Bad toys

I am reminded today of a dog who went over the bridge several years ago. He was a beautiful boy, gentle, peaceful, and jolly, beloved by his owners and all who knew him in the park. He died badly. He choked to death when a rubber ball that he had had for years became stuck in his throat. His owners did everything they could, but he was dead by the time he arrived at the emergency vet's practice. They were devastated.

A ball quickly becomes slimy when it's covered with drool and can slip down a dog's throat and get stuck, blocking the airways. If this happens, don't put your hand in the dog's mouth. You are more likely to shove the thing further down and to be bitten as the dog struggles to breathe. Instead, try to force the ball up by squeezing the dog's throat from the outside, under the object and pushing up until it is forced out. This will cause bruising, and you'll need to get the dog to the vet as soon as you possibly can, but it's better than choking to death.


Please never give small toys to a big dog. Even if they don't get stuck in the throat, a swallowed toy can cause the dreaded Gastric Torsion or Bloat, which is fatal if untreated. Here is a useful chart from Bassetrescue:

http://www.bassetrescuedfw.org/info/...e=s73m1970.pdf

In memory of a good dog.

Never play with tennis balls
Always use balls on a rope

Sadly our manager at work had a sister who bought their dog a small ball for Christmas. It died on Christmas day as it got stuck in its throat and it couldn't breathe. It was heartbreaking as they thought the world of this dog.




I am afraid I gave up on these as they kept getting stuck on trees when I used to play with them on the heath. They used to be dangling there from a branch 50 feet in the air and Cherry would be looking at me and the ball and waiting for me to get it for her! Very disappointed dog when we used to go home without it. Moral of this is don't play with ballies on a rope near trees I guess.

OR perhaps don't play with balls if you are crap at throwing them! ROFLMAO

Only balls on ropes here!
Always sad to read about dogs dying in this way

There are always balls on ropes in the trees where I bring my dogs. There's the occasional plain ball as well! I've lost more that a few that way.

It's such a simple thing, but it eludes so many people No toys that can block the throat, ever.