Greenies

The genesis of the Greenies product is centered around a dog named Ivan and his plaque, tartar, and a case of gingivitis-laced bad breath. In order to comprehend the scope and gravity of the project that Ivan's humans were dealing with, it would be good to have a solid breakdown of the gum disease known as gingivitis. Gingivitis is most simply defined as the inflammation of the gum tissue. Basically gingivitis is a plaque induced disease that affects the tooth-supporting structure.

The best fact about gingivitis is that it is reversible. Gingivitus is part of the end result of a heavy tartar buildup on the teeth, below the gumline. Tartar is basically a hard mixture of calcium, food and bacteria. When tartar first starts in a dog's mouth, it is soft and referred to as plaque. As the plaque hardens, it becomes dental calculus (tartar) and it collects where the teeth are used the least. The tartar then makes its way underneath the gumline and pushes the gums out, away from the teeth. Gums normally enclose the teeth tightly, but tartar wears away at this protection of the tooth. Because of tartar's rough, irregular growth-pattern, the gums are eventually pushed away from the teeth.  As the gums are pushed away, food is able to get lodged in these new pockets and fester. Sooner or later, the gums get infected.

The disease starts when there is an irritation, inflammation, and bleeding of the gums resulting from a bacteria build-up between the teeth and gums. The treatment for a full-blown case of dog gingivitis is a potentially painful one. The dog's teeth need to be cleaned by a professional. This cleaning process requires a polishing and what is called  a “scaling” which is an intensive cleaning from the top to the root of the tooth.

Ivan's owners knew that there had to be a solution to his halitosis. So they worked with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and other experts to develop Greenies. In 2006, Mars Incorporated purchased Greenies and currently, Greenies are the number one pet treat in the United States.

The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) has awarded its seal of approval to Greenies. And a third party dental test shows that using Greenies dental chews daily results in a 69% reduction in tartar and a 10.5% reduction in plaque. For dogs, eating a dry kibble is good for their teeth, but the people at Greenies have come up with the facts and figures to demonstrate that Greenies actually do help more.

Greenies' chewy texture has been designed for fresh breath and clean teeth. They have been proven to fight gingivitis and periodontal disease. Greenies are high in protein, low in fat and nutritionally complete. They feature a great taste that dogs love. Greenies are enriched with essential vitamins and minerals and feature antioxidants naturally sourced from fruits and vegetables.

The end of the story is that Ivan's breath, gums and teeth got better and now dog owners throughout the US use Greenies to help with tartar buildup. Shaped like a toothbrush, Greenies are keeping dogs' teeth, gums and breath in great condition everywhere. If you aren't brushing your dog's teeth regularly, or you would like to start an anti-tartar regimen in your dog's life, then Greenies are the way to go!

Click here to see our selection of Greenies here at West Coast Pet Supply.