition by means of his/her regular meals. Health Extension is one of the few companies that focus majorly on creating premium dog food products that provide vital nutrients to your pet, build immunity, strengthen muscles and bones, and improve digestion.

Health Extension Company Overview

Health Extension manufactures dry as well as wet dog food (canned) along with dog treats, dog grooming products, vitamins and supplements, and lots of other premium products. Originally known as the Vets Choice, the company changed its name to Health Extension in 2015.

Established in the sixties, Health Extension is a family-owned business that has been in the dog food industry for three generations now. It is worthwhile to note that Health Extension was awarded the 2016 Pet Business Industry Recognition Award. In addition to being an active member of the Pet Sustainability Coalition, Health Extension has had several of its premium dog food products endorsed in the past by the America canine Association.Each of the dry as well as wet dog food products is designed with superior quality ingredients and are entirely free of artificial preservatives, flavors, and colors. The company is currently headquartered in Deer Park, Long Island. All its products are commercially manufactured in the companys two separate facilities in New Jersey and New York.

Given the quality of its directly-sourced ingredients and high standard of manufacturing processes, Health Extension has never had a product recall in the past. Health Extension dog food products are typically marketed as being holistic because they comprise of all the vital nutrients that are required to ensure all-round health and development of your pet friend. According to the company website, all the Health Extension pet food products have been formulated in a way that they align with the AAFCO Dog Food nutritional standards across all life stages.

Ingredients Found in Health Extension Dog Food

Health Extension produces premium dog food products that are free of any harmful artificial additives and preservatives. Here is an overview of the main ingredients used in the companys Original Dog Food recipe:

• Organic Deboned Chicken
• Chicken Meal
• Ground Brown Rice
• Oatmeal
• Chicken Fat
• Lamb Meal
• Menhaden Fish Meal
• Flaxseed
• Dried Beet Pulp
• Brewers Dried Yeast
• Egg Product
• Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
• Ginger
• Fish Oil
• Primrose Oil

Some of the other natural additives used to enhance the nutritive value of Health Extensive Original dog food include Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acid, glucosamine, and chondroitin. There is around 24% crude protein, 18% crude fat, 4% crude fiber, and 10% moisture in this dry dog food product. Health Extension dog food is a must buy for all those pet parents who are genuinely concerned about their dogs daily nutrition and health.

Health Extension Dog Food Product Line

Health Extension provides an excellent variety for small and large breed dogs, as well as grain-sensitive dogs. Health Extension product line consists of both wet and dry dog food brands.

12 Varieties of Health Extension Dry Dog Food

12 Varieties of Health Extension Wet Dog Food

Health Extension Grain Free Dog Food Review (Dry)

Home Reviews Health Extension Grain Free Dog Food Review (Dry)

Health Extension Grain Free Dog Food Review (Dry)

By Mike Sagman

Updated: March 22, 2024

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Which Health Extension Grain-Free Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?

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

The Health Extension Grain Free product line includes the 9 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 Grain Free Buffalo and Whitefish 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 Grain Free Buffalo and Whitefish Little Bites

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Buffalo, deboned whitefish, whitefish meal (source of Omega-3 fatty acids), whole sweet potatoes, pork meal, peas, chickpeas, lentils, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dried beet pulp, 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, 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 iodate, sodium selenite, yucca schidigera extract, pectin, dried lactobacilus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried bacillus licheniformis fermentation product, dried baciollus coagulans fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation product, dried aspergillus niger fermentation product

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%

Red denotes any controversial items

Ingredient Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is buffalo. Although it is a quality item, raw buffalo 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 whitefish, a marine or freshwater species native to Canada and the California coast. This item is typically sourced from clean, undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings of commercial fish operations.¹

Although it is a quality item, raw fish 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 third ingredient is buffalo meal. Buffalo meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh buffalo.

The fourth ingredient is whitefish meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.

Fish meal is typically obtained from the clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings of commercial fish operations.²

The fifth ingredient includes lentils. Lentils are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) theyre rich in natural fiber.

However, lentils contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The sixth ingredient lists chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Like peas, beans and lentils, chickpeas are a nutritious member of the fiber-rich legume (or pulse) family of vegetables.

However, chickpeas contain about 22% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The seventh ingredient is salmon oil. Salmon oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.

Depending on its level of freshness and purity, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.

The eighth ingredient is tapioca starch, a gluten-free, starchy carbohydrate extract made from the root of the cassava plant.

The ninth ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.

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 Health Extension product.

With 6 notable exceptions

First, we find peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, theyre rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

Next, this recipe includes coconut oil, a natural oil rich in medium-chain fatty acids.

Medium-chain triglycerides have been shown to improve cognitive function in older dogs.³

Because of its proven safety⁴ 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.

In addition, we find chicory root. Chicory is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.

Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, its also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dogs digestive tract.

We also note the use of dried seaweed meal, a product made from a family of brown algae known as Fucaceae (Rockweed). Although it does contain a number of healthy nutrients, seaweed meal is primarily used as a source of inexpensive carbohydrates (about 60% dry matter).

This item is only rarely used to make pet food and is more typically found in feeds for cattle, horses, hogs, hens and sheep.

Next, this recipe includes 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.

And lastly, this food 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 Grain Free looks like an above-average dry dog food.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28%, a fat level of 17% and estimated carbohydrates of about 48%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 17%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 46% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 61%.

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

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the chickpeas, lentils and peas, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.

Our Rating of Health Extension Grain Free Dry Dog Food

Health Extension Grain Free is a dry dog food using a notable amount of named meat meals 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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