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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
Authority Dog Food Review (Dry)
The Authority product line includes the 20 dry dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Recipe and Label Analysis
Authority Adult Large Breed Chicken and Rice was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Ingredients 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 brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The fourth ingredient is corn. Corn is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain. And aside from its energy content, this grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The fifth ingredient includes oat groats, a whole grain, minimally processed form of oats. With the exception of their caloric content and the fact theyre also gluten free, oat groats can be considered average in nutritional value.
The sixth ingredient is corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once corn has had most of its starchy carbohydrate washed out of it.
Although corn gluten meal contains 60% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The seventh 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.
After the natural flavor, we find 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 tenth ingredient is dicalcium phosphate, likely used here as a dietary calcium supplement.
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 Authority product.
With 5 notable exceptions
First, this recipe includes dried egg product, a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries from eggs that failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
Next, we find canola oil. Unfortunately, canola can be a controversial item. Thats because it can sometimes (but not always) be derived from genetically modified rapeseed.
Yet others cite the fact canola oil can be a significant source of essential omega-3 fatty acids.
In any case, plant-based oils like canola are less biologically available to a dog than fish oil as a source of quality omega-3 fats.
In addition, we note the inclusion of sodium hexametaphosphate, a man-made industrial polymer with no known nutritive value.
HMP is used in making soap, detergents, water treatment, metal finishing and most likely here to decrease tartar build-up on the teeth.
Although some might disagree, were of the opinion that food is not the place for tartar control chemicals or any other non-nutritive substances.
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.
And lastly, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher quality dog foods.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Authority looks like an average dry dog food.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28%, a fat level of 13% and estimated carbohydrates of about 51%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 29% and a mean fat level of 14%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 49% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 49%.
Which means this Authority product line contains
Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten meal, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.
Authority Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Authority through April 2024.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Product Review: Holistic Health Extension Original by Vets Choice
Pet Product Review Holistic Health Extension Original by Vets Choice
Just 3 blocks away from me a new pet store opened up. That makes a total of 4 pet stores in my hood, all unique in their offerings. I asked the owner of the store, what is simply the best dry dog food you can recommend. His response: Holistic Health Extension Original, not only is it best but the most popular. I asked why? and he said because its holistic. Well that doesnt hold a lot of credibility with me. So, I did some due diligence.
First thing I checked was that there were no recalls. And no ingredients had origin from China; good in my book. The number one ingredient is Chicken. There is no wheat, no corn, and the nutrition panel was comprised of well recognized ingredients. So Far so good.
In my research I wanted to hear advantages. Among the notable advantages and benefits of feeding your dog with Health Extension dog food are that these foods help in building in the dog a stronger immune system that can keep him healthy as well as free from diseases and illnesses. In addition, many Health Extension dog foods cleanse out the colon and thus reduce the chances of your dog catching colitis, and in addition, the Health Extension dog food also improves the bones by making them stronger and also ensures better joint health.
Health Extension dog food also helps the dog improve its hearing and also helps better its eyesight and it even helps in keeping the liver as well as kidney in good health. These foods also help in improving the dogs digestive functioning and so dogs can utilize the food much better which will result in better stamina, increased energy as well as longer life expectancy while at the same time reduces the volume of stool passed.
Well the volume of stool won me over. I went back to the pet store and bought a bag. Go to http://www.vetschoice.com/productinfo.php?productID=1000003 for product information on the Vets Choice Holistic Health Extension.
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