November 2011
Several new products were added to the VOHC Accepted Seal list. They are:
Dog::ESSENTIAL healthymouth Water additive with mobility health formulation (plaque claim).
Dog::ESSENTIAL healthymouth Anti-plaque topical spray (plaque claim).
Cat::ESSENTIAL healthymouth Anti-plaque topical spray (plaque claim).
SANOS Dental sealant, for application to the clean surface of teeth at the end of a professional scaling procedure (plaque and tartar claims).
Supersmile toothpaste for dogs (plaque claim). This product will be launched to the market in 2012 (exact date not know at time of this listing).
Royal Canin Feline Dental Diet (plaque claim). This product will be launched to the market in 2012 (tentative launch date September).
May 2011
On the unanimous recommendation from Council, the AVDC Board approved a 'VOHC Policy on Trials Involving Use of Brushes or Similar Mechanical Devices'.
Click VOHC Brushing to view the full VOHC brushing policy document.
April 2011
Three new products have been added to the VOHC Accepted Product list. They are:
Dog::ESSENTIAL healthymouth anti-plaque gel
Cat::ESSENTIAL healthymouth anti-plaque water additive
Cat::ESSENTIAL healthymouth anti-plaque gel
These products are marketed by HealthyMouth, LLC.
Protocol changes:
Protocol Change: Pre-Trial Protocol Review
VOHC requires pre-trial protocol review, to ensure that trials will be conducted in compliance with VOHC requirements. Pre-trial protocol review is designed to avoid potentially costly mistakes in how VOHC trials are conducted. This policy is in effect for all submissions received after January 1st, 2012. Pre-trial review for submissions received prior to January 1st, 2012 is very strongly encouraged; however, VOHC recognizes that some submissions that it may receive in calendar 2011 may be based on trials that were underway before the pre-trial protocol review requirement was adopted by VOHC. Pre-trial protocol review is provided as a free, confidential service by VOHC. Send the proposed protocol to VOHC@AVDC.org. A response to a request for pre-trial review will be provided by VOHC within two weeks of receiving the request.
Protocol Change: Anesthesia and Intubation During Dental Scaling
To ensure that the required “clean-tooth model” is safely used in trials conducted under the VOHC protocol, animals whose teeth are scaled at day zero of a trial are to be anesthetized and the trachea is to be intubated during the scaling procedure.
Protocol Change: Use of Client-Owned Animals in VOHC Trials
An information/informed consent document (‘Owner document’) is to be signed by the owners before entry of the subject into the trial. A blank copy of the Owner document is to be included in the submission.
The Owner document is to include a requirement that the owners complete a daily compliance log, and copies of the completed owner’s daily compliance logs are to be included in the submission. Out-of-protocol events reported by the owners are to be described and comments by the sponsor on significance of the out-of-protocol events are to be provided in the submission.
December 2010
Two products that are no longer marketed have been removed from the VOHC Accepted list. They are Friskies Feline Dental Diet and Del Monte Tartar Check Biscuits for Dogs
December 2010
Change in VOHC Standard
The Board of Directors of the American Veterinary Dental College approved a recommendation from the Veterinary Oral Health Council to change the standard required for awarding the VOHC Accepted Seal.
This change is effective from January 1st, 2011.
Purpose of the Change: Eliminate the difference between the VOHC chemical and non-chemical plaque standards and bring the calculus (tartar) claim standard into line with the plaque claim standard by adopting the current American Dental Association standard, whether the dental effectiveness is achieved mechanically or chemically.
New VOHC standard, as of January 1st, 2011
The VOHC standard for required minimum reduction in plaque and/or calculus in the product group compared with the control group is 15% (minimum in each of the two trials) and 20% (minimum mean of both trials), with each trial having a statistically significant difference between the control and product groups.
Reduction (VOHC efficacy %) is defined as:
([Control group mouth mean] minus [Test group mouth mean]) divided by (Control group mouth mean) x 100
Impact on products that currently carry the VOHC Accepted Seal: Products that currently carry the VOHC Seal but for which the trial data submitted to VOHC do not meet the new standard will grand-fathered (permitted to use the VOHC Accepted Seal) for five years following the date on which the change becomes effective (January 1st, 2011).
September 2008
Healthymouth, an anti-plaque water additive, has been added to the VOHC accepted list in the Plaque claim category for dogs.
May 2008
The Board of Directors of AVDC accepted a recommendation from Council to add the following statement to the Safety and Regulatory Issues statement at the bottom of the Protocol page:
'Safety ' in the VOHC context includes:
A. Major extra-oral or body-wide issues such as toxicity, esophageal or gastro-intestinal obstruction or perforation, or gross nutritional imbalance;
B. Trauma to oral tissues, such as fracture of teeth or laceration or penetration of oral mucosa.
Complaints from consumers that relate to any of the product safety issues mentioned above are to be promptly copied to VOHC, and annual confirmation of continuation of use of the VOHC Accepted Seal is contingent on affirmation that no safety complaints that have not already been brought to VOHC's attention have been received by the product sponsor.
February 2008
VOHC Accepted Seal awarded to Vetradent's Baby Bluechews and dc TinyToy Dental Chews in the Tartar claim category.
VOHC Accepted Seal awarded to Diamond Food's Bright Bites and Checkups Dog Treats, all sizes, in the Plaque and Tartar claim categories.
January 2008
VOHC Accepted Seal awarded to Canine Greenies Senior and Canine Greenies Lite dog treats, all sizes, in the Plaque and Tartar claim categories.
December 2007
Dogs do love to chew......
Thurs., Dec. 20, 2007
BOSTON - The World Series ball is gone, and Jonathan Papelbon has an excuse: My dog ate it. Farfetched or not, that’s what the Red Sox closer insists happened to the souvenir from the final out of Boston’s sweep this year. Really, Papelbon blamed it on his bulldog, Boss. “He plays with baseballs like they are his toys,” Papelbon told the Hattiesburg (Miss.) American. “He jumped up one day on the counter and snatched it. He likes rawhide. He tore that thing to pieces. I’ll keep what’s left of it.”
October 2007
New Canine Greenies Treat is awarded the VOHC Seal of Acceptance for Plaque and Tartar. New Canine Greenies is available in five sizes.
Tartar Shield Soft Rawhide Chews is awarded the VOHC Seal of Acceptance for Tartar. Tartar Shield Chews are available in five sizes.
Feline Greenies has been removed from the VOHC Accepted list because the manufacturers have changed the formulation, and the old formulation is no longer in stock at point-of-purchase.
VOHC Council approved use of the Gingival Contour Plaque Index scoring system ( described by Scherl et al in the March 2007 issue of the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry), provided that the plaque score and calculus score in each dog on day 0 of the trial is zero. In a related item,
VOHC changed the minimum seven day trial period for plaque by adding: unless a scoring method validating a shorter period has been previously approved by Council.
January 2007
The Canine Greenies formulation that was awarded the VOHC Accepted Seal in 2004 has been withdrawn from the market, and the listing for Canine Greenies has been removed from the VOHC Accepted list.
October
2006
Upon
the recommendation of VOHC Council, the AVDC Board of Directors
has ratified changes in protocols:
Clarified
wording on use of segments of teeth when scoring.
Adopted
a safety requirement for chemical agents included as plaque
or tartar inhibitors.
Eliminated
the need for three arm/leg trials when evaluating products
with both mechanical and chemical effects.
Adopted
specific information on statistical analysis procedures.
The
changes are incorporated in the documents currently available
on the VOHC web site.
September
2006
Vetradent
Dog Chews, manufactured by Vetradent Inc. awarded the VOHC Seal
of Acceptance for Plaque and Tartar.
August 2006
Feline
Greenies, manufactured by S&M Nu-Tec, Inc, awarded the VOHC
Seal of Acceptance for Tartar.
July 2006
Nestle
Purina PVD (Dental Health) Diets awarded the VOHC Accepted Seal
for Feline Formula (Plaque and Tartar) and Small Bites and Regular
Size Canine Formula (Tartar).
May 2005
Hartz®
Flavor Infused Oral Chews awarded the VOHC Accepted Seal for
Plaque and Tartar for two sizes: Large Dogs and Small Dogs Sizes.
January
2005
Greenies®
Edible Treats for Dogs awarded the VOHC Accepted Seal for Plaque
and Tartar for the Teenies size.
September
2004
Greenies®
Edible Treats for Dogs awarded the VOHC Accepted Seal for Plaque
and Tartar for four sizes: Petite, Regular, Large and Jumbo.
February
25, 2004
A
correction was made in the VOHC criteria for testing products
of different size in dogs. Click Product
Line and then scroll down to the Differences in Size of
Product section to read the corrected policy.
February
1st, 2004
Today
is the start of National Pet Dental Health Month in North America
(NPDHM), and to help celebrate this important yearly milestone
in the oral and general health of North American companion animals,
VOHC launched its revised and updated web-site, which now includes
consumer information on periodontal disease in cats
and dogs. To find out more about National Pet Dental Health
Month, click NPDHM.
Additions
to the list of Organizations Recognizing VOHC
VOHC
is also celebrating the recent addition of the American Veterinary
Dental Society and the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry to the
list of dental organizations that endorse the VOHC Seal of Acceptance
system. The VOHC Seal system is now recognized on four continents
(Asia, Australasia, Europe and North America). For a full list
of the organizations who are on-board with VOHC, click World-Wide.
Changes
in Council
Two
Members rotate off: Two dental scientists
who were critical in establishing the Veterinary Oral Health
Council in 1997 and were original members of the Council have
rotated off the Council.
Drs. John Hefferren and George Stookey brought to the VOHC discussions
and decisions many years of experience in efficacy recognition
from the human dental arena. The immense contributions that
Drs. Hefferren and Stookey made in building credibility and
avoiding pot-holes in VOHC's early years are very much appreciated
by VOHC Director Colin Harvey and by the Board of Directors
of the American Veterinary Dental College, which administers
the VOHC.
New
Members. Recognizing the international reach of the VOHC
system, the Board of Directors of the American Veterinary Dental
College appointed Drs. Marco Gioso (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Philippe
Hennet (Paris, France) to the Council for three-year terms,
effective January 1, 2004. The Council now consists of ten Diplomates
of the American Veterinary Dental College. For a full list of
Council members and a brief description of what Council members
do, click Council.
Changes
in Protocols and Fees
The
revised web site contains an enlarged and updated series of
documents on VOHC protocols and submission
procedures for companies marketing products that may qualify
to carry the VOHC Seal of Acceptance.
In
addition to web site changes designed to make the VOHC protocols
and related requirements clearer and easier to access, some changes
in content have been made in the VOHC protocols:
1.
A category for tooth-brushes and similar mechanical aids designed
to be used by pet owners has been added to the protocol document
(see "Mechanical" on the Protocol
page).
2.
The body-weight section of the "Product Line" document
has been revised to make identification of dogs for inclusion
in trials involving defined body weight groups more practical
(see "Differences in Size of Product and in Body Size Classes
of Dogs" on the "Product
Line" page).
A.
The requirement for a separate fee for each claim (plaque
or calculus) has been eliminated. A single fee now is payable
for a submission for either or both claims. Since most past
submissions have included review of trials of products for
both claims, the effect of the revised fee structure is
to maintain or reduce the submission fee for review of plaque
and (tartar) calculus claims for a single product.
B.
Fees for products applied by owners, such as brushes, have
a separate, lower fee structure.
C.
The standard fee now covers use of the VOHC Seal world-wide,
and a separate fee structure has been established for submissions
on behalf of products that are marketed only in one country.
