# Sticky  Beware the Rope Toys - And More Things You Haven't Thought Of!



## Moxy

So, Moxy and Crow have this giant ball that has a tug o' war rope through the middle. After a year of playing with it, the rope frayed today. After picking up several pieces off the floor, I finally put the ball away. 

Anyway, after playing with the rope for a while, Mox began licking her lips and chomping her jaws. I opened her mouth and pulled out a good foot of string that she had swallowed...and part of it was attached to her tooth, which kept her from swallowing it completely.

Please, be careful with these rope toys. Watch your dogs carefully. This ball is now in the trash. I am so glad Moxy is ok and didn't swallow the rope pieces.


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## Twyla

You got lucky!! Woolf did swallow pieces of the rope in his early life... barely escaped surgery but still left with huge vet bill.

We now have 1 rope toy that stays in the training bag to only be used as part of the never ending array of tugs to be used as rewards. Never leaves my sight.


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## llombardo

Mine have eaten pieces alot smaller then yours and it comes out in their poop. Now they only have rope toys with supervision and once they start looking worn, in the garbage they go


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## Moxy

Twyla said:


> You got lucky!! Woolf did swallow pieces of the rope in his early life... barely escaped surgery but still left with huge vet bill.
> 
> We now have 1 rope toy that stays in the training bag to only be used as part of the never ending array of tugs to be used as rewards. Never leaves my sight.


That is scary! So glad I got it out. I usually catch stuff like that because I have an 8-month old who is just starting to crawl. Don't want him choking on it, either.

Glad your dog is ok, too!


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## paulag1955

llombardo said:


> Mine have eaten pieces alot smaller then yours and it comes out in their poop. Now they only have rope toys with supervision and once they start looking worn, in the garbage they go


I just tossed a worn one last week.


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## Bear L

Thank you for posting this! I will go throw away my dog's frayed rope toys now.


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## Nikitta

Oh wow, I had no idea. I'm tossing them when I get home!


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## Moxy

Bear L said:


> Thank you for posting this! I will go throw away my dog's frayed rope toys now.


You're welcome! I know now to toss them when they start fraying. Or just put them away when they start chewing on them.


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## Lilie

My Lacy tries to fray the rope and pull the pieces of rope out and swallow them. Now the only rope toys I use are the ones that I've created flirt poles with. Big rubber Kongs are the only free choice toys I leave unattended.


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## Zeeva

I agree, thank you for sharing! I thought those rope toys were pretty durable...


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## Moxy

Zeeva said:


> I agree, thank you for sharing! I thought those rope toys were pretty durable...


They gave us one when we brought Mox home from the pound. She chewed through it in less than a minute. I'm surprised the ball with the rope lasted as long as it did. I just didn't think she would swallow any of it.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN

Also beware pulling anything out of your dog that is in your dog like a rope toy or string (thinking cat) especially from the other end. Call/take the dog to the vet - there could be something wrapped around the GI system...and that can be bad. 

Glad that all is well for Moxy!


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## Zeeva

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> Also beware pulling anything out of your dog that is in your dog like a rope toy or string (thinking cat) especially from the other end. Call/take the dog to the vet - there could be something wrapped around the GI system...and that can be bad.
> 
> Glad that all is well for Moxy!


OMG I've done this before! I am so lucky. I never even considered such a thing could happen  Good advice.


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## Moxy

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> Also beware pulling anything out of your dog that is in your dog like a rope toy or string (thinking cat) especially from the other end. Call/take the dog to the vet - there could be something wrapped around the GI system...and that can be bad.
> 
> Glad that all is well for Moxy!


Thankfully, I caught it before it got too far into her digestive system. Not sure I have the stomach or stones to pull anything out of the back end.


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## huntergreen

thanks for the warning, i have also had a huge vet bill after having a blockage removed.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN

Zeeva said:


> OMG I've done this before! I am so lucky. I never even considered such a thing could happen  Good advice.


I had no idea either - a bunch of crazy cat ladies told me that!


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## Moxy

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> I had no idea either - a bunch of crazy cat ladies told me that!


Apparently, they weren't so crazy after all. Lol


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## Twyla

Maybe this should be made into a sticky. 

So many don't realize the issues this toy can create. The labels are always covered with all the feel good stuff like cleans the teeth, good exercise etc and nothing about the dangers.


