Greenies and Dentastix are both Mars dental chews, and their pages publish opposite things. Greenies are on the Veterinary Oral Health Council’s accepted list for plaque and tartar, and their pages print no ingredient list. Dentastix Original prints every ingredient and a guaranteed analysis, and it is not on that list. The council’s only Pedigree entry is Dentastix Advanced, a different product. Dentastix is also the lower-calorie treat by each brand’s own figures, 78 calories for a large against 142 for a large Greenies. If the council’s review matters most to you, Greenies are the one with it. If you want to read the full ingredient list or count calories closely, Dentastix Original is the one that shows its work. Nothing here comes from testing.
How do large Greenies and Dentastix compare?
| Attribute | Greenies Adult Dental Dog Treats, Large Size, Fresh | Pedigree Dentastix Large Dog Dental Treats, Original |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Greenies | Pedigree |
| Parent company | Mars (the page's own footer reads "© 2026 Mars or Affiliates") | Mars Petcare (as the VOHC listing names the company; the page itself names no parent) |
| Format | chew | chew |
| Size | 12 oz (12 ounces) | 1.66 lb (1.66 pounds) |
| Ingredients disclosed | Not published | 19 listed |
| Fragrance | Not published | Not applicable to a dog treat; the page states nothing about fragrance. |
| Certifications claimed | VOHC Seal of Acceptance | None claimed |
| Life stage | Adult; "not suitable for dogs less than 5 lbs. or dogs less than 6 months of age," per manufacturer | Adult; "not suitable for puppies," per manufacturer |
| Breed size | Large, "for dogs 50-100 lbs.," per manufacturer; the page's size chart reads "TEENIE Treats: 5-15 lbs./2-7 kg; Petite: 15-25 lbs./7-11 kg; Regular: 25-50 lbs./11-22 kg; Large: 50-100 lbs./22-45 kg" | Large, "for large adult dogs (40+ LB/18+ kg)," per manufacturer; "not suitable for puppies and dogs under 40 LB (18 kg)" |
| Guaranteed analysis | Not stated on the brand's page | Crude Protein 8.0% min.; Crude Fat 1.0% min.; Crude Fiber 4.5% max.; Moisture 18.0% max., per manufacturer |
| Calories | 142 kcal per treat, as the feeding guideline states it ("reduce your dog's main meal by 142 kcal"); the page prints no kcal/kg figure | "2943 kcal ME/kg, 78 kcal ME/treat," per manufacturer, labeled "Calorie Content (Calculated)" |
| Feeding guide | "Feed 1 GREENIES dental treat per day" and "for each GREENIES dental treat fed, reduce your dog's main meal by 142 kcal," per manufacturer, which adds "monitor your dog to ensure the treat is adequately chewed. Gulping any item can be harmful or even fatal to a dog" | "Feed large adult dogs (40+ LB/18+ kg) 1 treat a day," per manufacturer |
| Dental claim | "47% less tartar accumulation and 40% less plaque accumulation in 28 days (Data on file)," per manufacturer, which also says the design "works like a toothbrush to clean down to the gumline"; the data is not published on the page | "Triple Action: Reduces tartar build up, Promotes healthy gums, Freshens breath" and "chewy texture scrapes away plaque while chewing," per manufacturer; the page publishes no test behind the claims |
| Source | Sourcegreenies.comChecked Oct 13, 2026 | Sourcepedigree.comChecked Oct 12, 2026 |
The large sizes are cut for different dogs. Greenies Large is “for dogs 50-100 lbs.,” and Dentastix Large is “for large adult dogs (40+ LB/18+ kg),” so a dog between 40 and 50 pounds falls in Dentastix’s range and in Greenies’ Regular size. Both say one treat a day.
The calorie gap is the largest number on the table. Greenies’ feeding line says to “reduce your dog’s main meal by 142 kcal” for each large treat. Dentastix states “78 kcal ME/treat” on a calculated calorie line, with a full guaranteed analysis beside it. Greenies’ page prints no analysis at all.
How do the small sizes compare?
