Field Guide · Glossary
VOHC
Health and safetyThe Veterinary Oral Health Council, which awards a seal of acceptance to dental products that meet its standard for reducing plaque or tartar.
How it works
It reviews data submitted by manufacturers rather than running its own trials, and awards its seal where the submitted evidence meets a defined threshold. That makes the seal a meaningful signal, since most dental products on sale have never been tested at all, and a narrower one than it first appears. It indicates that a product met a standard for plaque or tartar reduction on the evidence provided, and it is not a general endorsement of safety or quality.
What it looks like
Two dental chews sit on the same shelf at a similar price. One carries the seal, meaning submitted data showed it met the standard. The other makes similar claims on its packaging with nothing behind them.
Commonly confused with
- Slab fracture
- The VOHC seal indicates a product met a standard for reducing plaque or tartar. Slab fractures are caused by hardness. A chew can carry the seal and still be rigid enough to break a tooth.
Related terms