Rating: 
Wysong Anergen Canned Dog Food receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.
Wysong Anergen is designed 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
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. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, chicken liver is a beneficial component.
The third ingredient is water… which (of course) adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.
The fourth item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
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. Bone meal is a controversial ingredient. Although it can be a good source of natural calcium and magnesium, bone meal can also contain elevated levels of mercury, lead and other heavy metals2.
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 seeds… 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 one exception…
Garlic is another controversial item. In rare cases, garlic has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.3
Most of the professional literature we surveyed did not provide any conclusive warnings regarding the use of garlic… especially in small amounts (as it is here).
Although we see no reason to be overly concerned, we do feel it is a mistake to include such controversial ingredients in any dog food.
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 a good 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. Low fat. And very high carbohydrates… 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 fair amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Wysong Anergen is primarily 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.
A Final Word
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 veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
- 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) ↩
