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Permalink Reply by Kristen & Rory on October 28, 2014 at 9:56pm

I have a similar problem with Rory (but not with greenies; with bully sticks). I think it would work with a greenie, too- I stick the bully stick through one of those JW pet Holee Roller balls (they are the rubbery balls with hexagonal openings). For one, he loves to nose it around and chase it, but most importantly, he has to work to get the stick out and it keeps him from devouring it too quickly. 

Good luck!!

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Permalink Reply by Natalie, Lance &Tucker on October 28, 2014 at 11:10pm

I don't think you can teach them unfortunately!  :(  I wouldn't risk it and give any more.

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Permalink Reply by Denis J. on October 29, 2014 at 8:04am

I beleive asking the same to my vet before as the cats would just gulp it down too.    I beleive she mentionned that it doesn't matter if they chew or know as it will disolve in the stomach anyways and the medication will take effect.    If she gulps it down then i would say you have it easy as some owners have to be quite creative in hiding the meds in all sorts of tricks.    :)

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Permalink Reply by mosesbotbol on October 29, 2014 at 2:59pm

I just crush pills to powder and mix in with dog food.

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Permalink Reply by Vicky Hay on October 29, 2014 at 2:26pm

Same issue with Cassie: Greenie down, Greenie GONE. I don't give either dog those things for that reason.

Didn't know the things were medicated... You know, if you want to get that stuff into your dog, you get get liquid drops you can add to their water. The stuff is supposed to discourage tartar formation. Look at a tack and feed store.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on October 29, 2014 at 3:03pm

Actually Greenies are not medicated and it's the chewing action that cleans the teeth; the rice flour or whatever they use works as a fine abrasive to get rid of buildup.

I would try Kristen and Rory's suggestion to put it in something. One of mine chews dental treats nicely and one of mine breaks them into two or three big hunks and swallows, which defeats the purpose. But if Lily is swallowing them whole, that might not be safe and I would try something different.

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Permalink Reply by mosesbotbol on October 29, 2014 at 3:15pm

I'll try stuffing them into a toy/device thing and give that a try.  She is good with her antler; until you try taking it away, lol... 

What other treats should I consider for her teeth?

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Permalink Reply by Linda on October 29, 2014 at 10:34pm

I've been using the Beneful dental treats and they had been working pretty good.  I don't trust the Greenies..I have heard of problems with dogs trying to swallow them and getting stuck.

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Permalink Reply by Holly on October 31, 2014 at 5:46pm

Greenies are the only things Sully eats quickly. She doesn't really do anything quickly, but she really loves Greenies. I read about a water additive here someplace that helps with tarter that I considered using instead. I haven't worried about Greenie choking, until now, but I have switched to slightly softer, much less expensive chews. Sully loves bully sticks and takes her time eating them, but I wanted her to have the Greenies for her teeth. She doesn't understand the tooth brushing concept. She doesn't really fight it, but she does chew the brush, making it hard to use the brush to clean teeth. Actually, I have taken a greenie from her mouth at least once in the past due to her chewing it too fast. It was the only time she actually fought me some on removing food from her mouth. Kinda scary. I am very afraid of rawhide, bones, antlers and such for health reasons, but she does like some of the cheaper dental chews. Not sure how helpful they are though. 

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Permalink Reply by Linda on October 31, 2014 at 7:10pm

Holly....I tried an additive to the water and Max refused to drink it.  I found him trying to drink from our fish pond whenever I let him out.  I started using the Beneful Healthy Smile I think it is and so far they seem to be doing pretty good.

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Permalink Reply by Vicky Hay on November 2, 2014 at 8:25am

Hmmm... Y'know, I'd be careful with these things. Here's a post from Snopes.com, the outfit that debunks urban myths. It's usually a pretty reliable source, and it looks like their staff has gone to some trouble to look into Greenies: http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/greenies.asp

They publish a long, self-defensive tome from the manufacturer, all very interesting. But I must say: Cassie and Ruby threw the stuff up. I quit giving Greenies to them because they barfed them up and because the things do have the look of a choking hazard.

There are a lot of other negative reports on Greenies, including this compendium of horror stories: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/greenies.html  Some of these anecdotes are suspect -- no proof that the treat caused symptoms or whether an ailment arose coincidentally -- but some pretty clearly describe impactions and obstructions caused by the product. Of course, anything you give your dog to chew could cause an intestinal blockage if swallowed in chunks. But still...

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