The scores
Lotus Oven-Baked Good Grains Chicken Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food: B (78/100) — Chicken, Chicken Meal, Rye, Brown Rice, Barley.
Wellness Complete Health Adult Deboned Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe: B (78/100) — Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Ground Barley, Peas.
How the ingredients compare
The top-five ingredients reveal the formulation split between these two products:
Lotus: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Rye, Brown Rice, Barley
Wellness Complete Health: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Ground Barley, Peas
Both products earn effectively the same v15 score, but the ingredient lineups tell different stories about how they got there — that is where the actual pick decision lives.
Where Lotus pulls ahead
Oven-baked production process: Lotus uses oven baking at approximately 250°F (120°C) followed by drying — substantially lower temperature than the conventional extrusion (~300°F+) that Wellness Complete Health uses. Oven-baking preserves more heat-sensitive nutrients (vitamins, fats, naturally-occurring probiotics) in their natural form, reducing reliance on post-process synthetic vitamin spray. The trade-off is lower production capacity and higher per-bag retail pricing. Shop on Amazon →
Seven whole-food fruits and vegetables at top-half positions: Lotus includes carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, blueberries, pumpkin, spinach, and olive oil in positions 14-22 — unusual depth at this position range for a mid-premium kibble. Wellness Complete Health includes some whole-food vegetables (sweet potatoes, blueberries) but at fewer total positions and typically further down the ingredient panel.
Four-grain carbohydrate diversity and white fish as third named animal protein: Lotus uses rye, brown rice, barley, and oats — four whole grains rather than the typical mono-grain or dual-grain reliance — and includes white fish at #7 as a third named animal protein in the top ten. Wellness Complete Health uses oatmeal and ground barley (two grains) without a third named animal protein in primary positions.
Where Wellness Complete Health holds its own
Garlic-free formulation: Wellness Complete Health does not include garlic in the ingredient panel. Lotus includes garlic at position #24 (controversial in dog nutrition even at sub-clinical doses). For owners with breed predispositions to oxidative-stress conditions (Akitas, Shiba Inus, some Asian breeds with G6PD differences), older dogs with kidney or liver insufficiency, or owners following strict no-allium-family feeding philosophies, Wellness Complete Health is the structurally appropriate pick. Shop on Amazon →
Salmon meal for direct marine omega-3: Wellness Complete Health includes salmon meal as a named ingredient supplying direct marine omega-3 (EPA and DHA in their directly-usable forms). Lotus does include salmon oil at #21 for marine omega-3, but later in the panel. For owners explicitly feeding for cardiac, skin/coat, or anti-inflammatory benefits, both deliver marine omega-3 but Wellness’s named salmon meal positioning carries more inclusion volume.
Mass-market retail availability and no synthetic mold-inhibitor preservative: Wellness Complete Health is stocked at PetSmart, Petco, most independent pet boutiques, and Amazon — making it easier to find than Lotus, which has more limited regional distribution (independent pet stores and specialty retailers). Wellness also skips calcium propionate (synthetic mold-inhibitor preservative that Lotus includes at #13).
The bottom line
Both products tie at B/78. Pick on the trade-off you weight more heavily: Lotus delivers oven-baked manufacturing (rare in the US dry-food market), seven whole-food fruits and vegetables, four-grain carbohydrate diversity, and white fish as a third named animal protein. Wellness Complete Health delivers conventional extrusion but skips garlic entirely, includes salmon meal for direct marine omega-3, has broader mass-market retail availability, and skips synthetic calcium propionate preservative. For owners specifically prioritizing alternative-process manufacturing, Lotus is the structurally distinct choice. For owners prioritizing mass-market availability plus garlic-free clean-label formulation, Wellness Complete Health is.