Oral care products represent one of the fastest-growing categories in the pet industry, and retailers would be wise to get in on the boom as early as possible.

As it is with humans, good oral hygiene is essential for the health of dogs and cats, says Bud Groth, president of Spring Park, Minn.-based PetzLife Products, Inc. The problem is that the need for pet oral care doesn’t yet have the same high recognition factor among consumers and even among some pet retailers, he explains. The result is a lot of unnecessarily neglected mouths.

Category Gaining Teeth
Educating consumers about the importance of pet oral care is simply good business for pet retailers. “This is a growing category, and a strong one for us,” says Nadine Joli-Coeur, co-owner of Natural Pawz, a retailer with six locations across Houston. “Vets are suggesting more teeth cleaning, so there is more general awareness and more concern.”

Natural Pawz carries products for cats and dogs, and focuses on natural foods and products, holistic health and pet accessories. Joli-Coeur carries dental care products in all six locations, and her inventory features an array of items, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, liquids added to water to reduce plaque and tartar, dental chews and more.

“We’re seeing growing demand from dog owners, and also seeing a slight growth trend with cat owners,” she says. “We don’t usually have cat owners brushing their cat’s teeth; they’re usually looking for something to put into water or a hard treat.”

Dental-care products provide retailers with a chance to offer more value to their customers. Joli-Coeur says people will often come in with problems or questions related to their pet’s oral health, giving her an opportunity to connect with them in a meaningful way and to provide assistance.

These products also offer customer education opportunities. Take the seemingly simple chew, for example. Vetradent Inc. manufactures Bluechews, a dental health bar for canines, says Pam Alexander, president and CEO of the Ft. Lauderdale-based company. Because Bluechews must be chewed a certain amount of time in order to work, they’re sized to the dog, she explains. However, since there are more small chews per bag, compared to the larger chews, customers often economize by purchasing the smaller bag, making the chew ineffective.

“Customer education, in this respect, is essential,” says Alexander.

In addition to providing real value to pet owners, dental care products provide attractive profit margins for retailers, says Jorge Zarur, general manager of Houston-based Benedent Corporation, manufacturers of the Triple Pet Triple Head Toothbrush. “The markup [on the company’s toothbrush] is good and solid,” he says, adding that the product’s smaller size, relative to other inventory like beds, makes the category an even more profitable use of shelf space.

Promoting Awareness
As awareness about the importance of dental health in pets has grown, so has the range of products on the market. Joli-Coeur says she’s noticed, when attending industry shows, that there’s more of a focus on this category.

Groth agrees. “Oral care is becoming the most talked about issue in the health arena for dogs and cats,” he says.

The economy is playing a huge part in this phenomenon, fueling consumer interest in less-expensive alternatives to costly veterinarian-delivered dental care, says Groth. This has sparked no small amount of product innovation from manufacturers.

For example, there’s PetzLife Oral Care Gel (good for cats) and Spray, both designed to remove plaque and tarter, freshen breath and heal infected gums, says Groth.

From Ark Naturals Products for Pets come Breath-LESS Chewable Brushless Toothpaste and Breath-LESS Fizzy Plaque Zapper. The “toothpaste” is actually a bone that comes in narrow and wider diameters. The odorless, colorless and tasteless plaque zapper is added to water, making it cat friendly, says Susan Weiss, president of the Naples-Fla.-based company.

Then there is PlaqClnz from Phoenix-based SmartPractice. Consisting of three items–a pre-treat spray solution, an oral gel and an oral irrigator–the PlaqClnz kit is currently directed to groomers, explains Bruce Muller, the company’s director of marketing and sales. However, the gel is intended for sale to clients, affording an additional retailing opportunity.

As more dental care products become available and as more retailers stock these items, consumer awareness will increase, further fueling category growth. Manufacturers are determined to assist. Consider Vetradent. This year the company is focusing attention on in-store demos, signage, and developing an educational DVD they’ll send to retailers and also post on their website.

But retailers must do their part through innovative displays, moving the items to prominent locations in the store, samplings and demos, promotions, and staff/customer education, says Weiss, who also suggests taking and posting photos of satisfied customers and their pets.

“The market is still too green for people to be walking into the store looking for [these items]” says Zarur. “They just don’t realize this opportunity exists, and that the opportunity exists to save money.”

Originally published at www.petbusiness.com