[Suburban Gal]

As for the ingredients of Greenies being bad for dogs, just took at the ingredients for their competitors:

Nutri Dent dental chews:
Wheat Starch, Glycerin, Powdered Cellulose, Lecithin, Natural Flavor, Chlorophyll, Parsley & Soy Flour. Vitamins: Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B-6, Folic Acid, Vitamin A. Vitamin E, Biotin, Choline, Inositol & PABA. Minerals: Calcium Carbonate, Ferrous Carbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Chloride, Zinc Oxide, Copper Oxide, Manganese Oxide & Sodium Molybdate. Omega Fatty Acids: Omega-3 Fatty Acid & Omega-6 Fatty Acid.

Milk Bone brushing chews:
Rice, Modified Food Starch, Chicken By-Product Meal, Powdered Cellulose, Water, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Bone Phosphate, Calcium Sulfate, Gelatin, Animal Digest, Phosphoric Acid, Potassium Sorbate (Used As A Preservative), Smoke Flavor, Titanium Dioxide (Color), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Yellow 6, Yellow 5, BHA (Used As A Preservative).

If you look closely enough, some of the same ingredients in Greenies are ALSO used in that of their competitor’s dental chews.

I took the liberty of checking the ingredients of Zuke’s Z-Bones. While the ingredients looked a lot better than the ingredients in Greenies, Nutri Dent and the like, I still think something like Zinc Propionate can’t be very good. Heck, I don’t even know what that is! (Would someone care to enlighten me?)

To be quite honest, it’s better to give your dog something than nothing at all and, as expensive as dental chews are, at least someone is making a good effort even if it’s not as good as Zuke’s Z-Bones.

I can’t wait for Zuke’s Z-Bones to receive the VOHC® Seal of Acceptance. IMHO, that means a little more to me as a pet owner.

[Shasta220]

I still genuinely think that Greenies do way more harm than good. If you want fresh breath, google “DIY greenies”. There is a great recipe for a natural breath-killing recipe (uses herbs, chlorophyll, and activated charcoal…..texture is more like a biscuit tho).

It’s said on here that giving a Greenie is like giving your kid a candybar. I suppose I wouldn’t be opposed to it once in a blue moon, as every kid gets a candybar once in a while. BUT, if there are healthier options that are just as satisfying then I’d rather go with them.

Zuke’s do have much better ingredients, yes, and they are a tad spendier, yes. I use them maybe once every few months. Any dental chew does ZERO good for my lab who is missing a top molar, since she only chews on one side.

Brushing is still the best way. If you want a tooth-cleaning treat, give them a chunk of raw bone-in meat (I give frozen chicken, actually. Works better than dental chews IMO. Doesn’t leave that nasty gunky residue on the teeth, either!)

Also, I honestly couldn’t possibly care any less about a seal of acceptance. No matter what fancy labels/tests/seals go on, my gut instincts and my dogs will be the judges of what works and what doesn’t work…

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Shasta220.

[Suburban Gal]

I’ll share a little story with everyone:

One of my college instructors was drinking coffee one night when a fellow classmate asked him why he was drinking it when it was bad for him. The instructor told the class that if he stopped to think about everything that was bad for him before he consumed it then he probably wouldn’t be consuming a whole lot during his lifetime because most things are bad for us. Even if it’s something healthy, like fruits or vegetables, they could still be, under certain circumstances and conditions, bad for us.

It’s logic I’ve come to apply as a long-time pet owner. No matter how healthy I try to feed my pets, both in regular food and treats, the vast majority probably isn’t very good for them so I try not to let the ingredients on a package, bag, box or container scare me to the point I don’t buy it and give it to my pets. A lot of the times it comes down to what they will eat and what I can realistically afford without breaking the bank while STILL trying to do right nutritionally.

[Suburban Gal]

And yes, I do believe in moderation. Greenies all the time, no. Greenies some time, yes.

[Naturella]

I agree with Carlyn (Shasta220). And I actually think the NutriDent ingredients are not THAT bad, I know what more of the ingredients mean than those in Milkbone for example. Before I knew all I do now, we bought Bruno a bag of the Nylabone equivalent of Greenies, NutriDent for puppies, and aside from making his stool green, they didn’t cause him any discomfort, but I doubt they cleaned his teeth at all. Once I learned about bully sticks and other dehydrated natural chews and raw meaty bones, I would not get him any of those commercial “dental” treats ever again. 🙂

[Naturella]

Suburban Gal, I do agree with you on the moderation thing though – I was once gifted a single Greenie for Bruno. Did I toss it? No. I gave it to him and he survived. I have allowed the people in the leasing office of the apartment complex where we live to give him a Milkbone when he visits them. I am not supremely exclusive on him not having those treats – I just won’t buy them myself. I would brush his teeth and give him bully sticks and various ears, and chicken backs/necks/other RMBs before I buy him dental treats – I just don’t think they do what they are advertised for.

