About dental chews and treats

A GOOD diet and frequent brushing is the best way to prevent doggy dental issues. Even better, you can co-opt delicious treats and fun chew toys too.

There are chews designed to clean your pet’s teeth as they chew. Some are edible and designed to break down over hours or days. They are typically very tough, so your pet has to gnaw on them in order to forcebrush their teeth.

Others are made of really strong plastic with irregular edges. You can spread these with peanut butter or specially formulated meat-flavoured pastes, and your pet will chew on them for years.

Tip: Do buy the appropriate size as a chew that’s too small may be ingested and cause your pet to choke. Also, for older dogs with more fragile teeth and jaws, pick a softer chew.

There are also rough-edged doggy biscuits that are designed to be extra chewy. You can sprinkle these in with their regular meals or offer a mini bowl as a treat.

The No.1 issue is that dog treats and chews are not regulated. This means that you have to do your research, or you may be stuck with a product that offers little or no value to your pet.

One short cut is to buy from vets and to rely on them to do the research. Another is to look for known endorsements. Some veterinary associations don’t think it’s ethical for them to endorse products, so there is a limit to approved products. Seals you can look out for include the US Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) and the British Veterinary Dental Association (BVDA).

Tip: If you buy a permanent chew, look for the ones made of materials that will show up on x-rays.

Then, if your pet does manage to chew it up, you can tell right off if they’ve swallowed it or not, and if they have digested it, if it’s a problem.