Product Review: Zukes Z-Bones

Zukes Z-Bones are digestible potato-based dental chews. They come in three flavors and four sizes for dogs ten pounds and heavier.

"Hold this Briz, it'll make a nice picture."
Photo by Erin Koski.

A lot of companies are making digestible dental chews these days. I think Greenies were the first ones I heard about, and those originally weren't digestible. After multiple cases of intestinal blockage in dogs that prefer to gobble rather than gnaw their dental chews, Greenies changed their formula to something that wouldn't get stuck. I like to think that, during the Greenies fiasco, other companies took the opportunity to introduce their safer chew bones. Obviously it worked, because Greenies no longer has the market cornered.

"Come on, open your mouth."
Photo by Erin Koski

The Z-Bones are made from potato and peas. They do not contain cornstarch, wheat gluten, or synthetic chlorophyll. Other ingredients include rosemary, fennel, alfalfa, parsley, apples, pumpkin, and cherries. Zukes says the texture of the bones is ideal for polishing teeth. I prefer raw bones to keep Brisbane's teeth white and shiny, but this makes a nice non-perishable chewy treat. Brisbane certainly enjoys them.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Tasty chew bone that freshens breath, available in multiple sizes and in bags as well as individually wrapped. Contains no poultry, egg, wheat, or corn. Helps freshen breath in a relatively clean doggy mouth at least temporarily.

Cons: I don't think these will actually keep a dog's teeth clean even with daily use. The bone is too quickly consumed to have much scrubbing power. Raw bones or daily tooth brushing would be much more effective as eliminating the underlying causes of doggy breath.

Photo by Erin Koski

Bottom Line: This is something I use as an occasional treat to keep my dog busy. Z-Bones are non-perishable, individually wrapped, and not nearly as icky as raw bones or bully sticks. Less effective than the aforementioned animal parts, but also less objectionable in certain circumstances.