|
Greenies New Formula FAQs
• How is this chewy formulation important to a dog’s oral health?
The more a dog chews, the more they work their mouth and teeth. Using this natural mechanism and coupling it with a chewy and soluble formulation helps to create friction across a wide surface area of each tooth as it sinks into the product.
Then as the tooth is removed, the exit friction helps to remove plaque and tartar buildup. The action leads to fresher breath and healthier gums. Dental chews are an important part of an ongoing preventive dental care plan.
When used once a day as part of a dental care routine, dental chews, such as Greenies® dental chews, can help to control tartar and plaque buildup.
• Do you believe Greenies® dental chews replace teeth cleanings?
Absolutely not! Just as we recommend daily tooth brushing as the gold standard of care for a dog, we also recommend a minimum of one annual dental cleaning by a veterinarian. An indepth tooth and gum analysis and professional cleaning from a qualified veterinarian at least once a year ensures there are no other health problems on the rise.
However, we believe that including chews such as Greenies® dental chews as a part of daily maintenance helps to control tartar and plaque buildup, which in turn helps to promote good dental health.
• How effective are Greenies® dental chews for improving oral care?
Daily dental maintenance is important to maintaining a dog’s oral health between regularly scheduled cleanings. When given once a day, Greenies® dental chews have been shown in independent clinical studies to effectively reduce tartar buildup by nearly 70 percent and reduce plaque buildup, which helps keep gums healthy.
• How is the product different from other dental treats?
While most dental chews are created with a one-size-fits-all approach based on dog size and weight, biometric studies have revealed that the shape of a dog’s skull actually determines how hard it can bite, how wide it can open its mouth and the placement of its teeth. This information has enabled scientists to create Greenies® dental chews in five unique textures, each one designed to match a dog’s natural chewing abilities as defined by their weight, skull type and bite force.
• How are Greenies® dental chews different from original Greenies?
The Greenies® dental chews represent the next generation of dental chews. For the first time, biometric research has been applied to the pet treat category. The result was data that helped us in creating a shape and formula that optimized the overall benefits of the product. The new design takes into account the way a dog chews and provides grooves and break points that encourage interaction with the chew throughout the mouth. This, along with the new chewy, flexible texture help provide maximum dental efficacy. In addition, the new recipe made of highquality, highly soluble proteins make Greenies® dental chews easy to digest, as well as contribute to making the product nutritionally complete and balanced for adult dog maintenance.
• Why did you change the product?
The manufacturers are always looking for ways to improve their products. This includes dental efficacy, palatability, nutritional efficacy, dog enjoyment and veterinarian and pet owners’ confidence.
• What are the benefits of Greenies® dental chews?
Greenies® dental chews, which are a convenient daily oral healthcare option, are reformulated based on new innovative, biometric research and feature:
o A chewy texture – Chewy textures across our five sizes enables dogs’ teeth to sink in with every bite, increasing contact and “brushing” action with individual teeth to help prevent tartar and plaque buildup, as well as provide breath-freshening benefits
o Shape – A contoured shape with rounded edges fits dogs’ teeth and cleans hard-to-reach spots with a “brushing action” as the dog chews; sculpted valleys and ridges designed to accurately direct dogs to specific areas for maximum chewing; multiple breaking points help the product break down into small, easily swallowed bits as it is chewed
o Easy digestibility – the highly soluble proteins in Greenies® dental chews make the product extra chewy and help the product break down quickly for easy digestion
o Nutritionally balanced – a blend of high-quality proteins, vitamins and minerals make Greenies® dental chew nutritionally complete and balanced for adult dog maintenance
• Why has the shape of Greenies® dental chews changed?
Greenies® dental chews are inspired by the famous green, toothbrush shape everyone loves, but the design has been advanced by extensive biometric research that showed how to accommodate differing bite forces, sizes and jaw structures of dogs.
The design features a curved and flexible shape to wrap around canine’s teeth and clean hard-to-reach spots with a “brushing action” as the dog chews.
There’s even an extra bristle for more cleaning power. The shape is designed to offer maximum chewing action, which promotes healthier teeth and gums.
• Why the chewy texture?
