Active Care Healthy Joint Dog Food

Brief Overview

Active Care Healthy Joint Formula dog food is a line of dog foods that is part of the Breeder’s Choice brand, made by Central Garden & Pet Company. Central Garden & Pet Company also makes AvoDerm, Four Paws, DMC (Dallas Manufacturing Company), Pinnacle, Nylabone, tfh, and Cadet. In addition, Central Garden & Pet makes products for horses, birds, aquatics and reptiles, and other small pets. Breeder’s Choice has been making pet products for more than 60 years. According to Bloomberg.com the company was founded in 1947. Breeder’s Choice is headquartered in Irwindale, California, while Central Garden & Pet Company has headquarters in Walnut Creek, California. Several of Central Garden & Pet kibbles, including Active Care, have repeatedly been listed on the Whole Dog Journal list of approved foods.

Please note that while there is still a web site for Active Care Healthy Joint Formula dog food made by Breeder’s Choice and it is still sold online in some places, we could not find this food sold on Chewy.com. However, Chewy.com is now selling AvoDerm Active Care Healthy Joint Formula dog food. The formula and guaranteed analysis are different but it’s possible that this food is replacing the Breeder’s Choice version of Active Care. Or maybe Chewy.com just isn’t carrying Active Care Healthy Joint Formula foods at the moment. We’re just guessing.

Who Manufactures Active Care Dog Food?

According to Whole Dog Journal, Central Garden & Pet Company manufactures Active Care dog foods at their own facilities. TruthAboutPetFood.com seems to verify that Breeder’s Choice has their own kibble manufacturing facility in Irwindale, California.

Active Care Food Recalls

We did find a recall for Active Care Healthy Joint Dog Treats dating from April 2013. This was a voluntary recall for a single batch of Active Care biscuits due to the presence of mold. According to the company, the problem was likely due to varying dryer temperature settings for drying the dog biscuits and it was quickly fixed. (We cannot find an FDA page for this recall. According to one online source, it was announced in a company news release.)

Breeder’s Choice also had a voluntary dog food recall in September 2012 that affected a single manufacturing batch of Breeder’s Choice AvoDerm Natural Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Adult Dog Formula due to possible contamination with Salmonella.

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Active Care Dog Food Overview

Active Care by Breeder’s Choice is formulated for joint health. According to the company, the food was created with natural cartilage from the highest levels of unprocessed chondroitin and glucosamine, to develop, maintain and repair the joints. The kibbles are intended for all breeds (and types of dogs), at all ages.

Most dogs do begin to experience some joint stiffness and arthritis as they age, so dog foods formulated for joint health are popular. Large breeds, especially, can have joint problems. But we do need to point out that research about chondroitin and glucosamine and their benefits for joint health are somewhat inconclusive. Many people believe these supplements are helpful both for humans and for dogs but the evidence is lacking so far. The FDA only allows pet food companies to make very vague, generalized assertions about the benefits of chondroitin and glucosamine. Companies are not allowed to make unverified health claims or they will get a letter such as this one. As you can see (assuming you made it through the lengthy letter), the FDA takes a rather dim view of health claims regarding glucosamine and chondroitin.

As already stated, many people do believe that these supplements are helpful for people and dogs. It’s up to you if you want to select a dog food that adds these ingredients. It is a fact that dog food companies use comparatively small amounts of these supplements. If they used the amounts normally recommended by weight for a dog, your dog would have to eat bowls and bowls of food per day to eat the recommended amount of the supplements. Many people who decide to use glucosamine and chondroitin buy these supplements online or at big box stores to save money. They then add the recommended dosage to their dog’s food to make sure the dog is getting the correct amount.

Many good quality premium dog foods do add glucosamine and chondroitin to their formulas today, whether they are specifically made for joint health or not. You can check the ingredients to see if the food has small amounts of these supplements.

In the case of the two Active Care formulas, they each have the following amounts:

If you compare these amounts with the recommended dosages for chondroitin and glucosamin on this page, you will see that one cup of food would only provide enough of the supplements for a very small dog (a 10-pound dog for the glucosamine; and a 24 pound dog for the chondroitin). Feeding directions for an adult dog weighing 10 pounds are ¼ to ½ cup of food per day; for a senior dog they are ¼ to ¾ cup. You see that it could be difficult for some dogs to get enough of these supplements in their diet from eating the recommended servings.

Active Care does point out that they use a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin which we appreciate. It comes from chicken cartilage which is known to be a good source for these supplements.

As we mentioned, Active Care currently has two kibbles: Chicken Meal & Brown Rice and Lamb Meal & Brown Rice.

Active Care

Active Care Chicken Meal & Brown Rice

Natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin for joints; nutrients for healthy skin and coat.