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## Moxy

Twyla said:


> Maybe this should be made into a sticky.
> 
> So many don't realize the issues this toy can create. The labels are always covered with all the feel good stuff like cleans the teeth, good exercise etc and nothing about the dangers.


I agree. I never thought about the dangers until I got a GSD...especially one who likes to destroy and obliterate her toys. I was told the black Kong toys and larger ball toys would be better for her since they are more durable. She will kill a tennis ball in 4 seconds flat. So, we have to really be careful about her toys.


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## Twyla

Moxy said:


> I agree. I never thought about the dangers until I got a GSD...especially one who likes to destroy and obliterate her toys. I was told the black Kong toys and larger ball toys would be better for her since they are more durable. She will kill a tennis ball in 4 seconds flat. So, we have to really be careful about her toys.


FYI about tennis balls. Not good for their teeth, wears them down like sand paper. And at some point becomes to small and can be swallowed. It does happen.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN

Moxy said:


> Apparently, they weren't so crazy after all. Lol


:rofl: Apparently not!

We could change the title to rope toys and other things you don't think of as dangerous (or something like that) and people can add in for a sticky?


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## Twyla

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> :rofl: Apparently not!
> 
> We could change the title to rope toys and other things you don't think of as dangerous (or something like that) and people can add in for a sticky?


That would work!! :thumbup:


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## Moxy

Twyla said:


> FYI about tennis balls. Not good for their teeth, wears them down like sand paper. And at some point becomes to small and can be swallowed. It does happen.


Oh yeah. We don't use them for chew toys. We use them for fetch. We have to put them away when she isn't playing because we've seen her annihilate them. 

Changing the title is fine by me. I just want people to know the dangers.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN

This dog ate (there used to be pictures) a few pencil eraser sized pieces of kong toy:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/health-issues/94656-chewing-kong-my-jessie-er.html

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/health-issues/99116-god-i-am-pissed.html

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/health-issues/99296-tli-test-results-any-input.html


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## gsdraven

Moxy said:


> Oh yeah. We don't use them for chew toys. We use them for fetch. We have to put them away when she isn't playing because we've seen her annihilate them.
> 
> Changing the title is fine by me. I just want people to know the dangers.


I'd be careful with fetch with them too. I've heard enough stories of a dog swallowing them to be a little paranoid. I use balls that are too big to fit behind my dog's back teeth when playing throwing games.

My current favorite are these:







http://www.amazon.com/KONG-Squeezz-Ball-Dog-Large/dp/B004YCJPT2/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1345044980&sr=1-1&keywords=KONG+Squeezz+Ball+Dog+Toy%2C+Large


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## meg-girl

GET RID OF ALL ROPE TOYS BURN THEM !!
i had a dog named bear and me family loved hi sooo much we would never do anything without him, i didnt know someone could love a dog that much!! One day he swollowed string and a week later we saw somthing was wrong, He had to get 4 operations because a 3 foot long string was wraped around all his instesines and it killed his insides. We paid $6,000 for everything and we dont regret it !!! He might have died anyway but that $6,000 was best $ 6,000 we ever spent!!
I MISS THAT FREAKING DOG SOO MUCH AND I MISS HIM EVERYDAY!!


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## msvette2u

My dog has broken teeth on nylabones and antlers, both. Just saying, watch your dog's teeth when you give them something new like that. He's an OCD chewer, so regular toys/regular chewers may not be an issue.


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## Nigel

I've always put their toys up when we are done playing, but I was careless a couple weeks ago and let Zoey hang on to a chuck it ball while I paid the pizza guy and just that quick she ate almost half of it. We got lucky and she is fine, but that kind of stuff scares the crap out of me.


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## cassadee7

Saber tried to eat rope toys too. I have an alternative for those interested, that I think is safer. Target has these toys that are the same shape/length as a rope toy but it is 3 strips of thick fuzzy fabric woven together in a braid with a knot at each end. We use those for tug in training. Saber never has gotten any pieces off of it and it holds up well (but I still wouldn't leave it unattended, we only use it for tug). They are only $3.

