What Happens if My Dog Eats a Rope Toy?
If your dog slurps down a long piece of spaghetti-like rope, one end may travel as far as the upper intestines, while the other end remains caught in the stomach. As your dog’s digestive system attempts to move the object through the body, the strand tightens and the intestines cinch like a drawstring on sweatpants.
As you might guess, this is very painful for your dog. Left untreated, the strand may draw the intestines into a tight ball, and lacerations may develop where the rope digs into the intestinal wall.
Even if your dog doesn’t completely destroy his toys, he may sit and chew happily on a tug-of-war rope, shredding off and eating tiny strands at a time. This isn’t as dangerous as swallowing long strings, but it can still cause blockages in your dog’s intestines, like hairs clogging a shower drain.
The Dangers of Rope Dog Toys
Chewing is natural in dogs, unfortunately, the tragic history of some rope toys points to a more serious reality than many people realize. Rope dog toys can be dangerous in three different ways.
The toy is too small and can be swallowed, obstructing the throat.
The first danger is that the toy is too small for your dog. If a rope is too small, your pooch could swallow it whole. In the best-case scenario, this can cause digestive issues and obstruct the bowels, which can even necessitate surgery.
In the worst cases, it can obstruct your canine companions airways and choke them to death. A tiny ball meant for small breeds should not be provided to a Labrador. Always ensure you’re purchasing the right size toy for your size pup.
Because doggos come in all sizes, we developed three different dog ropes: two-knot, three-knot, and four-knot. Theres one for your dog, no matter their size.
The toy is made of synthetic or toxic materials.
This should not come as a shock to any pet parent but unfortunately, the world of pet supplies is fraught with danger, as suppliers around the world put cheap manufacturing costs over the safety of our pet pals.
In 2007 she accomplished her dream of practice ownership, designing and building her own clinic. Another meaningful role, while running her clinic, was serving as her countys shelter veterinarian. This gave her the opportunity to help improve the lives of many animals in her community as well as work with the rescue she loved. She sold her practice in 2019 to move across the country.
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Beth Turner is a veterinarian with over 20 years of experience. She graduated from North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine and following graduation, she began her career as an associate veterinarian and worked closely with the local shelter.
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Dog Owner Posts Heartbreaking Warning About ‘Rope Toys’ for Dogs After Pup Dies
If your dog chews on a rope toy, the odds are that he’s also swallowing pieces of that rope, to a greater or lesser extent. One single strand pulled off a rope toy can cause devastating internal injuries to your dog. Let me tell you the story of one of my customers’ dogs, Dougal.
Dougal’s Story Dougal’s owner got in touch with me just this last week and asked if I would be willing to raise awareness on the dangers of rope toys for dogs. Of course, I am more than happy to. There are a lot of similar stories out there and they do occasionally make the headlines.
There are risks involved in much of what we and our pets do. The key thing is that we need to be aware of those risks, understand what can go wrong and, if you choose to continue to allow rope toys, at least you know to be vigilant.
“Dougal had several of these [rope toys], the kind with twisted rope with knots at intervals. Unknown to us, he had bitten off a chunk of rope and then swallowed it. It was only when he stopped eating and drinking that we were aware of something wrong.
To cut a long story short, it had got stuck in his intestines and he needed an emergency operation to remove it. Peritonitis had set in by this point and we were very lucky indeed that he survived. The vet removed 10cm of rope, so we are not sure how he managed to swallow it! … Needless to say, his remaining rope toys are now in the bin. We had no idea such toys could be so dangerous, but our vet said it’s not uncommon.”
Strands of rope that become detached from a rope toy and then swallowed are referred to as ‘linear foreign bodies’ by the veterinary profession; they are among the most devastating things a dog can swallow. Once the strand of rope gets into the small intestine, it is virtually impossible for it to pass naturally. This irritates the intestine and often causes peristalsis – the action of the intestine passing waste along the digestive tract – to cease or contract spasmodically. Your dog either stops eating altogether or is frequently sick following meals as the only way for the food to go is back up. Once you get your dog to the vet and she has him in the operating theatre, the vet will usually have to make several separate incisions into the small intestine in order to remove the strand in its entirety as the muscles of the intestinal wall will be gripping the rope.
Equally, a dog that regularly swallows just small pieces of rope can encounter serious issues, such as a blocked intestine, as these sodden rope fragments can collect together – much like hair clogging up the shower drain.
If you wish for your dog to continue to play with his rope toys, it’s best to stick to playing interactive games with them, rather than letting him have free access; especially if they are a chewer.