Eddie's Blog
About Eddie: I'm a dog on a mission. With your help, I'm going to change legislation in the U.S. to make sure chemicals are safe before they're put on the market. Read more or contact Eddie.
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Dog toys: Stuff NOT to play with
Okay, so I've given you the rundown on some of the safer dog toys on the market, but some of you are itching to know which toys you should specifically avoid. Here's what I've been able to dig up on dangerous dog toys.
The Basics: First, it's important to remember that any toy can pose a danger if it isn't used correctly. Most pet toys should only be used under supervision, and that's especially true if you're a chewer. So don't give your pet parent those puppy eyes when they take away your squeaky toy as they walk out the door. You know you'd tear it apart before they got home anyway.
Now, onto the culprits. . .
Too-small toys: A toy that's too big for its dog is a pain in the tuchus, sure, but a toy that's too small for its dog can be a serious danger. Small balls, cat toys, and anything that we can easily hold with the molars in the backs of our mouths pose a choking hazard.
Decorative bits: Ribbons, string, buttons, eyes and noses -- they're all no-nos as far as dogs are concerned. We could choke on them or, if we do swallow them, they could cause some pretty uncomfortable (and costly!) gastrointestinal discomfort. I don't really mind if my teddy bear is missing his nose because you snipped it off and sewed him back together. I promise.
Tennis balls: They're okay for playing fetch, and their size and furry exterior make it less likely that even the biggest dogs will choke on a whole tennis ball. But they're not meant to be chewed on, and that means that the glue and dye and whatnot that they're made with may not be safe for pets. Plus, even a moderate chewer can pull apart a tennis ball in now time, and the tennis chunks that they end up with pose a choking hazard.
Squeakers: Pets and their people should look skeptically at any toy that squeaks. I know you probably think you can play it cool, but how long will it be before you're tearing that toy limb-from-stuffed-limb to get at that darn little squeaking piece of plastic? Any toy that's been torn open for its squeaker presents a whole bunch of problems, from chunks of plastic that can be choked on to synthetic stuffed filling which can be ingested. Not to mention the squeaker itself! Humans should save squeaking toys for when they're going to be in the room. [Edit: We dogs do love our squeakers! Check out this Licked, a dog toy graveyard. Thanks to Cinny for the link!]
Vinyl toys: You know that plastic squeaky newspaper toy? The one that's kind of the same texture as your human sister's rubber ducky? Those soft, hollow plastic toys are made out of vinyl, a kind of plastic that has been softened by chemicals called phthalates. Phthalates disrupt hormones and are linked to all kinds of health problems. Plus, vinyl toys that were made outside the US may have lead in their paint. Chewing on vinyl is a really good way to be exposed to some really bad chemicals. Avoid vinyl toys altogether!
P.S. Looking for cat toys? Check out Cleo's picks and pans!
Photo: Brently and the New Toy: Part 7 (in which Brently asks, "So, what's next?") by Elisharene.
Regarding tennis balls: I have read that the surface of the ball is abrasive to the
teeth and can wear down the enamel.
Our dog Nitro likes to eat the tennis balls that our neighbour buys for her dog. We try not to let him have them but he gets the odd one and eats it. One solution we have, as Nitro likes to play with tennis balls, is to buy the lacrosse balls. There are made of indian rubber and he can't tear them apart and he loves to chase them. They are more expensive but it's better then him eating them.
Tammy, that's a great idea! Natural rubber is of course best.
I'm a registered veterinary technician and I've seen some terrible cases come through the clinic doors of dogs that like to chew sticks. Sticks that are small and splinter can be swallowed and puncture the esophagus, often requiring surgical removal. My advice is to always make sure that whatever toys your dogs love best are fit for their size. Large dogs should not be playing with small toys than can be swallowed. And any dog should beware of sticks and bones than can splinter and cause damage to the inside of the mouth and throat.
Pups be safe and have fun!
Love your emai site! Thought I would write you about a household cleaning product we just learned is NOT good for dogs - it is the Swiffer Wet Jet floor mopping product, wherein you "plug in" the bottle of the floor cleaner upside down onto the apparatus, and then, are able to spray the cleaner out in front of the mop to wet the floor and then, mop it. We noticed that one of our dogs began to throw up his dinner on some days, which is NOT his usual at all - I mentioned this to a friend who does professional housecleaning, and she asked, right off, if we were using the Swiffer Wetjet floor cleaning apparatus/product? Very surprised, I said we were - and she said, that is most probably the problem with your dog throwing up - she said they learned from clients that some of their dogs were havingj problems with that floor cleaner liquid, and subsequently, she called a vet and after researching, was told to not use it in people's homes for liability reasons, on top of it being just plain BAD for dogs! Ours went right into the trash, mop, bottles of cleaning solution, everything! Our dog hasn't thrown up since! Just thought it might be something for you to research in the future (topic of household cleaners/floor cleaners that make our animals sick). Thanks! L Adams
L Adams, OH MY! Thanks for sharing that information! I'll definitely take a look into that and forward your comment along to my sciency friends at Environmental Working Group. Just another reason to stick to warm water, soap, and a good old-fashioned mop when you're cleaning.
http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/swiffer.asp
In reference to the Snopes.com article linked above, there's a few things savvy pet people should know:
1. Manufacturers of cleaning products are not required to list the ingredients to their products on the labels, so it's almost impossible to know what's in there. Congrats to Swiffer for at least releasing their ingredients.
