Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/dog-toys-treats-avoid/
More than 200,000 dogs suffer from choking every year in the US.
Common causes? Dog treats and toys.
Not all dog toys and treats are safe. When buying toys, there are important factors to consider such as your dog’s play style and chew style which are part of its unique personality. And so, for your pet’s health and your own peace of mind, you should know which toys and treats are fine for your dog.
Kinds of Dog Toys That You Should Avoid Buying
According to the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), you should avoid a toy that can be easily picked up by your dog and carry it around in its mouth. With such a toy, there’s a high risk of your dog accidentally swallowing it.
Meanwhile, Dr. Hunter Finn, a Texas-based Integrative Veterinary Expert, told Newsweek, “The biggest risks are any toys that your pet destroys within minutes to seconds. I have to perform surgery on many dogs who eat the stuffings out of toys for months and as it accumulates in the GI tract it starts to become an irritation and sometimes even a blockage.”
He added, “My rule of thumb for the hardness of a toy is that if it is too hard for you to indent with your fingernail or if it’s too hard to slap against your knee without it hurting then it is definitely too hard for your dog to chew on.”
Kinds of Dog Treats that You Should Avoid Buying
Yes, we are fond of using dog treats to make our pets happy. They are also very effective for dog training and rewarding good behavior. However, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) cautions that dog treats must make up only 5 percent or less of our dog’s daily food intake.
Here are the treats we should not buy for our dogs:
- Sugary and Fatty Dog Treats. Always read the list of ingredients carefully before buying any treat. You should select those containing low amounts of sugar and fat. Fats and sweets cause obesity, joint pain, and heart disease.
- Any Types of Double-layered Rawhide, Hooves, Bones, and Pig Ears. Dr. Finn do not recommend these treats, especially pig ears. “The reason I do not like pig ears is that many of them are terribly manufactured and there have been issues with bacterial overgrowth/contamination in the past. Not to mention they are very greasy for the most part and can absolutely upset your dog’s GI tract or even worse lead to pancreatitis,” explained Dr. Finn. On the other hand, hooves and bones cause broken teeth, GI upset, or a serious case of bowel obstruction.
- Small Bones. Should you want to give your dog a bone, always make sure that it is too big for your pet to swallow. Never give poultry and rib bones because these often break and splinter, causing your dog to choke.
What are the Best Dog Toys to Keep Your Pet Healthy and Happy
Toys that keep your dog active are the best choices for your pets. Those toys that they can fetch like a frisbee and tennis ball. However, you should be careful of tennis balls because dogs can chew on them. You must quickly dispose of any balls that your dog has chewed through to avoid any choking incidents.
PDSA also advises that you should choose toys that your dog can carry around without being able to put them whole into their mouth. When selecting rubber rings or squashy toys, make sure that they are puncture-proof.
What are the Best Dog Treats to Keep Your Pet Healthy and Happy
Dr. Finn recommends low-calorie fruits or vegetables without any seasoning like carrot, watermelon slices, frozen blueberries, and banana slices from time to time. Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) approved dental chews are also good snacks for dogs.
Some people prefer to give bones for their dogs’ enjoyment, and if you are one of them, just make sure it’s a natural bone that’s too big for your pet to swallow and that it’s been treated and declared safe. You should also watch over your dog while it chews a bone because the bone might break and cause your pet to choke.
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Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