Throughout the product development phase for Greenies® dental chews, studies showed that a soft, chewy texture would provide excellent coverage of each tooth by enabling a dog’s teeth to sink into the chew with every bite. In addition, the flexible texture is specially designed to accommodate different types and sizes of dogs (softer for small dogs and harder for larger dogs), so it’s easy to chew and digest.
• Are Greenies® dental chews easy to chew and digest?
Greenies® dental chews are made of high-quality, easily digestible proteins that help keep dog’s teeth clean while also keeping their breath fresh. The easy-to-digest and chewy nature of Greenies® dental chews help ensure that they are safe for dogs when given the appropriate sized serving.
Greenies are 96% digestible, which is more digestible than the average premium dry dog food.
Laboratory studies confirm that after 24 hours in a simulated digestion, the product becomes soft and mushy without appreciable solid pieces.
• What makes Greenies® dental chews easy to digest?
Greenies® dental chews are designed with a chewy texture and specific break points.
These break points encourage dogs to chew off small pieces that are easy to digest.
The formula includes high-quality, highly soluble and easy-to-digest proteins to make them soft, flexible and chewy.
• Do dogs still love the taste?
Reformulated Greenies® dental chews are highly accepted by dogs. In fact, some of our independent studies have shown that they are preferred over competing products 3 to 1. Data also shows that the new formulation is actually preferred over even our old formulation. And dogs will benefit from the positive impact Greenies® dental chews will have on controlling tartar and plaque, as well as keeping their breath fresh.
• Why are there five sizes?
No species features as wide a variety of sizes and shapes as dogs.
Assuming a one-size-will-fit-all approach is simply not logical.
So with the help of groundbreaking biometric research, new dental chews were developed with the most appropriate texture and hardness for dogs in all these size and shape categories.
The five different sizes (from Teenie™ to Jumbo) are each designed to accommodate the individual bite forces of dogs in every size range and every skull type.
• How do you know which is the right size for your patient?
Reformulated Greenies® is based on scientific data on biometrics, which analyzed canines unique physiology such as tooth position, skull shape, weight and bite force. Traditionally, pet chews are designed strictly based on size and weight of a dog, but the biometric research shows that texture and shape of a dental chew are as important as size when it comes to the way dogs chew. That’s why Greenies® come in five sizes from “Teenie” to “Jumbo” that fit any dog’s needs perfectly.
Jumbo for dogs over 45kg
Large for dogs between 22 and 45kg
Regular for dogs between 11 and 22kg
Petite for dogs between 7 and 11kg
Teenie for dogs between 2 and 7kg
• Can Greenies® dental chews be recommended for dogs under 6 months old and/or less than 2 kilos ?
Greenies are not recommended for dogs less than 2 kilosand/or less than 6 months of age because these dogs tend to gulp rather than chew their food properly.
• How do Greenies® dental chews help keep a dog’s teeth clean?
Because Greenies takes dental care seriously, Greenies® dental chews feature a special shape and texture designed for maximum dental efficacy.
The chewy texture helps dogs sink their teeth into it with each bite, and the rounded “bristles” wrap around each of the dogs’ teeth for greater contact.
Movement of the teeth into and against these bristles creates a brushing action, much like a toothbrush, that helps control plaque and tartar buildup, the two leading causes of gingivitis and periodontal disease. Studies show that Greenies® dental chews lead to 69% less tartar buildup and 10.5% less plaque buildup over a 28-day period.
All it takes is just one Greenies® dental chew a day.
• What is your recommendation for daily feeding of Greenies® dental chews?
We recommend administering one Greenies® dental chew daily for optimal results.
This recommendation is based on clean-mouth dental efficacy testing data that showed one Greenies® dental chew a day over a 28-day period led to 69% less tartar buildup and 10.5% less plaque buildup.
• What were your procedures for testing dental efficacy?
We have tested appropriately sized Greenies® dental chews in clean mouth canine subjects, administering one product a day over a 28-day period.
The results indicate 69% less tartar buildup and 10.5% less plaque buildup.
• What is biometrics? How does it work for Greenies® dental chews?
