Are tennis balls bad for dogs? This is an interesting question.
Tennis balls are the epitome of a dog toy.
They’re tons of fun to play with and easily accessible. At fairly low prices, most people can acquire them pretty easily.
Pet stores, local sporting goods stores, and even grocery stores tend to carry plenty of them in stock.
However, tennis balls are best used only when you can keep a close eye on your pup. This is because, while they are undeniably one of the most beloved dog toys out there, tennis balls can pose health risks for dogs.
One of the major roles I play in writing articles for this blog is educating my readers. We also like to provide fun stories, tips and a peer group of people who are having the same questions or troubles. Recently, I was flipping through dog videos on YouTube.
What caught my eye over and over as I watched numerous videos was the use of regular felt tennis balls. I am definitely an advocate of using toys in your training program to build drive and also to add fun to regular dog training and you can read more about that here and here.
What Are the Risks If My Dog Ate a Tennis Ball?
One of the main problems with tennis balls is that big dogs like Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds have large mouths!
Therefore, their jaws powerful enough to wrap around the whole toy and break it in half within minutes!
So, what would happen if my dog ate a tennis ball and swallowed it?
If your dog swallows half of or a whole tennis ball, this could cause a blockage requiring surgery which is both painful and potentially fatal, and expensive.
Alternatively, a tennis ball lodged in your dog’s throat could block of their airway, causing your dog to choke to death.
Should I be concerned if my dog ate tennis-ball rubber?
If your dog ate tennis-ball rubber, again this could cause blockages requiring surgery.
What To Do If Your Dog Eats Part Of a Tennis Ball?
When a dog that is a big chewer and a tennis ball meet, the tennis ball usually encounters a terrible demise.
Most dogs will not swallow the tennis ball but could eat enough to become sick.
While the situation may not be as serious if your dog ate part of a tennis ball, you should treat the accident as if your dog swallowed a whole ball.
One of the most common parts of a tennis ball that a dog may swallow is usually the yellow fuzz.
While it may seem innocuous, tennis ball fuzz doesn’t break down in your dog’s stomach and could cause blockage in the intestines.
To be safe, make sure to contact your veterinarian and ask for advice. Try to make an estimate of how much of the tennis ball your dog ate.
If it doesn’t look like an emergency, your vet may suggest to keep an eye on your dog and wait for them to pass the ball in the stools.
Check the Safety of Your Dog’s Toys
It’s not up to your puppy to determine whether or not the toy that you are encouraging it to play with is safe.
It’s our responsibility, as dog owners and dog trainers, to make sure that our dogs are in a safe, healthy environment, and that includes making sure that dog toys are safe.
Checking whether a product you give to your dog is toxic is particularly important for soft toys your dog may inadvertently ingest tiny pieces of.
If the item is not in the database, many companies will have information about the material used on their website (noting non-toxic or similar).
If not, contact their customer support for information on where and how the toys were created.
In general, Chuck It and Planet Dog are safe for dogs to play with. They are well-liked and positively reviewed, and their products tend to be both safe and tough. Planet Dog, in particular, is a great option for a wide variety of doggy goodies and toys.
Its also important to remember that most or all toys carry some amount of risk to your dog from chewing and the potential for consumption, which is dangerous whether or not the toy is toxic. A bored dog with a destructible toy can have disastrous results. For example, even very small pieces from a toy – or the fuzz pelt torn from a tennis ball – can become lodged in or damage the intestinal tract. Ive even heard of large dogs swallowing tennis balls whole. So make sure that you either monitor your dog with toys or take reasonable precautions about what toys are left with your dog while unattended.
FAQ
Is the inside of a tennis ball poisonous for dogs?
Can a dog pass a small tennis ball?
What do you do if your dog eats a ball?
How do I stop my dog from eating tennis balls?