That being said, he does get a commercial treat every once in a while. I have a jar of Old Mother Hubbard mixed biscuits along with pommegranate Nutro biscuits that he gets one of occasionally. It may not be GREAT for him, but it’s ok with me. Plus, they were on sale! 😀 When doing the daily training session though, he usually gets his kibble as treats.

[aquariangt]

I gotta say, your reasoning is fairly flawed, suburban gal. I have no desire to go into some lengthy discussion as to why, but that seal means nothing. I also don’t buy any of those competitors you cited. Kinda like saying purina, iams, and eukanuba are all the same, so use iams.

[Suburban Gal]

I’m actually curious to know WHY my reasoning is flawed. If someone is going to say XYX, then they should back it up and not just stop at XYZ.

As for the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC), it’s like the American Dental Association (ADA) only for pets. Just as a seal citing that a mouthwash, toothpaste, toothbrush or dental floss is ADA Accepted, the VOHC® Seal of Acceptance means that the dental chew, treat, food, toothpaste, toothbrush or sealant is VOHC Accepted. It means the products do what they say they’re going to do and that regular use of products carrying the VOHC® Seal of Acceptance will reduce the severity of periodontal disease in pets. The whole point VOHC exists is so that they can help to recognize products that meet pre-set standards of plaque and calculus (tartar) retardation in pets and why it’s important for pet owners to take oral pet health seriously so why the VOHC® Seal of Acceptance wouldn’t really mean much to pet owners kind of baffles me. I’d like to think pet oral health really means something to most pet owners.

While the ingredients of Greenies and other oral dental chews and treats may not be the greatest of ingredients, these things are good and fairly safe to give a pet. After all, these things should always be given in moderation anyhow. They’re not like regular chews and treats that are given on a typically regular basis.

[Suburban Gal]

Well, at least someone is agreeing with me to a certain point(s).

[Shasta220]

I suppose if you want to take the risk of it and do more harm than good, then you’re more than welcome to Greenies. I find that texture to be more along the lines of sticking to teeth, causing even MORE plaque, despite the fact that it might take off a couple crumbs of tooth gunk.

My dog has almost perfect teeth and he has had only a small small handful of chews over his lifetime – it’s all been brushing and good diet.

[aquariangt]

Because comparing two sub par products and saying “look, greenies are fine” isn’t really proving a point. All you’re doing is bringing up two other products I’d never buy.

Technically ol Roy and alpo have a stamp of approval from Aafco, that doesn’t mean I’ll feed them. Everything in there is edible for a dog, so that makes them an acceptable product?

Those were the two points you made, and neither makes a good case for greenies. There are better products that are better for my dog, that have ingredients I approve of, and aren’t any brand you listed

[Naturella]

For me, I agree with Shasta220 – I feel like those things would stick to teeth more than clean them. But, to each their own – every pet owner is completely entitled to care of their animal as they please unless they are abusing it. And everyone is entitled to their opinion as well.

I know someone who was giving Greenies to her dogs every night after their dinner, and she did so for many months. Eventually she decided to stop as her dog’s teeth were still not getting cleaned. She brushes them once a week, and she finds this much more effective. But, like I said, to each their own.

Of course, I still agree with the moderation point – this is valid for just about anything. And as stated above, I don’t think that an occasional, super rare Greenie or Milkbone biscuit will kill Bruno (can’t speak for every dog out there), and I always watch him while he’s eating those, but I would just not spend money on them – I’d rather brush and feed the RMBs and dehydrated natural chews, occasionally of course. Well, I need to ump my brushing up though… That I need to make regular and not occasional.

[Naturella]

aquariangt, I agree with you!

But, from a learning standpoint, do you mind sharing what you use for your dog, if you do use anything “dental treat-like” at all? I always want to learn about others’ experience and see if I can do anything better for Bruno. 🙂

[aquariangt]

I use a brand called whimzees, used to be paragon. I don’t do them daily, they get a decent amount of other chews as well-including bullies and Tracheas which help teeth to a degree

[Naturella]

aquariangt, I have seen those in Petland mostly, they look fun! I may try one on Bruno, just for the heck of it – might as well, he has had one Greenie, one Milkbone, and a baggie of NutriDent in his 1-year life so far that we’ve had him, so I want him to try a Whimzee too, lol.

But I really do like the bullies, tracheas, ears, RMBs a lot. So does he! He is not a fan of brushing and I sometimes forget to do it, but I should do it more often…

[aquariangt]

Yeah, they’re cute. I use the small gator which should be a good size for Bruno

[Naturella]

I was just looking at that! LoL! I might try that, and I kind of like the toothbrush shape too, so we’ll see what Petland has currently – they sell them individually which is great, so I can just get one to give it a try, for the heck of it. I like that they only have like 5-6 ingredients.

