12/17/2025
Did you know that many of the emergencies we treat involve a pet playing with the wrong toy? Safe Toys Month is the perfect reminder to inspect your furry friend's playthings and help prevent a trip to our emergency room.
🚨 Three Common Toy-Related ER Visits We See:
Gastrointestinal Foreign Bodies: This is when a pet swallows something that can't be digested, often leading to an obstruction requiring emergency surgery.
❌ The Culprits: Socks, pieces of rawhide, tennis ball fuzz, squeakers, chewed-up pieces of soft, flimsy toys, and (especially for cats) tinsel/string/ribbon (linear foreign bodies).
Choking & Aspiration: Toys that break into small, sharp, or easily-swallowed pieces are a major hazard.
❌ The Culprits: Small, hard treats or bones (can wedge in the throat), tiny toys, or parts of toys that splinter.
Toxic Ingestion: Certain hidden components are extremely dangerous if chewed open.
❌ The Culprits: Toys containing batteries (like remote-control components or light-up toys), and even some toys that are scented with harmful chemicals.
✅ Your Safe Toy Checklist:
The Durability Test: Can your pet easily shred, tear, or chew off large chunks? If so, it's not safe for unsupervised play. Choose sturdy, appropriately-sized toys made for "power chewers" if needed.
The Size Rule: A toy should be large enough that your pet cannot swallow it whole or choke on it.
The "No Stuffing" Policy: If your dog regularly tears up soft toys, opt for stuffing-free options to eliminate the risk of swallowing foam or polyfill.
The String and Ribbon Ban: Keep all string, yarn, ribbons, and tinsel away from cats—they are highly prone to causing dangerous linear foreign body obstructions.
Routine Inspection: Throw away any toy that is heavily damaged, cracked, splintered, or missing its inner components (like a squeaker or filling).
When in doubt, take it out! A new, safe toy is always cheaper and safer than an emergency surgery.
