Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
Health Extension Canned product range consists of nine recipes with ratings varying from 3 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 4 stars.
A moist range of food, featuring a meat-first ingredient list complemented by superfoods to support your dog’s overall health.
Please note: Four of these products are specifically designed for supplemental feeding only, so are unrated.
Pros
- Supports hydration
- Vet formulated
- No GMOs, soy, wheat, corn, by-products, fillers, artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors
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.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Health Extension Grain Free Savory Beef and Vegetable Stew | 5 | M |
| Health Extension Grain Free Chunky Chicken Stew | 5 | M |
| Health Extension Grain Free 95% Salmon | Not Rated | S |
| Health Extension Grain Free 95% Beef | Not Rated | S |
| Health Extension Grain Free Turkey Entree | 3.5 | M |
| Health Extension Grain Free Duck Entree | 4.5 | M |
| Health Extension Grain Free 95% Chicken | Not Rated | S |
| Health Extension Lamb Entree | 3 | M |
| Health Extension Vegetarian Entree | Not Rated | S |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Health Extension Grain Free Turkey Entree was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Health Extension Grain Free Turkey Entree
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Turkey, chicken, chicken broth, sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberries, cranberries, guar gum, potassium chloride, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, cobalt proteinate, potassium iodide), agar-agar, natural flavor, choline chloride, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), sodium carbonate
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1.5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 9% | 9% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 41% | 39% | 13% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 28% | 64% | 9% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is turkey. Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”.1
Turkey is naturally rich in the 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken, another quality addition.
The third ingredient is chicken broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common component in many canned products.
The fourth ingredient includes sweet potatoes, which are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.
The fifth ingredient lists carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The sixth ingredient includes blueberries. Blueberries are a good source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
The seventh ingredient lists cranberries, a nutrient-rich fruit that’s also high in fiber.
The next item is guar gum, a gelling or thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.
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 one notable exception…
This food includes 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 Turkey Entree looks like an above-average wet product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 40.4%, a fat level of 36.5% and estimated carbohydrates of about 11.5%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 40.5% and a mean fat level of 27.7%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 20.2% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 68%.
Which means this Health Extension product line contains.
Near-average protein. Near-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a wet product containing a notable amount of meat, except for the Vegetarian recipe.
However, with 21% of the total calories in our example coming from fat versus just 9% from protein, some recipes may not be suitable for a dog on a low fat diet.
Health Extension Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Health Extension through April 2026.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
What do pet parents think?
Our Rating of Health Extension Canned Dog Food
Health Extension lists both grain-inclusive and grain-free canned dog foods using a notable amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.
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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A Final Word
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