Health Extension Dog Food Review
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Family-owned and made in the United States, Health Extension has been making pet food since 1963. The company makes dry and wet/canned dog and cat food.
The recipient of numerous awards, Health Extension dog foods are free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives; their ingredients are GMO-free. Health Extension has never had a recall. Wondering if Health Extension would be good for your dog?
Health Extension Dog Food: Top 5 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type |
Protein |
kcal/Cup/Can/Tray |
| Health Extension Original Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food | Dry food | 24% | 418 kcal/cup |
| Health Extension Grain-Free Chicken Canned Dog Food | Mixer/Topper | 11% | 545 kcal/13.2-oz can, 227 kcal/5.5-oz can |
| Health Extension Grain-Free Chicken & Turkey Recipe Dry Dog Food | Dry food | 27% | 405 kcal/cup |
| Health Extension Little Bites Lite Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food | Dry food | 24% | 365 kcal/cup |
| Health Extension Grain-Free Savory Beef Stew Canned Dog Food, 13.2-oz, case of 12 | Wet/canned food | 8% | 349 kcal per 13.2-ounce can |
About Health Extension Dog Food
Health Extension has been in business since the 1960s. The company was formerly known as Vets Choice but changed their name in 2015 to Health Extension. They have been family-owned for three generations.
The company has a reputation for using good quality, GMO-free ingredients. Health Extension dog food has never had a recall. They make their food in small batches and test each batch.
The company has been growing and expanding in recent years. They have increased distribution and added product lines since 2015. Health Extension also bought Ancestry Pet Food. You can find numerous media releases about the growth of the company in the media section of their web site.
Health Extension dog foods include kibble with and without grain; and a variety of wet/canned foods; as well as toppers and mixers that can be added to your dog’s meals or served as supplemental foods. They also make some snacks/treats for dogs. Health Extension has headquarters in Suffolk County, New York.
Sourcing And Manufacturing
Most ingredients used by Health Extension are sourced in the United States or Canada, with the exception of lamb and venison which come from USDA-inspected farms in New Zealand.
Health Extension dog food uses USDA-inspected free range chicken, meat, or fish in their other recipes. They never use ingredients from China. You can see more about ingredients here.
The company only uses GMO-free ingredients. They never use wheat, gluten, corn, soy, or by-products.
At one time Health Extension’s foods were made in two facilities in New York and New Jersey but they may have changed or increased their manufacturing facilities with their recent growth.
Health Extension states that a few of their canned foods are not made in the United States but they do not state where the foods are made.
Recall History
Health Extension has never had a recall. This includes the years when they were known as Vets Choice.
What Kinds Of Dog Food Does Health Extension Offer?
Health Extension dog food includes dry food, freeze-dried raw food, wet/canned food, grain-free dry dog food, and grain-free wet/canned dog food. The company also makes dog treats; and vitamins and supplements.
We found 12 recipes for kibble (grain-inclusive and grain-free) on the company’s web site. There are three freeze-dried raw foods on the company’s site but they are only intended for supplemental feeding. They are meal mixers to add to your dog’s food.
Health Extension wet/canned foods include 18 recipes. Most of them are grain-free. A few of them are mixers or meal toppers but the majority of them are complete meals.
Health Extension Dog Food: Top Five Recipes Reviewed
Here’s a look at some of the bestselling Health Extension dog food recipes on Chewy.com to give you an idea of what’s popular and what other dog lovers are choosing for their dogs.
HEALTH EXTENSION ORIGINAL CHICKEN & BROWN RICE RECIPE DRY DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 24% Min
- Fat: 18% Min
- Fiber: 4% Max
- Moisture: 10% Max
- Caloric Content: 418 kcal/cup, 3,678 kcal/kg
Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Organic Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Lamb Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Flaxseed, Coconut Oil, Dried Beet Pulp, Brewers Dried Yeast, Egg Product, Turmeric, Bovine Colostrum, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Ginger, Green Tea Extract, DL-Methionine, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Choline Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, etc..
This formula, which is similar to other Health Extension grain-inclusive formulas, is full of healthy ingredients. Most dogs should be able to eat this food without any problems.
There are a few unusual ingredients, such as bovine colostrum. According to many sources, bovine colostrum can be beneficial for dogs, boosting the immune system. It may also help dogs cope with food intolerances or food allergies.
HEALTH EXTENSION GRAIN-FREE CHICKEN CANNED DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 11% Min
- Fat: 9% Min
- Fiber: 1% Max
- Moisture: 78% Max
- Caloric Content: 545 kcal/13.2-oz can, 227 kcal/5.5-oz can
This product is intended for supplemental feeding only. It does not meet AAFCO guidelines for a complete and balanced meal. It can be added to your dog's meal as a topper or mixer.
Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Chicken, Water Sufficient for Processing, Guar Gum, Agar-Agar, Natural Flavor, Sodium Carbonate.
Do be careful when selecting Health Extension wet/canned foods. It’s very easy to mistake mixers and toppers, such as this food, for the formulas that do meet AAFCO guidelines for complete meals.
This formula contains over 98 percent premium deboned chicken. It’s a good addition to your dog’s regular meal.
Health Extension Grain-Free Chicken Canned Dog Food has 50 percent protein and 41 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 4.5 percent fiber. The carbs appear to be negligible. It contains 545 kcal/13.2-oz can, 227 kcal/5.5-oz can.
Rated 4 out of 5 stars.
HEALTH EXTENSION GRAIN-FREE CHICKEN & TURKEY RECIPE DRY DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 27% Min
- Fat: 18% Min
- Fiber: 5% Max
- Moisture: 10% Max
- Caloric Content: 405 kcal/cup, 3,565 kcal/kg
Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Organic Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal, Potatoes, Chickpeas, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Whole Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, Coconut Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Whole Carrots, Dried Seaweed Meal, Pomegranate, Blackberries, Whole Blueberries, Whole Cranberries, Raspberries, Potassium Chloride, Spinach, Turmeric, Tomato, Beets, Parsley, Chicory Root Extract, Sage, Bovine Colostrum, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Ginger, Green Tea Extract, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Choline Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, etc...
This formula does contains chickpeas but they are not in the first five ingredients. Some researchers have suggested that grain-free foods that have legumes lower than the first five ingredients should not pose a problem in terms of nutritional dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
This formula has 30 percent protein and 20 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 5.6 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 36.7 percent DMB. It has 405 kcals per cup.
Our rating for this food is 4 out of 5 stars.
HEALTH EXTENSION LITTLE BITES LITE CHICKEN & BROWN RICE RECIPE DRY DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 24% Min
- Fat: 9% Min
- Fiber: 4% Max
- Moisture: 10% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,213 kcal/kg, 365 kcal/cup
This recipe is available in 4-lb and 15-lb bags. Ideal for small breed dogs that need to lose a little weight.
Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Organic Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols And Ascorbic Acid), Lamb Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Flaxseed, Dried Beet Pulp, Brewers Dried Yeast, Egg Product, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Ginger, Fish Oil (Source Of DHA), Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Salt, Green Tea Extract, DL-Methionine, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Choline Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Inositol, Dehydrated Kelp, Zinc Polysaccharide Complex, Iron Polysaccharide Complex, Manganese Polysaccharide Complex, Copper Polysaccharide Complex, Cobalt Polysaccharide Complex, Calcium Lodate, etc..
According to the dry matter analysis for this food, it has 26.7 percent protein, 10 percent fat, and 4.4 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 51.1 percent. It contains 365 kcal per cup.
Our rating for this food is 4 out of 5 stars.
HEALTH EXTENSION GRAIN-FREE SAVORY BEEF STEW CANNED DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 8% Min
- Fat: 4.5% Min
- Fiber: 1.5% Max
- Moisture: 82% Max
- Caloric Content: 349 kcal/can
Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Beef Broth, Chicken, Beef, Carrots, Dried Egg Whites, Potato Starch, Dried Egg Product, Peas, Guar Gum, Salt, Added Color, Tricalcium Phosphate, Dried Potatoes, Sodium Phosphate, Beet Pulp, Ground Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Natural Flavor, Ferrous Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Choline Chloride, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrocloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.
This formula has 44.4 percent protein and 25 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 8.3 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 5.6 percent DMB. It contains 349 kcal per 13.2 ounce can.
Our rating for this food is 4.5 out of 5 stars.
How Much Does Health Extension Dog Food Cost?
Health Extension is comparable in price to other premium dog foods.
What Do Customers Think Of Health Extension Dog Food?
Health Extension gets very good ratings from customers. Most customers (over 95 percent) say they would recommend various Health Extension dog foods to others. Most recipes (over 85 percent) get 4- or 5-star reviews.
Overall, Is Health Extension Dog Food A Good Choice?
Yes, we think Health Extension dog food has some very good recipes. Both their kibbles and wet/canned foods are good choices.
Do be careful when choosing one of their wet/canned foods that you make sure whether it meets AAFCO guidelines for a complete and balanced food; or that it’s a mixer/topper.
Mixers are great but you can’t feed to them to your dog as a regular diet. Your dog won’t get all of the nutrition he needs.
Where Is Health Extension Dog Food Sold?
You can find Health Extension dog food at Chewy.com and other online retailers. You can also buy Health Extension at many pet supply stores.