Also be careful fetching with sticks with your dog. When I was a kid we threw sticks for our dog Scooter to fetch. One time we threw the stick and it landed stuck into the ground, she ran to fetch it by the end and jabbed the stick all the way into the back of her throat where it got stuck with blood gushing out. A vet was able to fix it, but I never fetch with sticks due to this.


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## Sunflowers

We only have two, which were made in Germany. No China-made rope toys. And he always has to be supervised when he plays with them.


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## kbella999

Moxy said:


> So, Moxy and Crow have this giant ball that has a tug o' war rope through the middle. After a year of playing with it, the rope frayed today. After picking up several pieces off the floor, I finally put the ball away.


Is this the Jolly Ball you are talking about? My boy loves his. I had to throw the first one away since he destroyed the ball. This is good to know. He isn't really interested in the rope but I'll definately keep an eye on this now.



Twyla said:


> FYI about tennis balls. Not good for their teeth, wears them down like sand paper. And at some point becomes to small and can be swallowed. It does happen.


Are the Kong Squeeky balls bad for the dogs teeth also?


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## Moxy

kbella999 said:


> Is this the Jolly Ball you are talking about? My boy loves his. I had to throw the first one away since he destroyed the ball. This is good to know. He isn't really interested in the rope but I'll definately keep an eye on this now.
> 
> 
> Are the Kong Squeeky balls bad for the dogs teeth also?


Yep...the Jolly Ball. My dogs love it. I still have to get another one. I think they were saying the squeeky balls are bad for their stomach since they can swallow the pieces after tearing them up.

On a positive - I bought the breast cancer awareness tennis balls made by Wilson, and Moxy hasn't destroyed one yet....even our friends' GSD didn't destroy it when the two of them played with one this weekend. Weird, right? They don't catch it in the air, though...so I haven't been worried about them swallowing it whole.


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## Twyla

kbella999 said:


> Are the Kong Squeeky balls bad for the dogs teeth also?


Sand, grit and dirt can still get caught in the covering and act like sand paper. I use the JW balls, so far they are tough enough that Woolf hasn't torn them up and there is no cover for the grit to be caught in.


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## wolfy dog

*Sticks*: a dog carried it by the top of the stick, stumbled over something and it went right through his brain, killing him instantly.
*Tennis ball size hard rubber ball* (Kong?)lodged in a GSD's throat, they couldn't get it out and he died on the way to the vet from suffocation.
*Dried out bones*, even uncooked, become too hard and can break their teeth.
A friend's dog ran up to a *metal faucet* with running water and broke her tooth.

I don't let them play freely with toys they can take apart. Rawhide under supervision only.
I know we can worry about many things but the ones we can prevent help.


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## kbella999

Twyla said:


> Sand, grit and dirt can still get caught in the covering and act like sand paper. I use the JW balls, so far they are tough enough that Woolf hasn't torn them up and there is no cover for the grit to be caught in.


Good point. I'll definately watch this more closely now. I have a JW ball and a Orbee Tough ball. He likes both of them but the Kong Squeeky balls are his favorite.


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## AFWife

*No idea*

My husband had a cat that ate some floss and they had a problem so I knew about eating long stringy things can be bad. We have a few tough rope toys that we have gotten for Blitz and just recently I caught him tearing at the ends of it some. I have never thought about it being bad for him since it has always been minor pieces but this really caught my attention and now has me worried about him. He is not an avid chewer so we haven't had a problem before. I will definitely be checking his toys more often now. Thanks.


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## Serbrider

I don't think people should freak out and ban everything. Eventually your dog will have nothing to chew/play with because everything has an inherent risk to it. People die in bathtubs and sinks. Ballpoint pens kill people. Both people and animals can choke and die on even soft foods.

And not always because they were being irresponsible. Accidents sometimes happen. Millions of people chew on ballpoint pens. Should they all stop because a few accidentally swallowed a piece that tore their insides apart?

That being said, I do agree that we should be responsible and certain toys/chews should not be left unattended with your dog.

I don't use tennis balls because I wouldn't like the way they feel on my teeth, or even in my hand, so I don't even bother. 

But ropes? I will let my older dog play with her rope. Why? Because it is the ONLY toy I can actually get her to play with. With my puppy, I'll let her play with ropes, under supervision, but she enjoys them and they are great tugs. HOWEVER, I will only use cotton ropes that I make myself. More biodegradable, easier on their teeth, and if some is accidentally swallowed, poses a much smaller risk than a polyester rope.

