Greenies

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This article is about the pet food. For the drug, see amphetamines.

Greenies, manufactured by S&M NuTec, is the brand name of a toothbrush-shaped pet treat. It is the best selling pet treat in the United States. Last year, according to the marketing company Euromonitor International, 325 million individual Greenies were sold around the world, nearly three times the sales of its nearest competitor, Milk Bone.

1 History
2 Periodontal Disease
3 New Greenies
4 Design
5 Controversy
6 Name Origin
7 References
8 External links

[edit] History

In 1998, Joe Roetheli created Greenies as a treat that can freshen breath, clean teeth, and lower the risk of periodontal disease. Mars, Inc. bought S&M NuTec, the maker of Greenies in 2006. The company reformulated the treat using scientific research into the way dogs chew. This new research, called “biometrics,” accounts for different biting and chewing capabilities from different types and sizes of dogs, and has never before been applied to any dog chew.

[edit] Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease is currently the No. 1 diagnosed disease in dogs. Although many pet owners don’t view dental health as a big deal, it can actually be life-threatening, resulting in conditions like liver, kidney and heart disease. [1]

Greenies were designed to reduce the plaque and tartar build-up that can lead to periodontal disease. When dogs chew on a dental chew like Greenies, they stimulate their gums and clean their teeth, helping to eliminate the bacteria that cause oral health complications and even more serious health issues.

Greenies and dental chews in general are not a replacement for dental care, but are designed as part of a dental care routine that includes oral exams at least once a year and dental brushing as advised. When used once a day, the new Greenies significantly reduce plaque and tartar build-up, the two biggest causes of periodontal disease.

[edit] New Greenies

Following S&M NuTec’s acquisition by Mars [2]in 2006, Mars provided S&M NuTec with new and advanced pet science data based on their research into biometrics. This helped advance the product development of the new Greenies. [3]

The new Greenies is an entirely “new generation” from the old one. Its new features include a chewy, flexible texture that allows dogs’ teeth to sink into the treat, as well as a recipe that is nutritiously balanced and easy-to-digest.

The treats also are specially shaped, with unique ridges and valleys that help dogs chew.

[edit] Design

New Greenies reduce plaque and tartar by mechanical abrasion. When a dog chews Greenies, the mechanical scraping and scrubbing of the tooth surface occurs and the dog’s teeth penetrates it. Greenies does not use chemicals to reduce plaque and tartar, though some pet treats do.

[edit] Controversy

A few pet owners have challenged S&M NuTec's claim that Greenies are 100% digestible after their pets died when the treat got lodged in their esophagus or intestines.^[1] S&M NuTec still claims that their product is 100% digestible and even has a press release on their website to dispute the claims. These pet owners are currently filing a class action lawsuit against S&M NuTec.

S&M NuTec recently introduced a flexible, chewy treat with a new design so that dogs have an easier time chewing on them. S&M NuTec also introduced a Chews To Care campaign to make dog owners aware of the problems associated with periodental disease.^[2]