2. MSDS sheets don't tell you everything since in most cases, chemicals have not been adequately studied. It may say "safe for intended use," but it's not a guarantee.
3. Even if a chemical "should" be safe under "normal" circumstances, it doesn't mean you can't be allergic to it. Everypet is different and could show signs of illness when another pet won't.
4. If you're a pet owner that notices that using a Swiffer Wet Jet makes your furry friend sick, and that it clears up after you discontinue using it, you've done the right thing! That's just common sense, and you don't have to be as smart as a cat to figure it out.
Regarding the scare-tactics about cleaning products . . . It's always something, and it's usually a Proctor and Gamble product! Ever since 666 was found somewhere on a box of Tide or another of their many products back in the 60's, some have been convinced the company is trying to convert everyone who uses their products into devil worshipers. I'm stunned when people still believe this crap, and then start spreading the news without question, but the emails are on a constant cycle with one product or another listed as dangerous. Febreze suffered when it first came out, and people claimed it was dangerous for pets and would kill them. I guess with Swiffer being the hot product now, it's their turn to have to suffer through it!
KinKStar, I'm pretty sure Proctor and Gamble have better things to do than turn us all into "devil worshipers" -- like make lots and lots of money.
Seriously, though, have you ever used Febreze around a pet? Makes me sneeze like crazy! And on top of that, it may contain chemicals called phthalates which disrupt hormones. I say "may" because cleaning products don't even have to tell us what they're made of.
It's not always the kind of reaction you see in a day or a week or even a month -- it can take years and years for the toxic effects of the chemicals we use all the time to show up. We know these chemicals are in pets' bodies (and people's, too!), so why take chances?
A friend's dog chipped a tooth on a tennis ball.
Besides all of the usual dangers (bacteria, chipping teeth, dyes, etc), tennis balls don't last. They are not meant for dogs.
We use a Planet Dog ball and a ball from West Paw. We only bring them out for fetch and they've lasted forever. Both float. Both are made from recycled plastic and are non-toxic. Instead of buying dozens of tennis balls, we bought two quality toys specifically designed for dogs and earth-friendly people. Anything that has to be purchased over and over again is not eco-friendly.
I've got a four-pound pomeranian that's good with her big "sister," but I'd like her to play with similar size dogs, too. She's full of energy, but is still a bit scared of other dogs.
Reading about the dangers of different toys that dogs chew on brought to mind rawhide. Unless the label states its made in USA do not buy it. I read that most of the rawhide is processed in China, Mexico etc. Alot of chemicals are used to process the hides. The chemicals are toxic to our beloved dogs. And another thing to think about is when a large piece of soft rawhide is swallowed. It does not get processed thru the digestive system. It sits in the dogs stomach and causes problems. I know dogs love the stuff but I for one will not give it to my dog.
My dog Indi just had surgery to remove the squeaker from his intestine. It's sad how much my dog loves the plush squeak toys because I just can't see giving them to him anymore after spending nearly $3000 (USD) for the surgery. Indi is a lucky dog because we had the money to do the surgery (we are NOT rich nor have the cash laying around) but how many people will have to put their best friends down because of some cheap toy made in china!
PLEASE DO NOT GIVE YOUR DOG SQUEAKY TOYS..... Indi was sick for weeks and we thought it was his food.... despite multiple trips to the vet. It wasn't until we ultrasounded him ($575 later) that we found it. The vet thinks it was in his stomach for almost a month until it passed into (and flully blocked) his intestines. He told us if we didn't catch it as soon as we did the intestine could have atrophied past the blockage and he may not have been able to help him at that point.
The good news.... Indi is feeling better (albeit with less belly hair right now) and with lots of love & careful supervision we expect him to make a full recovery.
p.s. the squeaker was about the size of a full sized dog intestine (stretched a bit).... so keep in mind if they swallow it.... a full intestinal blockage is inevitable..... IF you catch it in time..... if not DEATH is the next step.
I hope this post finds and is shared with as many people as possible.... I don't want to see any animal suffer simply because there is no safety regulations for pet toys.
Oh and my GF & I are hyper-vigilant about watching what he plays with and what we give him.... so to those who may think we are simple dolts without a clue who didn't supervise their dog.... think again.... I am JUST LIKE YOU!
thanks for sharing this with others and hopefully we can all learn a valuable lesson.... without the pain, surgery or vet bills!
-joe
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