But no matter what toy, there will always be a risk. Kongs can be torn and pieces swallowed (yes, even the black ones), jolly balls can pose a risk, raw bones can damage teeth, etc.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Susan_GSD_mom

One of mine has this thing about dryer sheets. I have found them in his poop, he must find them if they fall on the floor when I take clothes out of the dryer and don't see them right away. So I have become totally anal about them and search every load of clothes to find them and throw them away! I sure don't know what the attraction is, but i don't want an impaction!


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## TommyB681

Penny shreds her ropes. I always have to stay on my toes trimming the excess strands with scissors until its too damaged to use any. Penny has however swallowed some because i find it in her stool occasionally


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## K9POPPY

My vet says he has done more surgeries for rope toy ingestion than probably any other obstruction! He recommends no rope toys, there's so much that is safer!!!!! Bob


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## LoveDogs

My sister-in-law is a vet and she told me to never give my dog a cheap rawhide from WalMart or other bargain stores. She said they do not digest well and swell when moist. At the time she said she had to do 3 surgeries in a week because of intestinal blockage and each time the rawhide was the culprit.


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## wolfie13

So rope toys are dangerous? Hmmm...I might be looking at a new toy then.


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## puffswami

I have two dogs and neither have been big fans of chewing. I think because when they were pups to even a few years old I discouraged them from chewing furniture and stuff around the house.

For fetching i've always used a field hockey ball. It is like an oversized tennis ball but hard solid rubber with no covering. It doesn't really bounce either. My GSD loves them and they are too large to swallow.


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## SCWilliamson

my boy loves his ropes. He doesn't shred them, should I still be concerned?


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## GSD246

I just throw a rope away today. My new pup was playing with it when it came apart on her. It was amazing to see how much she managed to get into her mouth in such a short time with me standing less than a foot away on the otherside of the rope.


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## Moxy

SCWilliamson said:


> my boy loves his ropes. He doesn't shred them, should I still be concerned?


If they aren't shredding or unraveling, I wouldn't be concerned. We still use ropes, but once they come untied or start to shred, then they go in the trash.

My point in posting this was to bring awareness to the dangers of rope toys when you have a hard chewer and aren't paying attention. 

Moxy has long since passed (2017), and we now have a 2 year old knucklehead named Zoda. She and our Springer love playing tug with a rope. We found the "monkey fist" knotted rope has held up better than the standard ones. 

Hope all your pooches are safe and well!


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## Pistol Pete

Having worked in the veterinary field for many years, I tell everyone I know, do NOT give your dogs the rope toys, or, the rawhide bones.

I've assisted in surgeries, where both of those had been injested and, had caused severe impactions in the intestines. 

It's a very serious surgery. 

I've also seen dogs choke to death on those things.


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## Moxy

Thank you for that warning. It is time to go through all of our toys again and discard the frayed, chewed to a nub, and shredded toys. I will look fir better options when I go to the store. Do you have any you recommend?


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## Pistol Pete

The Kong toys are generally pretty safe, my dog has a small and large size Kong toy, they do seem to be indestructible.......although, I've had someone tell me her dog, a black lab, can destroy them in minutes ......I have never seen that happen, with any dog, as long as I've been around dogs.


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## Kimberly Baumgart

Mine Wolfie "eat" some of the rope yesterday. I am very concerned  All I can do is just mind his poop for the next couple of days..fun!!


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## Sunsilver

One other thing to be aware of: TOWELS!! When a dog shreds a towel, it tends to come apart in long strings. These can cause the same problems as strands of rope, if the dog swallows them. I imagine knitted blankets would also be dangerous if your dog chews up its bedding.

Oh, and I heard it mentioned that Kongs are the best toys for heavy chewers, because they are virtually indestructible.
Nope.  

Have yet to find a toy that Star can't destroy. The Bad Cuz toys, which are made of heavy rubber, have the best life span, but first I have to remove the feet and horns, or she'll chew them off. Once she can get the squeaker out, she attacks the squeaker hole, and eventually manages to rip pieces off that. When that happens, the toy goes in the garbage, though she seems to have no trouble passing the pieces of rubber in her poop.


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