Post by Avansa on Jun 14, 2013 10:24:52 GMT
www.dentalvets.co.uk/news.html
(heres the link to the full article, just in case the news on the website changes!)
www.dentalvets.co.uk/docs/VetTimes-AttitudesOralCare%20Nov%202012.pdf
I noticed that someone had posted this on Facebook and wondered what everyone thought? It might serve as a warning to some of you. I feel that the amount Milo and Finn chew their Stagbar, and at the hardness that they chew it, this wouldn't really be a problem for them.
The article also suggests that vets and vet nurses believe that feeding a raw diet and bones are bad for dogs teeth... (and that Dentastix aren't) which says A LOT about vets, don't ya think?
Pure Dog have posted a statement in reply on their Facebook page:
"STATEMENT OF PURE DOG LIMITED
Pure Dog Limited (“the Company”) has been supplying natural deer antler in the United Kingdom and Europe for nearly three years. In that period over half a million Stagbars have been supplied.
The Company takes seriously any suggestion that its Stagbar product is harmful to dogs, which is why it keeps strict controls of any formally reported problems. Given recent comments in the media, the Company felt it should issue this Statement, which will hopefully allay any concerns that dog owners, vets or others have about the Stagbar.
To put the situation into perspective, the Company’s reported incidence of any teeth issue being experienced by a dog is 0.000002%. It was not established in that incidence whether or not the dog owner had followed the Company’s clear guidance on its labeling.
There are a myriad of products on the market for a dog to chew. Some market themselves as natural dog chews, something this Company is a great advocate of, others are artificial dog chews. Different dog owners have different views in relation to such products. Some will champion the natural product, some will champion the artificial product and some will champion both. It all depends on what each dog enjoys. The experience of our customers is that their dogs overwhelmingly love the Stagbar. For example, one of our customers wrote to us stating:
“Hello, it's not often that I feel the need to write to someone about their product but yours is certainly worth it. The Stagbar was recommended as a treat for our Rottie as nothing else lasts more than a few minutes, but the added bonus is that her teeth are now beautifully clean! Fred doesn't chew the treat an awful lot and yet all of the brown stains have disappeared. Thank you very much for marketing this amazing treat and I will wholeheartedly recommend to all of our doggie friends.”
In fact, we have many testimonials praising the Stagbar and the positive impact it has had on a dog’s dental health and general well being.
Of the many dog chews and toys available on the market, some are hard and some are soft. Every dog owner has to make a judgment as to which product their dog is best suited to. Clearly, the action of a dog chewing on a hard item, particularly if the dog bears down, could result in the dog damaging its teeth. A dog chewing/bearing down on nylon chews, pressed raw hide, rolled raw hide, roasted bones, raw bones, hard cheeses, pizzles, compacted vegetable chews, rasks and many dog toys could theoretically cause a problem with a dog’s teeth. However, the clear evidence is that Stagbars do not in and of themselves cause a problem for dog’s teeth, just as the other hard chews and toys on the market do not in and of themselves cause a problem for dog’s teeth, so far as we know.
The Company has some concerns about those in the media who appear to have singled out the Stagbar for criticism. If the concern is genuine, then why not express it about all hard chews and not just the Stagbar? In fact, in one incidence a person against the Stagbar was actually supplying deer antler on their own website, which really puts into perspective the integrity of their concern about a dog’s welfare!
Many of the employees of the Company are themselves dog owners and pride themselves on supplying a product which has been instrumental in improving dog’s dental health and general welfare. In the words of one of the vets that has written to us:
“There is a small risk of an occasional chipped tooth but the health benefits outweigh this risk considerably.…”gnawing aids” like antler dog chews – the chewing and gnawing action is far better for the teeth than brushing or other “artificial” teeth cleaning aids – and far more enjoyable for the dog!”
The fact is that different people take different views. Different vets take different views. Different dogs have different experiences. Some commercially sponsored vets champion artificial products, some vets who are not commercially sponsored champion natural product. The Company approaches these matters with an open mind and encourages its customers to do the same."