| Attribute | Greenies Adult Dental Dog Treats, Teenie Size, Fresh | Pedigree Dentastix Toy & Small Dog Dental Treats, Original |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Greenies | Pedigree |
| Parent company | Mars (the page's own footer reads "© 2026 Mars or Affiliates") | Mars Petcare (as the VOHC listing names the company for the brand's other Dentastix products; the page itself names no parent) |
| Format | chew | chew |
| Size | 12 oz (12 ounces) | 5.8 oz (5.8 ounces) |
| Ingredients disclosed | Not published | 19 listed |
| Fragrance | Not published | Not applicable to a dog treat; the page states nothing about fragrance. |
| Certifications claimed | VOHC Seal of Acceptance | None claimed |
| Life stage | Adult; "not suitable for dogs less than 5 lbs. or dogs less than 6 months of age," per manufacturer | Adult; "not suitable for puppies," per manufacturer |
| Breed size | Teenie, "for dogs 5-15 lbs.," per manufacturer; the page's size chart reads "TEENIE Treats: 5-15 lbs./2-7 kg; Petite: 15-25 lbs./7-11 kg; Regular: 25-50 lbs./11-22 kg; Large: 50-100 lbs./22-45 kg" | Toy and small, "for toy/small adult dogs (7-22 LB/3.2-10 kg)," per manufacturer; "not suitable for puppies and dogs under 7 LB (3.2 kg)" |
| Guaranteed analysis | Not stated on the brand's page | Crude Protein 8.0% min.; Crude Fat 1.0% min.; Crude Fiber 4.5% max.; Moisture 18.0% max., per manufacturer |
| Calories | 25 kcal per treat, as the feeding guideline states it ("reduce your dog's main meal by 25 kcal"); the page prints no kcal/kg figure | "2943 kcal ME/kg, 22 kcal ME/treat," per manufacturer, labeled "Calorie Content (Calculated)" |
| Feeding guide | "Feed 1 GREENIES dental treat per day" and "for each GREENIES dental treat fed, reduce your dog's main meal by 25 kcal," per manufacturer, which adds "monitor your dog to ensure the treat is adequately chewed. Gulping any item can be harmful or even fatal to a dog" | "Feed toy/small adult dogs (7-22 LB/3.2-10 kg) 1 treat a day," per manufacturer |
| Dental claim | "47% less tartar accumulation and 40% less plaque accumulation in 28 days (Data on file)," per manufacturer, which also says the design "works like a toothbrush to clean down to the gumline"; the data is not published on the page | "Triple Action: Reduces tartar build up, Promotes healthy gums, Freshens breath" and "chewy texture scrapes away plaque while chewing," per manufacturer; the page publishes no test behind the claims |
| Source | Sourcegreenies.comChecked Oct 13, 2026 | Sourcepedigree.comChecked Oct 13, 2026 |
The small sizes are closer. Greenies Teenie is “for dogs 5-15 lbs.” at 25 kcal a treat, and Dentastix Toy/Small is “for toy/small adult dogs (7-22 LB/3.2-10 kg)” at 22. Greenies sells a Petite size for dogs 15 to 25 pounds as well, which Best Dental Chews for Small Dogs covers with the rest of the small-dog field.
Is Greenies or Dentastix on the VOHC list?
Greenies are, and Dentastix Original is not. The council’s accepted-products list carries “Canine Greenies, five sizes,” with the claim “Plaque, Tartar” and a seal awarded in 2007. Its one Pedigree entry is “Pedigree Dentastix Advanced,” also for plaque and tartar, awarded in 2018, and that is a different product from the Original. Neither brand’s own page for the products here mentions the council. What the VOHC Seal on Dog Dental Chews Actually Means explains what the listing does and does not say.
What does each brand claim the chew does?
Greenies put a number on it. Its page says “47% less tartar accumulation and 40% less plaque accumulation in 28 days,” footnoted “Data on file,” and says the shape “works like a toothbrush to clean down to the gumline.” Dentastix states “Triple Action: Reduces tartar build up, Promotes healthy gums, Freshens breath” and says its “chewy texture scrapes away plaque while chewing.” Neither page publishes the data behind its claim.
What both pages say about feeding
Both are adult treats. Greenies’ page says it is “not suitable for dogs less than 5 lbs. or dogs less than 6 months of age,” and Dentastix’s says “not suitable for puppies.” Greenies’ feeding line adds “monitor your dog to ensure the treat is adequately chewed. Gulping any item can be harmful or even fatal to a dog.”
Where this comes from
Every product fact above comes from each brand’s own page, read on the dates the tables show, and from the Veterinary Oral Health Council’s accepted-products list. Greenies and Pedigree are both Mars brands, per the Greenies page footer and the council’s listing. Runlow has not fed either chew to a dog and makes no claim about how either one works.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Greenies or Dentastix on the VOHC list?
- Greenies are. The Veterinary Oral Health Council's accepted-products list carries "Canine Greenies, five sizes" for plaque and tartar, awarded in 2007. The list's Pedigree entry is "Dentastix Advanced," a different product from the Dentastix Original compared here, which the list does not name.
- Which has fewer calories, Greenies or Dentastix?
- Dentastix, size for size, by each brand's own figures. A large Dentastix Original is 78 kcal per treat and a large Greenies is 142. In the small sizes, a Dentastix Toy/Small treat is 22 kcal and a Greenies Teenie is 25.
- Do Greenies list their ingredients?
- Not on the product pages Runlow read. Each Greenies page's Nutrition section holds one image with no ingredient list or guaranteed analysis, and the description says only that the treats are "made with natural ingredients plus vitamins, minerals & nutrients." Dentastix Original's page prints all 19 ingredients and a guaranteed analysis.