[Jen B]

Perhaps you should TRUST the health and life of your pet by calling a VETERINARIAN and not looking for guidance on a web page that is full of fiction and opinion. Just sayin.

[Naturella]

Jen B, I actually do TRUST my VETERINARIAN, who, at my dog’s annual check-up said (regarding his teeth) – “They look great, no, he doesn’t need a dental cleaning, just keep doing what you’re doing”. So, what I have been doing (and what seems to be supported by Bruno’s veterinarian) I have learned in part from people, some of whom work or have worked with veterinarians, as veterinarians, or as vet techs, on this full-of-fiction page, and from other pages that you may deem full of fiction and opinion too, and it works for my dog.

Aside from this, I would most probably try a product once – if it doesn’t seem to go down well with my dog (by my personal criteria, which is: makes him sick, comes out undigested, has ingredients that I have no clue what they are or how to even pronounce them), I wouldn’t use it, regardless of whether a VETERINARIAN or a higher being recommends it. I am very comfortable relying on others’ knowledge, experiences, fiction and opinions, and thanks to them, my dog is in great health and condition. Everybody, however, is completely free to follow anyone’s advice if they deem it credible enough, and that is the purpose of an open forum – to share experiences, knowledge, and opinions for others to take or leave. So your advice is also good – for those who choose to follow it, I wish them luck, as to those who don’t. In the end of the day, it is what works for your dog and keeps them healthy and happy. 🙂

P.S. @aquariangt , I did try the Whimzees – unfortunately, they came out undigested, so I have not used them since. I am sticking to bully sticks and other natural chews, antlers, RMBs, and brushing for Bruno until something different comes along that we may consider trying. 🙂

[Dog_Obsessed]

Has anyone tried the Natural Balance L.I.T Chews? They seem better than many, they are grain-free and have meat and veggies pretty high in the ingredients.

[crazy4cats]

I just ordered some. I’ll let you know how they go. I thought they looked good too!

[Dog_Obsessed]

Cool! Thanks! I thought they looked good but I was reluctant to buy a $20 without trying them.

[Mik L]

Wow, I didn’t realize this was a police forum. I see we have children logged on here. People are entitled to their opinion and there’s not need for supervision here. Micro manage some where else. My dog loves greenies and his teeth doesn’t have much tartar. When I took him to get his teeth clean the vet said I was doing a good job, thanks greenies…. My vet advises against any bones even raw hide.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I finally caved in and bought the NB chews. They were on 50% off clearance sale, so what was I supposed to do? LOL. Anyway, Lily loves them, but takes about five minutes to eat one, and so I doubt they clean her teeth much. They are pretty high calorie, and so I don’t want her eating them too often. I put one in her Kong to try to slow her down, and she’s working on it now. I will keep this bag, but I probably won’t buy them much.

[crazy4cats]

Yes, we got ours too. They arent actually the limited ingredient like I thought. They are the chicken and pumpkin ones. They are a little smaller than I expected so I was a little afraid my dogs would just swallow them. But, I was pleasantly surprised that they actually chewed them. They probably only lasted a couple of minutes, but that is not too bad for my big dogs. I’d probably buy again someday.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I also have the chicken and pumpkin ones. Did you get the smalls or the larges? I got the smalls. The smalls have 45 calories and the larges have 80.

[crazy4cats]

I got the large, but not really that large for my dogs. Yeah, they are a,little high in calories. I try to feed a little less than recommended to allow for treats. I’m a softie when it comes to extras.

[Dog_Obsessed]

By extras do you mean toppers? If so, so am I. I used some canned pumpkin in the dog treats I made the other day, and I’ve been giving her some pumpkin in her food for the last few days just because I can. She does sometimes have anal gland issues, so that’ll be my excuse. 🙂

Also, I did find out that I can either break or let Lily eat the ends off of the NB chews, and then put it in her Kong. She can get little tastes of it but can’t pull it out completely, so it keeps her busy for a long time. It doesn’t clean her teeth obviously, but I’m not really counting on that at this point.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Dog_Obsessed.

[Denise T]

I have three poms and I bought greenies for them all the time but stopped after an incident with one of my dogs. I gave him a greenie and after about fifteen minutes I noticed my dog had a strange look in his eyes and then he started jerking his head up and down. I knew he was choking and there was no way I had time to get him to a vet so I forced his mouth open and used my finger to sweep the back if his throat. What I managed to get out was a huge piece of greenie. I took him to the vet to get him checked out. He had trouble swallowing for a day or so but thank goodness I was there and noticed the change in his expressions. The piece of greenie I took out was large but it was difficult to hang on to when I was pulling it out. I think even if the dog doesn’t intend to swallow a large piece, when they have in their mouth it tends to get very slippery and can easily slip down their throat as they chew.

