If you are searching for VetriScience Perio Support, you are probably wondering whether a daily dental powder could help in a home where tooth-brushing is a losing battle. Perio Support is a well-known US dental powder built around zeolites and probiotics. This UK-minded guide covers what is on the label, what the formula is designed to do, where the evidence stops, what to check before buying, and how it compares with a multi-ingredient brushless powder.
What is VetriScience Perio Support?
It is a dental powder for dogs and cats that is mixed into food. The US product information sheet says it is intended for use between veterinary dental cleanings and describes it as helping to maintain clean teeth and fresh breath. It is a supplement, not a medicine.
One practical UK point: the product is marketed mainly in the US, so availability, labelling and wording can differ if you buy it through a reseller or import. In Great Britain, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) regulates veterinary medicines, and pet supplements sit in a different category, so read the jar you actually receive rather than relying on an American listing.
VetriScience Perio Support ingredients
The US sheet lists these actives per 2.5 g (about one teaspoon):
- Natural zeolites (500 mg), the largest part of the formula.
- Proprietary probiotic blend (355 mg), with six named strains including L. acidophilus, E. faecium and B. subtilis.
- Cranberry powder (25 mg), yucca schidigera extract (7 mg), taurine (1.25 mg) and zinc (0.8 mg).
Inactive ingredients include anise oil, calcium carbonate, fenugreek seed extract and fermentation extracts. Some retail pages show a shorter list, so trust the label on your jar.
What the evidence does and does not show
The idea is that zeolites interact with plaque while the probiotic strains influence odour-causing bacteria. That is a reasonable concept, but the product page we reviewed cites no clinical study, and one retailer uses the phrase "clinically tested" without linking data. Treat the claims as label-level descriptions and look for independent evidence before relying on them.
The bigger evidence is about how often teeth are cleaned. Harvey and colleagues (J Vet Dent, 2015) linked brushing frequency to plaque, calculus and gingivitis, and the WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines (2020) put daily home care and professional exams at the centre. Periodontal disease is common, as Wallis and Holcombe (J Small Anim Pract, 2020) reported. A Swedish survey (Svärd and Enlund, 2023) found only about 42% of owners brushed daily even after a periodontitis diagnosis.
How it is used
The US sheet gives weight-based amounts per meal, from about a quarter of a teaspoon for dogs up to 15 lb (around 7 kg) to two teaspoons over 120 lb (around 54 kg), given with or after food. Directions can differ by pack, so follow your label and ask your vet if unsure.
Pros and honest limits
- Pros: mixes into food, no brushing, readable strain list, suits mixed dog and cat households.
- Limits: no enzyme system, prebiotic fibre or seaweed among the actives; the probiotic amounts per strain are not shown; and no powder removes existing tartar.
- UK cost reality: many UK pet insurance policies exclude routine dental care, so a scale and polish is often paid out of pocket. Ask your practice for a written estimate, and do not let a supplement delay an exam if you see red gums, drooling or a loose tooth. The RCVS-registered vet is the right person to judge that.
Perio Support vs a multi-ingredient dental powder
Our Pure Majesty Pets Dog Dental Powder takes a layered approach: hydroxyapatite (15%), kelp Ascophyllum nodosum (8%), GOX/LPO enzymes (0.6%), inulin (14%), oral probiotic lysate (0.3%), zinc citrate (0.6%), green tea (0.5%) and pork liver (10%). Kelp has been studied in dogs in a double-blind, randomised trial (Gawor et al., 2018) using edible treats.
| Factor | VetriScience Perio Support | Pure Majesty Dental Powder |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Zeolites plus live probiotics | Hydroxyapatite, kelp, enzymes, prebiotic, postbiotic, zinc, green tea |
| Enzymes | Not listed among actives | GOX/LPO 0.6% |
| Kelp | Not listed | 8% |
| Species | Dogs and cats | Dogs |
Neither replaces a vet exam. For more comparisons see Plaque Off, PetLab Co and kelp dental powder for dogs.
VetriScience Perio Support: FAQ
Is Perio Support the same as Perio Support Pro?
No, they are different products with different formulas. Check the label.
Can it remove tartar?
Hardened tartar needs professional removal. Powders are positioned as support between cleanings.
How long until I notice fresher breath?
It varies. If breath stays unpleasant after a few weeks, book a vet visit.
Does a powder replace brushing?
No. Brushing is the gold standard; a powder can be a practical add-on or an alternative for dogs who refuse a brush.
The bottom line
Perio Support is a zeolite-and-probiotic powder that some households find convenient. If you would like hydroxyapatite, kelp, enzymes, a prebiotic, a postbiotic, zinc and green tea in one scoop, try Pure Majesty Pets Dog Dental Powder for brushless daily oral-hygiene support, or browse our dog dental supplements.