Rating: 
Wysong Anergen Canned Dog Food receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of 3 stars.
Wysong Anergen is claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.
Due to its limited ingredient recipe, Anergen may be considered for pets with suspected food allergies. The company also recommends the product “as a top dressing for dry Wysong diets.”
Wysong Anergen Canine Diet
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Lamb, lamb liver, water sufficient for processing, ground brown rice, carrots, dicalcium phosphate, bone meal, yeast culture, ground flax seeds, dried kelp, dried wheat grass powder, dried barley grass powder, sage extract, rosemary extract, garlic, black pepper, artichoke, ascorbic acid, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, manganese proteinate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper proteinate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, vitamin A acetate, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 7% | 3% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 28% | 12% | 52% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 26% | 27% | 48% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is lamb. Lamb is considered “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered” lamb and associated with skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1
Lamb is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is lamb liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The third ingredient is water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.
The fourth item 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 fifth ingredient lists carrots. Carrots are high in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The sixth ingredient is dicalcium phosphate, possibly used here as a dietary calcium supplement.
The seventh ingredient is bone meal. Although it’s considered a quality source of calcium, magnesium and essential trace minerals, even human-grade bone meal supplements can contain higher levels of mercury, lead and other metals.2
The eighth ingredient is yeast culture . Although yeast culture is high in B-vitamins and protein, it may also be used as a probiotic to aid in digestion.
The ninth item is ground flax seed, one of the best plant-based sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Flax meal is particularly rich in soluble fiber.
Following kelp, we note the inclusion of wheat grass. Wheat grass is known for its unusually high vitamin and mineral content. So, please ignore our software’s negative treatment of this otherwise healthy ingredient.
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 have much of an effect on the overall rating of this product.
With two exceptions…
First, garlic can be a controversial item. Although most experts favor the ingredient for its numerous health benefits, garlic (in rare cases) has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.3
However, the limited professional literature we surveyed provided no definitive warnings regarding the use of garlic — especially when used in small amounts (as it likely is here).
We also note this food 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.
Wysong Anergen Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Wysong Anergen appears to be an average canned dog food.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28%, a fat level of 12% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 52%.
Below-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbs when as compared to a typical canned dog food.
With no evidence of any plant-based protein concentrates, this is the profile of a wet food containing only a modest amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Wysong Anergen is a grain-based canned dog food using a modest amount of lamb and liver as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand three stars.
Recommended.
Those looking for a wet dog food with a higher meat content may wish to read our review of Wysong Gourmet Canned Dog Food.
Special Alert
Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.
A Final Word
The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.
Although it's our goal to ensure all the information on this website is correct, we cannot guarantee its completeness or its accuracy; nor can we commit to ensuring all the material is kept up-to-date on a daily basis.
Each review is offered in good faith and has been designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food.
However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyze each product, please read our article, "The Problem with Dog Food Reviews".
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt, consult a qualified veterinary professional for help.
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Notes and Updates
12/12/2009 Original review
04/18/2012 Last Update
- Adapted by the Dog Food Advisor and based upon the official definition for beef published by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, 2008 Edition ↩
- Bone meal, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 2009 ↩
- Yamato et al, Heinz Body hemolytic anemia with eccentrocytosis from ingestion of Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum) and garlic (Allium sativum) in a dog, Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 41:68-73 (2005) ↩