First Five Ingredients: Brown Rice, Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Chicken Cartilage (Source of Chondroitin Sulfate & Glucosamine)

Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein (min) 25 percent, Crude Fat (min) 15 percent, Crude Fiber (max) 3 percent, Moisture (max) 10 percent

Calorie Content:

We did not find an AAFCO nutrient statement for Active Care’s foods on their site or anywhere else we searched. That doesn’t mean the food does not have an AAFCO statement but we can’t verify that it does.

Active Care Lamb Meal & Brown Rice

Natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin for joints; nutrients for healthy skin and coat.

First Five Ingredients: Brown Rice, Lamb Meal, Brewers Rice, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Chicken Cartilage (Source of Chondroitin Sulfate & Glucosamine)

Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein (min) 22 percent, Crude Fat (min) 12 percent, Crude Fiber (max) 3 percent, Moisture (max) 10 percent

Calorie Content:

We did not find an AAFCO nutrient statement for Active Care’s foods on their site or anywhere else we searched. That doesn’t mean the food does not have an AAFCO statement but we can’t verify that it does.

Overall you will notice that the first ingredient in both foods is brown rice. Most people usually prefer to see a meat protein as the first ingredient in a premium dog food. A meat meal (chicken or lamb) is the second ingredient. This kind of named meat meal is often used in premium dog foods. Many people prefer it to whole meats because the moisture has been removed and it has more protein. As you will notice with both of these foods, chicken cartilage is the fifth ingredient. An ingredient that near the top of the list usually means there is quite a bit of it in the food. We’ll go into more detail with the other ingredients in the review below.

In general, the Active Care Healthy Joint foods look like moderately good foods which may help some dogs with joint health. We’ll look at the food more closely in the review below.

Active Care Healthy Joint Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Dog Food Review

Customer reviews for Active Care Healthy Joint foods are very positive. Customers on multiple web sites do seem to believe that the food helps their dogs with joint problems. Active Care says that their foods are “veterinarian-approved.” We’re not sure how the FDA looks upon this kind of claim. You may see it on a company’s web site but probably not on their packaging. Active Care does point out that their foods are low in fat and sodium and they have higher natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin (chicken cartilage) than any other brand.

As noted above, the first five ingredients in this food are Brown Rice, Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), and Chicken Cartilage (Source of Chondroitin Sulfate & Glucosamine).

Most people prefer to see a meat protein as a first ingredient, especially in a premium dog food. As the first ingredient, this food will contain more brown rice than any other single ingredient. Brown rice is considered to be slightly more nutritious than white rice. It is whole grain rice, with the inedible outer hull removed; white rice is the same grain with the hull, bran layer and cereal germ removed. Brown rice is rich in thiamine, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and potassium. It has anti-oxidants and fiber. It also releases sugar into the bloodstream slowly so your dog won’t experience spikes in his blood sugar levels.

Chicken meal is the second ingredient. It’s a common ingredient in dog foods and most people are comfortable with it. It has more protein than whole chicken because most of the moisture has already been removed. Chicken is a good source of protein, vitamin B6, phosphorus, niacin, and selenium.

The third ingredient is Brewers rice. Opinions are mixed about Brewers rice. The technical definition for this ingredient identify it as small fragments of rice kernels separated from larger kernels. It’s broken rice. It has traditionally been used in the brewing industry for making beer and brewing alcohol. The Brewers rice in pet food probably doesn’t come from a brewery. It’s more likely that it’s just the leftover fragments from rice that didn’t look good enough to sell to humans. The broken kernels were instead sold to pet food companies. The positive side of Brewers rice is that it contains fiber and it’s easy for your dog to digest. The negative is that it’s a filler ingredient. It fills your dog up and it does not provide much nutritional value. It’s not actually harmful but it doesn’t improve a dog food either. It adds carbs to a food. Some premium foods add Brewers rice in small amounts. You rarely see Brewers rice listed in the first few ingredients in a really good food.

The fourth ingredient is Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols). Chicken fat is a very good named source of fat for dogs. As always, we like for fats to be named and identified so we know exactly what our dogs are eating. Chicken fat is a good source of omega-3 fatty acid. It also has loads of omega-6 fatty acid.

The fifth ingredient in this food is Chicken Cartilage (Source of Chondroitin Sulfate & Glucosamine). We’ve already discussed this ingredient a little as a source of chondroitin and glucosamine. However, chicken cartilage is also a source of vitamin K, B vitamins, vitamin C, and a variety of minerals such as copper, zinc, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. It’s also high in protein. So, chicken cartilage has many benefits for your dog.

Other ingredients of interest in this food include added probiotics, chelated minerals to improve digestion of minerals, and natural preservatives such as rosemary extract and green tea extract. It also contains dried tomato pomace which is a source of soluble fiber and antioxidants such as lycopene. Some people don’t like tomato pomace as a dog food ingredient but it’s used in many top dog foods and we don’t object to it. We also see papain – a strong digestive enzyme and antioxiant that helps break down proteins. The food also contains pineapple stem (source of bromelain). Bromelain is often used as a meat tenderizer. However, there have been studies looking at bromelain for its possible use in reducing the severity of symptoms of osteoarthritis. It could be used in the Active Care foods to help with joint health. Likewise, the food contains sage extract. Sage tea is used in some parts of the world to help with joint inflammation.