Biometrics may not be a familiar science in veterinary circles, but more and more it is being used to develop innovative new ways to look at identification and physical mechanics of living characteristics. Current applications include retinal scans, fingerprints, voice patterns and now natural chewing behaviors in dogs. Insights from proprietary biometric research about canine physiology were critical to the development of a product that delivered maximum efficacy to each of the many size and shape categories of dogs. This marks the first application of biometrics in the pet treat category. The biometrics study analyzed canines’ unique physiologies, including anatomical differences between dogs of different body weight, shape, skull shape and bite force—all these factors impact biting and chewing capabilities. Measurements of the three main shapes of canine skulls (all breeds fall within one of these three shapes) were analyzed to determine the maximum bite force and gape capabilities of various dogs and to design a dental chew that accounts for all of these variations. The results are five different-sized dental chews that are each designed to accommodate the varying sizes, jaw structures and bite forces of dogs.
• What is the shelf life of Greenies® dental chews?
Greenies® dental chews have a 12-month shelf life.
The “Best Before” expiration date is printed on the bottom of the bag.
• What are the ingredients in Greenies® dental chews?
Gelatin, Wheat Protein Isolate, Glycerin, Soy Protein Isolate, Sodium Caseinate, Natural Poultry Flavour, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Vegetable Oil (Preserved with Propyl Gallate), Sodium Tripolyphospate, Lecithin, Ground Flaxseed, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Monostearate, Monoglycerides of Edible Fatty Acids, Choline Chloride, Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative), Minerals (Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Maganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), Vitamins (dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [source of vitamin E], Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Folic Acid), Chlorophyll.
• What is the difference between wheat ISOLATE and wheat GLUTEN?
Wheat protein isolate is a wheat protein that has been chemically processed to remove most of the starch. It is a more pure wheat protein than wheat gluten. Wheat protein isolate is 85% protein and wheat gluten is 75% protein. Wheat protein isolate is more soluble (20%) than wheat gluten (3%).
• Exactly how do these clean teeth?
Greenies® dental chews help control plaque and tartar by natural mechanical abrasion. As a dog chews the treat, the mechanical scraping and scrubbing of the tooth surface occurs as the dog’s teeth penetrate it. Greenies® dental chews contain no chemicals to control plaque and tartar like some other products on the market. • Do Greenies® dental chews have the VOHC Seal of Acceptance? • We are in the process of conducting independent dental efficacy testing of Greenies® dental chews which we plan to submit for continued approval for the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) Seal of Acceptance. We anticipate being able to exceed the standards set for this designation.
• What makes a treat complete and balanced for adult dog maintenance?
Greenies® dental chews are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for adult dog maintenance. This means that our product has met the AAFCO minimum requirements for protein, fat, carbohydrates and essential vitamins and minerals. Few treats do this. We are also conscious of the fact that when a pet owner adds treats to a pet’s diet they are adding additional calories. So we’ve formulated our product to be as nutritious as premium pet foods, so that a pet’s nutritional intake is not “diluted” by empty calories. We recommend that pet owners decrease their pet’s regular diets to compensate for any added calories if weight gain is an issue.
• Does the soy protein isolate in the new formulation cause gas and/or flatulence?
The bad press that soy had years ago when used in pet food was related to the use of soybean meal. Soybean meal contains significant amounts of oligosaccharides (stachyose and rhaffinose) that may cause flatulence in dogs. Soy protein isolate is a protein that is “isolated” from these troublesome carbohydrates and is a high-quality protein.
• What are the nutritional values of Greenies?
Nutritious Greenies® dental chews' recipe is full of high-quality proteins, vitamins and minerals. In fact, it contaions every single nutrient that a dog needs to live. It’s high in protein, low in fat and nutritionally complete for adult dog maintenance. Greenies® are relatively low in calories but be sure to reduce your dog's daily caloric intake to maintain his ideal body weight. Key design changes After close to 50 different designs, we finally arrived at a shape that gave us the results we sought. Here’s what was changed to make new Greenies® dental chews better than ever: The importance of break points Break points serve several purposes. First, they enable the product to break apart easily in the mouth.
These pieces disperse in the mouth as they continue to be chewed, affecting more teeth in the process.
And, small pieces are easily swallowed.
These factors all played a part in the design of Greenies® dental chews.
-
Each bristle features a distinct break point.
-
The knuckle ends have deep grooves to facilitate breaks.
-
The handle has a deep channel that guides the mouth toward the bristle break points and then becomes a break point itself as the product is chewed further.
|