Skip to main content

Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

Palo-Santo-Candles

Tips for Selecting Safe Dog Toys

Small dog sitting on couch with dog toys

Samia Liamani/Unsplash.com

These guidelines compiled by Vetstreet are recommended by veterinarian Karen Shaw Becker to help in choosing toys that will keep a dog not only happy, but safe.

• Choose toys that are the right size for your dog. Giving a small toy to a large dog poses a risk of inhalation and choking. Small balls are especially dangerous, as they can easily become lodged in your dog’s trachea. Generally speaking, you should choose large toys for large dogs and smaller toys only for smaller dogs.

• Avoid toys that have small parts that can be chewed or pulled off and those with sharp edges or that can be chewed into sharp points.

• When playing fetch, avoid toys that are heavy or hard enough to damage your dog’s teeth or injure him.

• If your dog likes to de-stuff toys, be sure he’s not eating the stuffing. Some dogs really enjoy stuffing-free toys.

Toys That Require Close Supervision

• Long, rope-like or tug toys, since they can become wrapped around your dog’s neck

• Squeaky toys if your dog likes to play “rip out the squeaker”

• Battery-operated toys, because if your dog manages to get the batteries out and swallows them, it can result in battery toxicosis

• Tennis balls, which can be a choking hazard for large dogs, and the abrasive fuzz may wear down the teeth of an aggressive or persistent chewer

• Frisbees and similar flying discs that may cause your dog to jump up and twist simultaneously, which can lead to leg and back injuries

Toys to Avoid

• String, ribbon, pantyhose, socks and rubber bands, all of which can be swallowed and cause life-threatening complications in the digestive tract

• Children’s toys (such as stuffed animals); they’re not designed to withstand the type of play dogs engage in

• Toys stuffed with beads or beans

• Rocks and sticks

• Containers (including bags) large enough for your dog to put his head in; if it becomes stuck, he can suffocate

• Tug toys for dogs with neck or back problems, such as herniated disks

• Rubber toys with a hole in only one end, as they can form a vacuum that catches your dog’s tongue

• Rawhide chews aren’t recommended for several reasons, including that they pose a high risk of choking and intestinal obstruction


ArnoAdobeStockcom

Toyland for Pooches: Choosing Safe Playthings a Dog Will Love

Veterinary advice on what to consider when selecting toys for dogs that are safe, stimulating and long-lasting. Read More » 

 

In-Print National Content December 2021
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

Upcoming Events Near You
Follow Us On Facebook