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Review of Wysong Original Diets Dry Dog Food
Wysong Original Diets Dog Food receives the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.
The Wysong Original Diets product line includes the 8 dry dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
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| Product | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Wysong Growth Formula | 5 | G |
| Wysong Nurture with Quail | 5 | M |
| Wysong Fundamentals Formula | 5 | M |
| Wysong Senior Formula | 4.5 | M |
| Wysong Adult Formula | 5 | M |
| Wysong Vegan Formula | not rated | M |
| Wysong Synorgon Formula | 5 | M |
| Wysong Anergen Formula | 5 | M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Wysong Anergen Formula was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
Wysong Anergen Formula
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Lamb meal, brown rice, flaxseeds, sweet potato, soybean oil, dried plain beet pulp, natural flavor, coconut oil, crab meal, montmorillonite clay, rice bran oil, salt, taurine, calcium carbonate, dried tomato pomace, calcium propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, dried blueberry powder, dried kelp, dried yogurt, organic barley grass powder, fish oil, yeast extract, citric acid (a preservative), dried kale, dried spinach, dried carrots, apple fiber, mixed tocopherols (a preservative), rosemary extract, inulin, yeast culture, minerals (potassium chloride, zinc proteinate, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, iron proteinate, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate), vitamins (ascorbic acid [source of vitamin C], vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid), dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus lactis fermentation product, pepper
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 30% | 14% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 33% | 16% | 43% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 29% | 33% | 38% |
Ingredient Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is lamb meal. Lamb meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh lamb.
The second ingredient 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 third ingredient includes 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.
The next ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.
The fifth ingredient is soybean oil. Soybean oil is red flagged here only due to its rumored (yet unlikely) link to canine food allergies.
However, since soybean oil is high in omega-6 fatty acids and contains no omega-3’s, it’s considered less nutritious than flaxseed oil or a named animal fat.
The sixth 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.
After the natural flavor, we find coconut oil, a natural oil rich in medium-chain fatty acids.
Medium-chain triglycerides have been shown to improve cognitive function in older dogs.1
Because of its proven safety2 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.
The ninth ingredient is crab meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.
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 Wysong product.
With 5 notable exceptions…
First, we find tomato pomace. Tomato pomace is a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup. Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content, while others believe it’s often used as an inexpensive pet food filler.
As the presence of fiber in a dog’s diet is shown to have great importance, we view the inclusion of tomato pomace in this food as a positive.
Next, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.
Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.
In addition, yeast extract is the common name for a broad group of products made by removing the cell wall from the yeast organism.
A significant number of these ingredients are added as specialized nutritional supplements while others are used as flavor enhancers.
However, the glutamic acid (and its chemical cousin, monosodium glutamate, or MSG) found in a minority of yeast extracts can be controversial.
That’s because even though the Food and Drug Administration designated these food additives to be safe decades ago3, the agency continues to receive reports of adverse effects.
So, detractors still object to the use of yeast extract and other glutamic acid derivatives and blame them for everything from Alzheimer’s (in humans) to obesity.
In any case, since the label reveals little about the actual type of yeast extract included in any recipe, it’s impossible for us to judge the quality of this ingredient.
Next, we note the inclusion of inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and typically sourced from chicory root.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
And lastly, this recipe 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, Wysong Original Diets looks like an above-average dry product
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 33%, a fat level of 16% and estimated carbohydrates of about 43%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 35% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 41% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 46%.
Which means this Wysong product line contains…
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a significant amount of meat.
Our Rating of Wysong Original Diets
Wysong Original Diets is a grain-inclusive dry dog food using a significant amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Has Wysong Dog Food Been Recalled?
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls since 2009 related to Wysong.
- Wysong Dog Food Recall October 2009 Update (11/4/2009)
- Wysong Dog Food Recall October 2009 (10/13/2009)
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
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More Wysong Brand Reviews
The following Wysong dog food reviews are also posted on this website:
- Wysong Archetype Dog Food Review (Freeze-Dried)
- Wysong Epigen 90 Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Wysong Epigen Canned Diets Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Wysong Epigen Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Wysong Optimal Line Dog Food Review (Dry)
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