Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
Health Extension product range is made up of seven recipes with ratings varying from 4.5 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 5 stars.
A dry dog food suitable for all sizes and ages, featuring a meat-first ingredient list complemented by added prebiotics and probiotics to promote healthy digestion.
Pros
- High-quality ingredients
- No GMO's, wheat, corn, soy, artificial colors or preservatives
- Vet formulated
Cons
- Not budget friendly
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Recipe and Label Analysis
Health Extension Little Bites Chicken and Brown Rice was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Health Extension Little Bites Chicken and Brown Rice
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
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 lion’s 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
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 24% | 18% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 27% | 20% | 45% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 22% | 40% | 38% |
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 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 oatmeal, a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, dietary fiber and can be (depending upon its level of purity) gluten-free.
The fifth 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 doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The sixth ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The seventh ingredient is menhaden fish meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.
Menhaden are small ocean fish related to herring. They’re rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. What’s 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 eighth 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.
The ninth ingredient is flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve 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.
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 four notable exceptions…
First, 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.
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 27.7%, a fat level of 20.7% and estimated carbohydrates of about 39.3%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 27.7% and a mean fat level of 16.1%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 43.9% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 58%.
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.
Health Extension Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Health Extension through December 2025.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Health Extension Dry Dog Food
Health Extension is a grain-inclusive dry dog food. While it has a limited product range in terms of animal protein sources, this range is appealing and worth consideration due to the transparency and quality of the ingredients.
About
This family-owned pet food company was founded in 1963 under the name Vets Choice. In 2015, it rebranded as Health Extension. Three generations on, it’s still within the family.
Compare Health Extension Dog Food
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