15/10/2024
Balls! No, I'm not being rude, honest ...
Most dogs love a ball, some are so ball obsessed they can't see, hear or concentrate on anything else when there is a spherical object in the vicinity. The common tennis ball is a thing of beauty to a dog and some of our Wags can track the oldest mankiest most disgusting balls! Are they the ideal toy and how do you pick an appropriate ball for your dog?
πΎ Try a ball made specifically for dogs. The felt on tennis balls can wear the teeth down like sandpaper, have a look at your dog's gnashers and see if you can spot non pointy canines and flattened dentition!
πΎ Throw away damaged balls or toys. Cheap balls can disintegrate even without determined jaws, steer clear of the foam or weak rubber or plastic balls and replace once showing signs of wear.
πΎ Ditch the ball thrower! Try "find it" or a great "sit and wait" while you hide or throw the ball, it's much more tiring as they have to use their nose and their brain. It's also a lot gentler on the joints than a simple throw and avoids creating ball adrenaline junkies who only want to play ball and who struggle to settle!
πΎ Pick a ball that is slightly oversized - a standard sized tennis ball is too small for most medium to large breeds (or small dogs with large jaws like staffies!). If the ball gets lodged in the throat it can cut off the airway as well as causing local trauma and intense distress for your dog.
πΎ All dog owners should be aware of the technique linked here. If your dog is choking on a ball or toy and loses consciousness you have little time to get to a vet. There are more videos on YouTube but I think this one shows both how to position the dog on their back and the firm external movement of the hands to sweep the toy up the throat really nicely. I also suspect that this beautiful shepherd got to the vets alive because of the large breathing hole in the middle of the Kong, had this been a ball, they might not have been so lucky. Look at the relief on the poor pup's face! https://youtu.be/ppYeUyh0gZg?si=nO2-C4gKAR4p9JWT
Please share this to all your dog owning friends, this can save a life! πΎ
Dr. Margaret Hunt of Travelers Rest Animal Hospital used the external extraction technique to dislodge the toy.