(heres the link to the full article, just in case the news on the website changes!)
www.dentalvets.co.uk/docs/VetTimes-AttitudesOralCare%20Nov%202012.pdf
I noticed that someone had posted this on Facebook and wondered what everyone thought? It might serve as a warning to some of you. I feel that the amount Milo and Finn chew their Stagbar, and at the hardness that they chew it, this wouldn't really be a problem for them.
The article also suggests that vets and vet nurses believe that feeding a raw diet and bones are bad for dogs teeth... (and that Dentastix aren't) which says A LOT about vets, don't ya think?
Pure Dog have posted a statement in reply on their Facebook page:
"STATEMENT OF PURE DOG LIMITED
Pure Dog Limited (“the Company”) has been supplying natural deer antler in the United Kingdom and Europe for nearly three years. In that period over half a million Stagbars have been supplied.
The Company takes seriously any suggestion that its Stagbar product is harmful to dogs, which is why it keeps strict controls of any formally reported problems. Given recent comments in the media, the Company felt it should issue this Statement, which will hopefully allay any concerns that dog owners, vets or others have about the Stagbar.
To put the situation into perspective, the Company’s reported incidence of any teeth issue being experienced by a dog is 0.000002%. It was not established in that incidence whether or not the dog owner had followed the Company’s clear guidance on its labeling.
There are a myriad of products on the market for a dog to chew. Some market themselves as natural dog chews, something this Company is a great advocate of, others are artificial dog chews. Different dog owners have different views in relation to such products. Some will champion the natural product, some will champion the artificial product and some will champion both. It all depends on what each dog enjoys. The experience of our customers is that their dogs overwhelmingly love the Stagbar. For example, one of our customers wrote to us stating:
“Hello, it's not often that I feel the need to write to someone about their product but yours is certainly worth it. The Stagbar was recommended as a treat for our Rottie as nothing else lasts more than a few minutes, but the added bonus is that her teeth are now beautifully clean! Fred doesn't chew the treat an awful lot and yet all of the brown stains have disappeared. Thank you very much for marketing this amazing treat and I will wholeheartedly recommend to all of our doggie friends.”
In fact, we have many testimonials praising the Stagbar and the positive impact it has had on a dog’s dental health and general well being.
Of the many dog chews and toys available on the market, some are hard and some are soft. Every dog owner has to make a judgment as to which product their dog is best suited to. Clearly, the action of a dog chewing on a hard item, particularly if the dog bears down, could result in the dog damaging its teeth. A dog chewing/bearing down on nylon chews, pressed raw hide, rolled raw hide, roasted bones, raw bones, hard cheeses, pizzles, compacted vegetable chews, rasks and many dog toys could theoretically cause a problem with a dog’s teeth. However, the clear evidence is that Stagbars do not in and of themselves cause a problem for dog’s teeth, just as the other hard chews and toys on the market do not in and of themselves cause a problem for dog’s teeth, so far as we know.
The Company has some concerns about those in the media who appear to have singled out the Stagbar for criticism. If the concern is genuine, then why not express it about all hard chews and not just the Stagbar? In fact, in one incidence a person against the Stagbar was actually supplying deer antler on their own website, which really puts into perspective the integrity of their concern about a dog’s welfare!
Many of the employees of the Company are themselves dog owners and pride themselves on supplying a product which has been instrumental in improving dog’s dental health and general welfare. In the words of one of the vets that has written to us:
“There is a small risk of an occasional chipped tooth but the health benefits outweigh this risk considerably.…”gnawing aids” like antler dog chews – the chewing and gnawing action is far better for the teeth than brushing or other “artificial” teeth cleaning aids – and far more enjoyable for the dog!”
The fact is that different people take different views. Different vets take different views. Different dogs have different experiences. Some commercially sponsored vets champion artificial products, some vets who are not commercially sponsored champion natural product. The Company approaches these matters with an open mind and encourages its customers to do the same."