A few years ago you would be hard pushed to find a truly “natural” treat in many pet shops, but from market expansion and information being more widely available, healthy feeding is now becoming more easily accessible and (hopefully) the norm! So why do big companies with access to this knowledge continue to produce and sell us treats that harm our dogs? Our friends at Pooch and Mutt were way ahead of the trend when they released this study in 2017 (link below) on the ingredients of Pedigree Dentastix. Interestingly, the UK labelling system for pet food is much less restrictive than that of the US, meaning a lot of ingredients can be “hidden” within packaging legal loopholes. We highly recommend looking at these hidden ingredients that Pooch and Mutt have explained in this article, some of which are quite shocking.
When looking at issues like this we encourage customers to look beyond tempting packaging, promotion plugging, and empty statements like “low fat” and “sugar free”, because this does not mean they don’t contain other harmful ingredients such as E numbers and chemicals. Mass corporations like Mars and Nestle have unlimited budgets to suck people in and make them believe that these products are necessary, even implying that “if you love your dog, you will feed them Dentastix.” This is very much reliant on us not reading and not understanding the ingredients they put in, and trusting that if they are on supermarket shelves then they must be safe for our dogs to consume. In fact they are most likely formulated to make your dog “addicted”, both to the one-a-day habit and the chemicals such as appetite enhancers and stimulants they contain (this is also true for cheaper cat foods such as Whiskas and Felix.)
Now that there is so much choice for our dogs, there is no longer a need to support these businesses that are solely fuelled by profit and not passion. Everything we stock at Browns has been personally researched and tried on our own pets before going on our shelves. We support family owned small businesses- ones like ourselves- that prioritise quality products that are good for our dogs. This is not down to novelty and “jumping on the bandwagon” of natural feeding. It is because we truly believe what we put into our dogs is paramount to keeping them healthy and happy.
What’s the harm you ask, especially if my dog’s core diet is good? Well, possibly no harm! If for example you feed raw and your dog gets a dentastix once in a blue moon, the risk can be quite low. It is the consistent feeding (as Pedigree suggests, one a day!) that will cause the most issues. Among others you could be looking at increased risk of skin irritation, eye and respiratory issues, and even cancer.
What is in Dentastix dental sticks?
Have you ever looked at the ingredient list to see what makes up a dentastix?
In the UK, pet food and treat companies aren’t legally obliged to list individual ingredients in their product. Instead, they can simply list them by category. As a result, a lot of ingredients may be hidden, and you may not be fully aware of what you’re giving to your beloved dog. Fortunately, we’ve broken down the categories below to give you a clearer idea of whats what.
Some dog food companies use the term ‘cereals’ to describe all different types of grains. With this blanket term, it is impossible to know what type of grains are in Dentastix or the quality of the grains. If you have a dog who has a sensitive stomach or any food intolerances, not knowing whats in the food can make it hard to identify the problem ingredient so we recommend sticking to products that clearly highlight exact ingredients.
Again the vagueness of this term means you simply do not know what you’re getting in each dog chew. One batch could be different to another depending on the vegetable products that are most cost-effective at the time.
Meat and animal derivatives doesnt clearly state what part or indeed which animal is being used. It could be any part of any animal, from heads and brains to hair and feathers. The issue with vague terms is that you cant be sure if the quality is good or bad and once again the meat sources in the recipe could change batch to batch so steer clear if your pooch has any food intolerances.
Sodium Tripolyphosphate is the active ingredients in a Dentastix that helps keep your dogs teeth clean. Clinical studies show that they can prevent tartar build up by up to 80%.
This refers to all fats and oils from plants or animals, whether that’s beneficial oils and high-quality animal fats or potentially harmful, highly processed oils. It’s impossible to know just by looking at the label.
Natural Ingredients Our Dental Sticks contain natural functional ingredients including hemp, sage, mint and superfood spirulina to provide additional health benefits, alongside keeping your pooch’s dental needs in check.
Dentastix – WARNING! (Harmful dog treat)
When it comes to cleaning your dog’s teeth, not many of us have a pooch who is willing to let you in with a toothbrush and dog toothpaste on a regular basis. In order to avoid the stressing out of your dog (and yourself!) many of us buy dental chews as a way of minimising plaque and helping to keep our dog’s breath fresh.
The chews by some of the leading pet food producers are some of the most popular on the market, but are they actually healthy?
They contain a whole host of worrying and unnatural ingredients that could cause harm to your beloved best friend.
Not all dental chews contain such dangerous ingredients though. There are alternatives available that do the job just as well, without causing potential damage and illness to your dog.
At Dragonfly, we sell a huge range of treats that will clean your dog’s teeth safely and without any dangerous additives.
All of these items are excellent, natural ‘dental sticks’. The gnawing and chewing action they encourage helps loosen plaque and keep teeth clean. All our ingredients are 100% natural. They do not contain any additives, flavourings, wheat or yeast. They all originate from within the EU or the UK.
As well as these chews, you can also add a supplement to your dog’s food too. Our Pearly Whites supplement contains seaweed to help keep their tarter under control and their gums healthy.
Our Little Trainers Remedial Training Treats are also perfect as a natural training treat. They are specially formulated to to promote good oral health and fresh breath. Again a safe, tasty and natural alternative.
If you need further advice on which treats will best suit your dog, please feel free to give us a call or visit us in the shop if you are local.