Having said that, Neeko does have a bit of tarter build up right along the gum line on both of her upper canines, and Faolan occasionally has breath that isn't awful, but isn't necessarily fresh.
Neeko's tarter build up. |
According to Pet Naturals, these bars work both in the mouth and the gut to both reduce bad breath and fecal odor.
Spirulina contains various antioxidants, and research has shown that it has antimicrobial properties. The chlorophyll within spirulina may potientially strengthen teeth and may reduce bad breath.
Parsley is a well known breath freshener. Ever wonder why some restaurants use it as a garnish?
I am not familiar with Champignon Mushroom Extract, but apparently it works in the intestines to reduce bad breath, and can also help with body odor.
Yucca Schidigera is thought to aid in digestion, so I am guessing this is the ingredient that will help lessen fecal odor.
Cinnamon has several beneficial properties, including anti-fungal, antibacterial, and is an odor neutralizer.
The inactive ingredients are okay. These seem to be grain-free, and have much better ingredients than some other available dental chews. This product does contain soy lecithin, and also brewers yeast. Bruce cannot have these because of the brewers yeast.
These bars are approximately 5 inches in length, and surprisingly heavy/dense feeling. They have a faint smell to them, and it is not unpleasant. It made me think of a baked good, which is probably due to the apple pectin and cinnamon.
Ignore my chapped hands. It has been a long winter. |
Honestly, I did notice an immediate improvement in Faolan's breath, which is kind of impressive. His breath was not artificially scented, it was just a little less noticeable. Like I said, his breath is not terrible, but I actually notice his, unlike Neeko's and Bruce's.
I will continue to offer these, and see if there is a noticeable improvement in Neeko's tarter build up on her canines. Sometimes my dogs have stinky poops, other times their poops hardly have a smell at all. But the smell never lingers, so I will truly have no way of knowing if these really do reduce fecal odor. I cannot believe I just wrote about what my dogs' poops smell like...
I gave a few of these to my friend and fellow raw feeder Michelle, to see what her dogs, Jackson and Lexus, thought of them, and will update this post once I find out. I am sure they were a big hit, particularly with Lexus.
Pet Naturals of Vermont is offering a free bag of Breath Bars (valued at $22.99) to the first 100 readers who sign up through this link-http://www.petnaturals.com/breathbars-offer/. After 100, discount coupons will be issued.
EDIT-I have been informed that one person's confirmation email went to their spam folder. If you sign up, be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you do not receive a confirmation email.
Disclaimer-I am being provided with free products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.