[Dog_Obsessed]

That’s a scary story! I’m glad your dog is okay, and kudos to you for likely saving his life!

[Dog_Obsessed]

I got an individual Ark Naturals dental treat today, it is a large so I will break it up. I’m not thrilled with the ingredients (rice flour is the first one), but it does claim to include some ingredients that help dog’s teeth. I probably won’t make this a regular thing, but I figure once couldn’t hurt. I’ll update on how it goes.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Lily loves the Ark naturals Chew. No idea if it cleans her teeth or not.

[cffinc]

In case people haven’t seen this link~
http://darlacooks.com/2012/02/21/make-greenies-for-your-dog/

[Juliet J]

If it were opinion saying “greenies are safe and there’s no issue using them” and they actually are dangerous then THATS a problem. But when it’s someone saying don’t use this product because it caused this persons dog to die then THATS OK. Because in the first one your dog might endanger your dog because you used the product but in the second one you didn’t use the product and nothing happened. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

[Cannoli]

Wow a lot of comments and I read them all. Very informative.

You know what the safest thing for your dog’s teeth and freshens their breath?

You got it—daily tooth brushing or at least a few times a week.

This is not an opinion but a fact. 🙂

• This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by Cannoli.

[joseph H]

Currently trying to report the lack of use of the metal detector at co packer Wild Flavors Erlanger, KY 41018. They make the dry ingredients which go into the Greenies product. I understand this is not for human consumption, but should be regulated somehow. Maybe explain all these animals getting sick. Went through chain of command at work. They are extremely retaliatory. Enough said.

[Joe W]

Ok, this thread has obviously deteriorated into a childish playground argument (thanks for that janus), let’s stay on topic and stop arguing like crazy biatc#s with PMT.

Anyone not intelligent enough to research opinions on a forum and come to a balanced decision based on opinion and fact (which I may add HAS to be linked and referenced otherwise only a retard would blindly belive it), is not responsible, intelligent or mature enough to be responsibly owning a dog in the first place.

Just look in the ingredients, it’s the best way to tell….. anything that lists cereals or animal derivatives at the top of it’s contents is in my opinion AND supported by a huge ammount of fact (research it yourself as I’m not doing it for you lazy asses) not good for your pet and will only lead to a bad coat and other annoying issues.

The only dry food I trust is from an independent local supplier who is passionate about going against the big brand’s horrible ingredients and makes his dry food from vegetables and only natural antioxidants, it’s ingredients starting ‘CHICKEN MEAL, MAIZE, RICE, OATS, CHICKEN FAT, PRAIRIE MEAL, CHICKEN LIVER, BEETROOT PULP, SALMON OIL….. you get the picture.

If you’re wondering what to treat your dog with that’s not harmful? Then stop shopping in a business and make your own, frozen chicken liver chunks, or just cook a whole chicken (they are mega cheap) and shred up the meat, freeze it and use as treats. Remember that research suggests (yes anus, sorry ‘janus’ damn my typos) that smaller treats are better for training than larger ones, so just a taste will do.

The only manufactured treat I trust and use are natures menu ones, my golden retriever Nico LOVES them so much that his teeth chatter as you train him with them! He can’t get enough, and they are 95% meat so they are most and each small treat easily breaks into 6 or more smaller rewards, he loves the chicken best but other flavours are avaliable.

My experience? I have owned dogs, only ever had pedigree dogs from show dog families so the breeders have been crazy into health and coat care, nutrition ect. and have given me a wealth of knowledge….. this plus conversing regularly with a very good vet when I have a question I can’t find the answer to myself (yes janus, by researching different opinions of other dog owners which I VALUE and RESPECT more than, well more than you), has given me what I think a balanced view on what is best for myself and my dog…… But hey, that’s just my opinion right?…. Oh wait sorry, that was ‘In My Honest Opinion’

If any of my spelling was off there, I apologise, I’m using my phone and this forum isn’t too mobile friendly with it’s format.

Joe
Retired British Army Infantry Sniper….. Hence why any haters or immature children that want to reply with something idiotic will be ignored, I don’t have time to waste on keyboard warriors with arrogant ‘black or white’ ‘my way or I cry like a child’ opinions…… Life is one big grey area, engage your brain, adapt, overcome, and deal with it.

[All4pets]

This is such a great post and was thinking much the same myself. Be sure to keep writing more great articles like this one. Thank you for sharing. Please visit us https://www.all4pets.in/

[Author]

Posts