Indiana Vet Shares Heartbreaking Warning About Dangerous Cat Toys on the Market
A veterinarian in Newburgh shared a heartbreaking post about losing a patient due to easily breakable toys on the market.
Pet Toys Are More Important Than You May Realize
When it comes to having pets in our homes, they quickly become beloved members of the family, so we want to treat them like family. One of the ways we do this is by making sure our pet has access to toys. Now, toys for pets seem like just play, but actually, they can be very beneficial for your pets' mental and physical health.
According to Coastal Pet, there are multiple benefits to pet toys. Some of the physical benefits mentioned are that certain toys can aid in keeping your pets' teeth clean, and playing with toys can help your pet get their energy out as well. Coastal Pet also says that having toys that are mentally stimulating to your pets is crucial to your pets' well-being as well. These types of toys can help combat boredom in your pets, which can also help reduce destructive behaviors.
From these reasons alone, you can tell that toys are an important part of pet ownership , but it's critical to make sure the toys you get for your pet are safe for them. Unfortunately, one vet had to put out a critical warning about a popular cat toy because of a choking hazard.
Newburgh Veterinarian Shares Critical Warning About Dangers of Certain Toys
Recently, I saw a post on Facebook that made my heart sink. The post was from a local veterinarian, Dr. Turpen, through U-Vet. Dr. Turpen is a friend of mine; we went all through school together, and she also happens to be my dog George's care provider. She has a passion for animals and provides great care to them. She took to Facebook to share a tragic story about how she lost a 2-year-old patient on March 27th due to a cat toy that broke apart too easily, and U-Vet shared the heartbreaking post to their Facebook to warn other cat owners.
In the Facebook post,U-Vet shared that the toys in question are made of a soft rubber that can easily break apart and be swallowed by your cat. The post detailed how the soft rubber was not strong enough to withstand breaking apart when it was played with, and unfortunately, when it broke apart, a piece of it ended up causing a deadly obstruction for the young cat.
Yesterday, we lost a 2-year-old patient because he swallowed small pieces of his toy (pictured below). With permission from his owners, we are sharing these photos to spread awareness on the dangers of some products marketed towards cats.These particular toys are made of a soft jelly, stuffed with catnip and prey-sized and shaped, making it hard for cats to resist their natural instincts to eat them.Some cat toys, particularly small objects like rubber balls or plastic parts, can pose a serious risk if swallowed. These toys can become lodged in a cat's digestive tract, leading to painful obstructions.If you suspect your pet may have swallowed an object and can't pass it safely, watch out for these signs: vomiting, loss of appetite, constipation, and possible bloating.If your pet shows these signs, contact your vet immediately!
When talking about this toy in particular, Dr. Turpen said that due to the fact that the toy has catnip inside, cats try to eat it. She said, unfortunately, there's no regulatory board for pet toys to make sure they are safe, so word of mouth is the best way to warn folks about these issues.
When I looked up this particular toy online, there is a disclaimer on the product page stating that pets should be supervised when using this product since it can break into small parts and become a choking hazard or could cause an internal blockage. They say to discontinue use if the toy is damaged. This is a tragic reminder to check your pets' toys for any damage and make sure the toys you get for your pet are strong enough to withstand your pet playing with them.
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Gallery Credit: Rachel Cavanaugh
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