What are Greenies Made From?
With this new formula, Greenies now dissolve faster and are safe for your dog. They are no longer likely to get stuck in your pet once they eat them, especially if your pets are like mine and barely even the treats wolfing them down in huge chunks.
The new chews are not as stiff as the original treats were, so that helps if they swallow the bigger pieces. Even though the new Greenies bend easier, they still offer the same brushing effect when being chewed so that they help clean the teeth and gums of your pet.
These dental chews are available in a variety of flavors, but the original flavor contains wheat flour, glycerin, wheat gluten, gelatin, water, powdered cellulose, lecithin, minerals, and natural poultry flavor as the top ingredients.
The company insists that feeding a dog Greenies is safer than anesthetizing it in order to clean its teeth, and its Web site, www.thetruthaboutgreenies.com, asserts that “independent third party dental testing done with Greenies showed a 62 percent reduction in tartar, a 14 percent reduction in plaque, and a 33 percent reduction in gingivitis in dogs who received one Greenies per day compared to dogs who did not receive a treat.”
Greenies, the toothbrush-shaped treat developed to help clean dogs teeth, have come under fire from some dog owners who are convinced that the popular chew treat is dangerous and has caused a number of canine deaths. The concern that undigested pieces of the product can block a dogs trachea, esophagus or intestines has been fueled by intense discussion on the Internet but is also voiced by some veterinarians such as Dr. Steven Holmstrom, who says in the accompanying story that he does not recommend giving your dog Greenies.
Like any goodie, however, Greenies are not for every dog. The company notes that Greenies should not be given to dogs younger than 6 months or that weigh less than 5 pounds, and you should give your dog the Greenie size noted on the package for the dogs weight. Even though they can be expensive — as much as $16 a pound — dont save money by breaking them in half. Serve the entire treat. (Greenies Lil Bits are recommended for small dogs and puppies or dogs that gulp their food.)
But are Greenies, made of digestible ingredients such as wheat gluten and fiber and molded into a hard shape, any more dangerous than other dog treats? According to a CNN investigation, since 2003, there have been 40 cases of veterinarians having to extract a Greenie lodged in a dogs esophagus or intestine, and 13 of those dogs died. That might seem a large number until one considers that the manufacturer, S&M NuTec of Kansas City, Mo., has sold 750 million Greenies since their introduction in 1998. Veterinarians will tell you that every chew treat can carry risks for choking or causing blockages, especially for dogs that gulp their food. The very taste of Greenies — many dogs love them — may exacerbate that problem.
They Solve a Whole Host of Oral Problems
Greenies Dental Treats work like a toothbrush that scrubs away tartar (crust-like deposits on teeth) and plaque (a thin, sticky film that sticks to teeth) when your dog chews on them. The treats also remove food particles from hard-to-reach places on the gum line.
Some positive results of Greenies Dental Treats include: