Virbac ZEN Dental Chews
Treat complementary
Is Virbac ZEN Dental Chews a good dog food?
This is a treat, not a complete diet, so it is not scored on our 1-100 scale. The ingredient breakdown below shows what is in it; a treat should be fed alongside, not instead of, a complete diet.
Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
- RecipeNot applicable
- NutritionalNot applicable
- Transparency30
- Safety100
- Evidencelimited33
Complementary treats for dogs of all life stages, with maize, glycerine and soy protein as the main ingredients.
Why you might choose it
- Low in fat for its format: 1% fat on a dry-matter basis.
Why you might not
- A treat, not a complete diet: feed as an extra, not the whole diet.
- 6 poor-graded ingredients make up about 52% of the recipe.
- Low in protein: 18% protein on a dry-matter basis.
What the label tells us
- The label lists 12 ingredients.
- Lists no artificial colours or preservatives.
- Prints no ingredient quantities.
Why is this treat not scored?
Our 1 to 100 rating applies to complete diets, so treats and complementary foods are presented as what the label tells us rather than a number that would invite comparison with complete meals.
What should I look for on a treat label?
A short ingredient list, named animal sources instead of generic terms, and no artificial colours or preservatives. Printed quantities are a good transparency signal, though few treat labels provide them.
These points are derived from the published ingredient list, not a rating.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 18.40%
- Fat
- 0.70%
- Fibre
- 1.30%
- Ash
- 1.90%
Additives & feeding info
No additives recorded yet.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- Doesn't list chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, fish, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists maize / corn
- You need more protein than this: 18.4% on a dry-matter basis is in the low band
These points are derived from declared ingredients and analysis, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed condition, food choice is a medical nutrition decision: speak to your vet. Use the homepage filter to find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (12)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corn starch | Maize / Corn | carb | poor | - | 10.8 |
| 2 | Glycerin | Glycerine | other | medium | - | 10.4 |
| 3 | Soy protein concentrate (from seeds) | Soy Protein | carb | poor | - | 9.9 |
| 4 | Rice flour | Rice flour | carb | medium | - | 9.5 |
| 5 | Inactivated brewer's yeast | Brewer's Yeast | supplement | good | - | 9.0 |
| 6 | Sorbitol | Sorbitol | additive | poor | - | 8.6 |
| 7 | Corn cobs | Maize / Corn | carb | poor | - | 8.1 |
| 8 | Polyols (Erythritol) | Erythritol | additive | poor | - | 7.7 |
| 9 | Maltodextrin | Maltodextrin | carb | poor | - | 7.2 |
| 10 | Chicory inulin | Inulin | fibre | good | - | 6.8 |
| 11 | Pomegranate concentrate | Pomegranate | veg | good | - | 6.3 |
| 12 | Gamma-cyclodextrin | Gamma-cyclodextrin | carb | medium | - | 5.9 |
Brand
- Website
- https://uk.virbac.com/
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-14
- Product page
- uk.virbac.com
Recall history is presentation-only and never affects the score. Dates are when we recorded the data, not when the manufacturer last changed the recipe.
Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Scored with model v2 on 2026-09-22. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | -0.1 | 9.915 | -0.65 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 56.4% | -0.113 | -6.35 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 18.1% | 0.177 | +3.21 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 10.3% | -0.009 | -0.09 |
| Other share of dry matter | 6.4% | -0.371 | -2.39 |
| Recipe graded poor | 52.3% | -0.045 | -2.34 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 6 | -0.868 | -5.21 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 10.8% | 0.056 | +0.61 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.131 | -13.09 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -1.988 | -1.99 |
| High carb and low meat | yes | -1.250 | -1.25 |
| Additive penalty | -19.46 | 0.236 | -4.59 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | -0.1 | 9.915 | -0.65 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.116 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 56.4% | -0.113 | -6.35 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.088 | +0.00 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 1.2% | -0.002 | -0.00 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 18.1% | 0.177 | +3.21 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 10.3% | -0.009 | -0.09 |
| Other share of dry matter | 6.4% | -0.371 | -2.39 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.022 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 52.3% | -0.045 | -2.34 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.182 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 6 | -0.868 | -5.21 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 10.8% | 0.056 | +0.61 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.131 | -13.09 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 3.194 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | no | 1.703 | +0.00 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 11.440 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | no | -0.506 | +0.00 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -1.988 | -1.99 |
| High carb and low meat | yes | -1.250 | -1.25 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 0.0 | -0.073 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | -0.339 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 16.475 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | -19.46 | 0.236 | -4.59 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Raw | no | 13.322 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | 7.712 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | 6.583 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 4.857 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | 0.072 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 11.127 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 9.320 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | 4.569 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -2.321 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | no | -6.996 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.833 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.711 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | 2.935 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | 2.292 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- +0.00
- Subtotal
- 30.6
- Final score
- 31/100
Contributions are rounded to two decimals, so they may not sum exactly to the subtotal. The full coefficient table is published on the methodology page.
This is not a complete diet, so the 1-100 rating does not apply to it. Read the recipe breakdown above as ingredient-quality context only.
Score history across model versions
The score shown above is always computed with the latest published model. Earlier scores are kept for the record and are never edited or deleted; a scoring change ships as a new model version with a public write-up on the methodology page.
| Model | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| v2 | 31/100 | current |
| v1 | 30/100 | |
| v1.9 | 31/100 |
Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges
Not applicable to complementary food. FEDIAF reference ranges apply to complete diets.
Transparency: what the label discloses
How much the manufacturer discloses, measured against the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice and Regulation 767/2009. Mandatory items dominate the weighting.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (voluntary) - not on file | 0/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file | 0/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) - not on file | 0/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Analytical constituents declared, Additives declared, Feeding guidance given, Batch and date labelling).
Safety: recall history
Recall and safety-notice history, time-decayed. This dimension is shown alongside the score and never feeds the headline number.
No recalls recorded in our database.
See all current recalls we track.
Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it
The marketing claims made on the pack and product page, and how much evidence sits behind them. We record the claims as stated; we do not assess whether they are true.
| Claim | Type | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|
| Cleans teeth (on pack) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Fights bad breath (on pack) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Promotes relaxation (on pack) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| VeggieDent® ZEN Dental Chews are tasty, natural-origin dog dental chews that help to calm and relax anxious dogs. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| soothing green tea extract helps your dog to feel at ease (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Promotes relaxation in stressed dogs (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Scientifically proven to support relaxation during stressful times. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Clinically proven to reduce plaque and tartar when given daily. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Freshens the breath from day 1 (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| From the very first chew, your dog's breath starts smelling fresher and keeps getting better with each daily chew. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| The natural-origin, plant-based ingredients are tough on plaque and kind on the digestive system. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Treat your dog to a low-calorie chew every day while helping them maintain a healthy weight. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Controls odour-causing plaque and tartar build-up on the teeth. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Refreshing the mouth with cooling erythritol. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Tackling digestive sources of bad breath with gut-friendly prebiotic inulin. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| VeggieDent® ZEN Dental Chews for Relaxation, Fresh Breath and Better Oral Hygiene (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Pomegranate - Limits the growth of odour-causing bacteria; Antioxidant effect for added benefits (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Erythritol - Cools and freshens the mouth; Well tolerated by dogs (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Inulin - Feeds friendly gut bacteria; Supports oral and digestive balance; Targets digestive sources of bad breath (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| VeggieDent® ZEN Dental Chews contain L-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea extract. (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| No wheat gluten, animal products or artificial ingredients (on page) | Free-from | Manufacturer assertion |
| Low calorie (on page) | High/low level | Manufacturer assertion |
| This naturally occurring ingredient is scientifically proven to have a calming effect on the brain, which may help your dog to feel more relaxed during times of stress. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| One study showed that VeggieDent® ZEN Dental Chews reduced the signs of stress in dogs when given two hours before a stressful event. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| VeggieDent® ZEN Dental Chews contain highly digestible ingredients with low fat content, so your dog can enjoy one every day as part of a balanced diet. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| VeggieDent® ZEN Dental Chews with green tea extract help to relax your dog, calming them during times of stress. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| VeggieDent® ZEN Dental Chews also feature triple-action FR3SH™ Technology to help freshen breath and fight plaque. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| VeggieDent® ZEN Dental Chews have a unique "Z" shape to help clean even more plaque from hard-to-reach areas of the mouth. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| VeggieDent® ZEN Dental Chews contain no wheat gluten, animal proteins or artificial additives. (on page) | Free-from | Manufacturer assertion |
Limited: at least one claim rests on manufacturer assertion alone.
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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