Does your dog have an allergy or an intolerance to grain? Do they require a special diet in order to avoid a reaction to their food? Does your dog also have bad breath or plaque on their teeth? If you answered “yes” to these questions, then grain free dental chews may be just what your dog needs.
What Are Dental Chews?
Dental chews are treats for your dog that are used to help prevent plaque build up on your dog’s teeth and also help combat bad breath. They usually have bumps and/or ridges that rub up against your dog’s teeth as they chew it. Dental chews are also semi-hard, with some flexibility, to get your dog to chew them longer than a regular treat so that it can rub against the teeth longer.
Dental chews also contain natural ingredients to help combat bad breath. This varies by manufacturer and can include parsley, alfalfa, or peppermint.
Do Dental Chews Work?
According to a Study published in the Journal Of Animal Science in 2020, dental chews given once daily can help reduce plaque, tartar and decrease bad breath in dogs.
What Are Grain Free Dental Chews?
Grain free dental chews are dental chews made without wheat, rice, corn, or oats, which may affect your dog if they have an allergy or intolerance to those ingredients.
Symptoms of a grain allergy can include itching, vomiting, diarrhea, hair loss, ear infections and rash.
***Have your dog evaluated by your veterinarian to be sure a grain allergy is the cause of their symptoms.***
***Check with your veterinarian if you are planning to give your dog any grain free food or treats to determine if all of the ingredients are safe for your dog to ingest.***
To make up for the lack of grain in the chews, potatoes or pea flour may be used, as well as fruits and vegetables.
The Best Grain Free Dental Chews
These are some of the top rated grain free dental chews.
The biggest cons to these:
- The chews did not take a long time for the dog to eat them. Most took less than 5 minutes.
- Some dogs still had a reaction when the chews were ingested, like vomiting or diarrhea.
Carefully go over all of the ingredients in the dental chews you are considering. Check with your veterinarian if you have any concerns about a particular ingredient.
When looking for chews to add to the list, we came across some that were labeled “grain free “ but contained oat. Again, always check the label before buying.
All of the listed information is according to the manufacturer.
Greenies Grain Free Natural Dental Dog Treats
- For small dogs 15-25 lbs.
- For large dogs 50-100 lbs.
- Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC)accepted.
- Freshens breath.
- Easy to digest.
- Cleans teeth to the gum line.
- Maintains healthy gums.
- Contains pea flour and dried potato.
- Made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients.
Zuke’s Z-Bone Grain Free Dental Chew Dog Treat
- For small dogs 10-25 lbs.
- Medium dogs 25-60 lbs.
- Large dogs 60-90+ lbs.
- Comes in 2 flavors: Apple and Carrot.
- Does not contain wheat, corn, soy, or gluten.
- Made of ground potatoes and peas and pea protein.
- Contains parsley, alfalfa, and fennel to fight bad breath.
- Made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients.
Fruitables Bioactive Dental Chews
- For tiny dog.
- Small dog.
- Medium dog.
- Scrubs teeth to gum line.
- Grain free and gluten free.
- No wheat, corn, or soy.
- Contains sweet potato flour, pea protein, and parsley.
- Made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients.
Get Naked Grain Free Super Antioxidant Dental Chew Sticks
- Reduces plaque and tartar.
- No wheat, corn, or soy.
- Contains dried potatoes and parsley.
- Made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients.
American Journey Grain Free Dental Dog Treats
- Available in Extra Small, Small, Medium, and Large sizes.
- Fights plaque and tartar.
- No grain, corn, wheat, or soy.
- Contains potato flour and pea flour and starch.
- Made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients.
Dental chews can help your dog maintain healthy teeth and gums and help fight bad breath. Grain free dental chews are a great way for dogs with a grain allergy to be able to experience these same benefits.
Please check out our other posts on Health, Indoor, Outdoor, and Travel accessories for your dog, as well as Reviews of various products and travel destinations.