Can dogs eat fluff from toys?
Dogs should not ingest fluff or stuffing from their toys or other household items, such as cushions. This is particularly true of polyester fluff, which contains toxins remaining from the production process.
Even non-toxic, natural polymers present a serious risk if ingested. For example, bowel obstruction is a condition where your dog’s digestive system gets clogged up by a foreign body. That causes several serious additional problems and can be fatal if left untreated.
If your dog is a serial chewer and tears up anything soft, it’s best to limit their access to anything that contains stuffing.
There is the additional risk of stuffing becoming a choking hazard. This can also occur when your dog is vomiting up the stuffing they have swallowed.
Consult your vet immediately if you suspect that your dog has ingested stuffing.
It is plausible that a dog could pass a small amount of polyester stuffing, but it isn’t worth taking the risk.
If the stuffing does clog up your dog’s digestive system, the result can be fatal. It only takes a couple of days for the damage to be so severe that your dog might be unable to recover.
If you suspect that your dog has eaten stuffing, the best thing to do is visit your vet immediately. They will be able to tell you what the best treatment is and assess whether your dog might pass the stuffing.
You might like to read our post, Can you leave a puppy with a Kong or a Nylabone?
Find Out What Your Dog Ate
Examine any chewed-up toys your dog has pulled stuffing from.
Looking over the toy can help determine how much stuffing you think your dog may have eaten and the texture and type of stuffing.
Knowing the amount and general type of stuffing your dog has eaten can help you determine the seriousness of the situation.
This information is also useful if you call or visit your veterinarian.
If you walk in on your dog actively eating stuffing, it is worth it to remove stuffing pieces from their mouth.
If your dog has stuffing in or near its throat (far back in its mouth), do not try to remove it, as you may accidentally end up pushing it further down.
Teething Toys
If your puppy is teething, the last thing you want is for them to have access to a stuffed toy. Fortunately, there are some great toys designed specifically with teething in mind.
Our favorite teething toy resembles similar products that one finds for human babies. The Nylabone Puppy Chew Toys are practical, durable, and easy to clean.
How to Use a Kong Dog Toy – Stuffing Ideas!
One of my dogs is a toy terror. She can destuff a toy within a few hours of me purchasing it. It seems like she knows exactly where the weak spots are, and she exploits them with surgical precision.
I haven’t got an issue with her breaking them. She gets plenty of enjoyment out of them while they last, so I feel like it’s money well spent.
My issue is with the seemingly endless reams of polyester stuffing that spills out of the poor stuffies. Not only does it get absolutely everywhere, but it doesn’t seem like the type of thing my dog should be eating.
Now, I’m lucky in that my dog prefers to decorate with the stuffing rather than eat it. However, plenty of dog owners despair when they realize their beloved pooch has ingested the toy innards.
It can be a worrying situation that leaves us wondering whether to call the vets or sit and watch. Nobody wants to make the wrong decision in that situation, so what should you do?