From the human side, the reaction must have been something like this: "We’re supposed to try what? That SPCA has gone far enough!"
It’s a brand we’re not familiar with. But if they’re safe for humans they must be safe for dogs, right? To prove this point, Oxyfresh managing director for Asia Baldev Singh takes a capful of pet deodorizer liquid and dunks it in his mouth.
Your mind spins dramatically: Is he going to drop dead right here at this press conference?
He doesn’t. He eats his lunch, cracks jokes and tells you about the pets he grew up with.
Not that you’re supposed to start eating your pet’s supplements at home, but he was trying to show us reporters that this product to cure the smell of dogs is tasteless and odorless – dogs won’t even know it’s in their water bowl. And by the way, this liquid that he just drank – it may be used not just on pet’s coat and skin and on urine and feces odors, but also on floors, furniture and clothing to eliminate pet odors. Like that’s not enough, it claims to be able to eliminate skunk odors, too.
Honestly, we would have taken his word for it, but it all happened too fast. And hey, a man who’s willing to drink liquid made for dogs deserves our attention.
That’s our introduction to Oxyfresh, a 20-year-old US brand that made its name on personal care products for humans (no animal testing for that one too). The brand carries Oxygene, the registered name of chlorine dioxide that Oxyfresh produces and adds to its various products. According to Oxyfresh people, chlorine dioxide is "a powerful oxidizing compound with many applications that are beneficial to human activity and only recently have those properties been directed to personal care. Its beneficial aspects center on its unique properties as an oxidizing compound; it has the ability to oxidize volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), which are responsible for the majority of body and mouth odors."
For humans, Oxyfresh makes toothpaste, mouthwash, dental gel, tongue scrapers, all-purpose deodorizer which eliminates dental and other odors, anti-bacterial skin barrier, cleansing gel, and supplements. The Primorye supplement is "based on the work of 1,200 scientists and the result of more than 3,000 studies that validate the life-changing abilities of rare, all-natural substances called adaptogens." Among the benefits of Primorye are enhanced mental clarity, stress relief, a stronger immune system, inhibiting the aging effects of free radicals, improved physical endurance, better quality of sleep and speeding up healing and recovery.
But it was with its mouth rinse that Oxyfresh made its name. Called "magical mouth rinse," it’s been featured in dental journals as well as business journals, thanks to its successful direct-selling strategy.
Back to the dogs. Baldev Singh says that a dog’s bad smell is the biggest deterrent of a pet owner getting close to his pet. Aside from the fact that you don’t want to play or hug a stinking dog, the smell may also be a symptom of a more serious problem. For instance, if a dog’s ears smell, it’s probably because of ear mites or mange; if he has bad breath, it may be periodontal disease, which vets call a "silent killer" of pets.
To avoid major pet diseases later, it’s easier to provide him with products to prevent these. Baldev says "it’s better to make small investments along the way – buy him the good personal care products and supplements, take him to the vet regularly – than be confronted with a huge headache later. A dog is an amazing friend, the love and the loyalty we get from one is incomparable. It’s our responsibility to take care of them. It’s not about how expensive a product is, it’s about its value to your pet’s health."
He reiterates that animal testing has always been a no-no for the company. But how do we know these products work on dogs? Wasn’t it logical to do humane animal testing (if there is such a thing) since the products are for animals anyway?
Oxyfresh’s Dr. Abelardo B. Agulto says that the company didn’t have to do animal testing since the ingredients have been around for a long time and there are now ways to do lab tests without using live animals, they can cultivate cells and so forth.
Like its personal care products for humans, the Oxyfresh Pet Care line also uses Oxygene as its ingredient.
The line includes the versatile Soothing Pet Gel, which cleans, soothes and deodorizes cuts, burns, scrapes, or sores on pets and also works on oral wounds. It contains aloe vera to reduce inflammation and Oxygene to reduce odors.
The Conditioning Pet Shampoo is pH-balanced and hypoallergenic, safe and mild enough to use everyday and also aids in the treatment of pyoderma and seborrhea.
Now let’s talk about bad breath, the thing that everybody notices but keeps quiet about. I don’t even like telling my dog Freeway that her breath stinks (when I do, I add "but I love you anyway" to boost her self-esteem). Every dog owner knows that dogs hate having their teeth brushed. With Freeway, we end up in a wrestling match on the floor, me waving her red toothbrush hysterically and trying in vain to make her stay.
Now Oxyfresh has the Triple Pet Toothbrush, a triple-headed toothbrush that makes brushing quicker, easier and more effective.
Then there’s the Mellow our Pet Relaxant, "a formula composed of all-natural ingredients to smooth out tensions without harmful side effects." I forgot to ask if this is Valium for dogs.
The Pet Ear Cleaner eliminates dirt and wax that accumulate in the pet’s ear canal which lead to discomfort and result in your dog shaking her head and pawing his ears. Formulated to loosen dirt and wax and Oxygene to eliminate odors, it helps prevent otitis extrema, the third most common reason we take our pets to the vet.
To help dogs absorb more nutrients from their food, there’s the Digestive Aid, which restores the missing enzymes from commercial pet food with a formula that encourages growth of good bacteria. They also have an anti-stress formula to "protect your pet from the damaging effects of stress."
Because in today’s world, even dogs need to chill out.