Other ingredients of note include kelp meal which is sometimes used because it’s a good source of trace minerals such as iodine and vitamin K. The food also contains alfalfa meal which is found in many dog foods today. Many people think of horses when you mention alfalfa but it contains lots of calcium and other minerals and vitamins. Research suggests that it’s also good for people (and possibly animals?) that have arthritis. The saponins in alfalfa are also good for dogs that need to gain weight since they help with the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients in the small intestine. However, dogs should not eat alfalfa in large amounts. It does have some drawbacks if dogs eat too much of it such as being a source of phytonutrients and an anti-coagulant. Fresh alfalfa can make some dogs nauseated but that’s not a problem with dried alfalfa found in dog food. Obviously, dried alfalfa is not (and should not be) a big ingredient in dog foods. It’s usually found low down in the list of ingredients.

The food also has dried egg product which can be added to increase the protein content of the dog food. Some people prefer fresh eggs in a dog food but dried eggs can be easier to work with in a factory setting – and less prone to problems like Salmonella. The food also features flax seed, noted as a source of omega-3. Flax seed does have many benefits but it’s not a particularly good source of omega-3 fatty acid for dogs since they have some difficulty converting plant-based sources of omega-3. However, flax seed is a good source of dietary fiber and it provides antioxidants. It’s also a plant-based source of protein, with 12 percent protein, 66 percent fat, and 22 percent carbohydrates. It’s also a big source of omega-6 fatty acids.

The only ingredient we see that could cause concern is “natural flavor.” As many people have noted, “natural” is a vague term under FDA guidelines so “natural flavor” could be just about anything from a compound that breaks down into monosodium glutamate (MSG) to your mother’s homemade soup.

Calorie Content

Nutrition Statement

We did not find an AAFCO nutrient statement for Active Care’s foods on their site or anywhere else we searched. That doesn’t mean the food does not have an AAFCO statement but we can’t verify that it does.

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS

Crude Protein (min)…………………..….25.0%
Crude Fat (min)…………………………….15.0%
Crude Fiber (max)………………………….3.0%
Moisture (max)…………………………….10.0%

The dry matter basis (DMB) figures for this food are: 27.8 percent protein; 16.7 percent fat; 3.33 percent fiber; and 43.33 percent carbohydrates.

This food has average protein for a super premium dog food and average fat compared to many super premium dog foods. It has above low-average fiber and it is high in carbohydrates for a premium food.

Where can you buy Active Care Dog Food?

Active Care Healthy Joint dog food is available from multiple online retailers. It’s not currently available on Chewy.com but we don’t know if that situation will change in the future or not.

Active Care Dog Food Coupons

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Active Care doesn’t currently have any special offers on their web site. The company does not have a Facebook page that we could find. We also didn’t find a Facebook page for Breeder’s Choice or a main company page for Central Garden & Pet Company. You may be able to contact Active Care directly through their web site to find out about coupons or special offers.

Final Thoughts

We are willing to believe that Active Care Healthy Joint dog food may help dogs with joint problems. Along with large amounts of chicken cartilage for glucosamine and chondroitin, the foods appear to contain some herbs/foods that have medicinal properties for inflammation and joint problems, at least according to herbal lore. Modern scientific studies are at least researching their possibilities.

On the other hand, we cannot overlook the fact that the Active Care dog foods are chock full of rice and Brewers rice. They are very high in carbohydrates. The protein percentage is acceptable and the fat percentage is good, especially if you are trying to keep an older dog slim. It’s just a little bothersome to see brown rice as the first ingredient in a premium dog food.

We do appreciate the fact that dogs with joint problems should be kept at a healthy weight since being overweight or obese will worsen joint problems. However, if you have an older or senior dog, keep in mind that s/he may begin to have difficulty digesting and absorbing protein with age. This means your older dog needs more protein, better quality protein, and protein that is easier to digest as s/he ages, not less. Otherwise, your dog can begin to use up the protein in his body leading to a loss of muscle.

If you have a younger dog with joint problems, you may want to consider feeding a different food and adding your own supplements to his diet.

All things considered, we would recommend Active Care Healthy Joint Formula for dogs with joint problems but keep in mind that it contains a lot of carbohydrates. You may want to add some meat toppings to the food to add a little more protein to your dog’s diet, especially if you have an older dog. Or, you may want to look at the AvoDerm Joint Health Grain Free Chicken Meal Formula (also from Breeder’s Choice and Central Garden & Pet Company). This food also uses chicken cartilage, papain, sage extract, and pineapple stem (Bromelain). No wheat, no corn, no grain, though it does use peas and garbanzo beans. It has more protein, less fat, more fiber, and fewer carbohydrates.