Companion Animals

Companion Animal Dental Chew Safety

Not all dental chews are safe or effective, and choosing appropriate products is important for both dental and general companion animal welfare.

Key Facts

Hard chews including bones and antlers can fracture teeth causing severe pain
VOHC-approved products have evidence of plaque and tartar reduction
Rawhide chews can cause intestinal obstruction if swallowed in large pieces
Size-appropriate soft chews provide benefit with lower fracture risk

Welfare Considerations

Inappropriate dental chews cause more dental fractures than they prevent. Broken teeth are extremely painful and require expensive extraction. Choosing verified safe and effective products prevents the welfare harm of dental injuries while providing genuine oral health benefits.

What You Can Do

Choose VOHC-approved dental chews for reliable evidence of effectiveness
Avoid bones, antlers, and very hard chews that can fracture teeth
Select size-appropriate products to prevent choking and obstruction risk
Supervise new dental chews to monitor for excessive swallowing of large pieces