Greenies are one of the most polarizing dog products: some believe it's one of thebest dental treatments for dogscleaning a dog's teeth. Others believe that greenies are one of the main causes of indigestion (and diarrhea as a result). I chewed a little deeper to calm down those greenies that caused diarrhea in dogs once and for all...
So do greenies cause diarrhea in dogs?Yes, but not for the reasons hoped for. When we think of diarrhea, the word is often associated with food poisoning, an illness caused by harmful pathogens or bacteria. However, greenies cause diarrhea due to indigestion: if dogs don't chew enough before swallowing, their digestive systems don't have enough time to fully break down the snack. His form of diarrhea is caused by a blocked bowel.
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So should you be worried about treating your dog with Greenies, a dental product that can cause diarrhea? What other alternatives are there? Which method is the best method?
Greenies Cause Diarrhea: Should You Be Concerned?
No, you shouldn't. Basically, there is nothing wrong with Greenies as a product; is simply a wheat based dog treat that is chewable and designed for your dog's oral health.
What you should do, however, as the owner, is pay attention to your dog's eating habits, properly ration treats, and buy the right size treats for your dog.
1. Your dog's eating habits
First, it is important to pay attention to your dog's eating habits. This is important not only for the greenies, but for your dog's digestive health in general.
ÖMain reason why greenies cause diarrhea in dogsThis is because owners let their dogs chew the product unsupervised.
While this doesn't mean you have to keep your dog under the radar when it comes to eating, products like Greenies aren't meant to be gulped down in large sizes.
That said, if your dog generally likes to eat quickly, Greenies probably isn't the right dental care option for you.
2. Ration the treat
Properly rationing treats is also important, which means knowing how much Greenies to feed your dog each day. In theWebsite Greenies, it is mentioned that one should not give the treat more than once a day. This is important to maintain nutritional balance!
As already mentioned, Greenies is a wheat-based product. Unlike humans, carbohydrates are not essential for dogs. A little wheat-based product a day shouldn't do much harm, but more than that would be another reason the treat could cause diarrhea.
Finally, you could surprise your dog's digestive system with excessive amounts of carbohydrates.
3. Find the right size
Finding the right Greenies product for your dog is another easy way to reduce your dog's risk of diarrhea.
If your dog is considered a large dog, buying greenies for smaller dogs would not be the best idea. Large dogs tend to swallow the smaller versions of the dental product since the entire object fits in their mouth.
Unfortunately, gulping it down can cause major problems with your digestive system, as your stomach would have trouble digesting such a large amount of carbohydrates in such a short amount of time.
The same goes for smaller dogs. Although they have to chew greenies for a long time, they are still very prone to digestive problems as they are likely to chew a piece that is too big for them.
Finding the right size for your dog will help prevent these problems.
Green alternatives for your dog
1. Traditional brushing
There are many different reasons why we do not recommend using the traditional method of brushing, but the two main ones are that you are putting yourself at risk and there are no guarantees as to what type of effects your dog will experience. after.
You usually have to give your dog a pre-brushing anesthetic treatment before you can completely clean the plaques.
First, this is not a practical solution for daily tooth/gum cleaning.
More importantly, we're still not sure what effects anesthesia might have on dogs. Our medical technology has not focused as much on anesthesia in dogs as it has in humans. Therefore, some risks of anesthesia are heart problems and digestive problems for dogs.
The other negative aspect of this method is how you have to risk your safety when brushing your dog's teeth.
If you don't end up using an anesthetic, you will need to put your finger/hand in the dog's mouth.
If your dog is calm, they may not respond to your rough handling of the brush, but most of them will reflexively close their mouths. Obviously, this carries the possibility of serious injury.
Therefore, although it may seem economical, we do not see this method as very practical unless you have professionals who can help you with this task. Never put your hands in your dog's mouth!
2. Regular tooth chewing
Although these products are high in calcium and are effective at removing plaque, we do not recommend using regular dental chews.
These dental chews are very hard and brittle once dogs start chewing on them. This means that while it is effective at removing debris trapped in your dog's teeth, it is also bad for your dog's gums and overall oral health.
First, these products really upset your dog's gums.
While they work well when your dog is chewing with his front teeth, getting him to chew with his molars again will scratch and damage his gums. Due to the fragility of this product, cleaning is very painful, especially for older and younger dogs with weaker gums.
Also, it's never good for dogs to bite something as hard as these products. It would be like biting a rock. It's true that they have stronger teeth and the treats aren't as hard as rock, but if this stays that way for a long period of time, your dog can get a toothache.
At the same time, these products have their advantages, the biggest being their nutritional value; it is rich in calcium. However, it is only effective if your dog consumes the dental chew, which is unlikely due to the pain of the chewing process for your dog.
Diploma
Nothing should really stop you from using Greenies.
Yes, there are some dangers in causing diarrhea and other digestive issues, but these are usually easily avoidable.
It's like any other dog food:
It's never good to eat too much too quickly.
On the other hand, both methods have consequences that you have no control over: negative effects of the anesthetic and damage to the gums. That's why we recommend that you simply give your dog extra attention while treating their teeth and gums with Greenies!
related questions
Are Greenies Bad For Your Dog?
Only if your dog eats really fast. This can lead to diarrhea and other digestive issues, so keep an eye on him and help him control himself.
Do Greenies Make Your Dog Sick?
Like all edible things, greenies can make your dog sick. However, this only occurs if your dog overeats or if he swallows the treat too quickly. Everything in moderation!
Are greenies digestible?
Yes, they are digestible. They are made primarily from wheat, so they should be very safe for your dog.
Can Greenies cause blockages?
Yes, that is possible, but highly unlikely. We recommend that you make sure your dog isn't in a hurry to eat the treat and that the Greenies aren't too big for your dog!