Heads-up - dangerous pet toy
For the animal lovers on my flist that aren't also on Kimber's flist, please be aware of this dangerous pet toy and Four Paws' lack of appropriate response (imnsho) so far. It makes me crazy that FP is telling people that they've recalled the product and that they've advised vendors to remove it from their shelves when a simple check shows that simply isn't the case. I've already checked my usual pet supply place and they don't carry any toys by Four Paws. Amazon lists a few places selling the dimple balls and if I recall correctly Wal Mart is a big carrier of Four Paws stuff. (I stopped going to Wal Mart last fall so I can't say that with total certainty. But I mention it just in case any of you know a dog owner who does go to WM.)
If you or anyone you know has a pet toy that's a hollow ball with only one hole, please poke or drill a second hole in the ball. The injury is caused by the dog's jaws crushing the toy, then when he relaxes his jaws, his tongue is sucked into that single hole as the ball tries to re-inflate. In Chai's case, his tongue eventually had to be amputated. Another dog owner who responded on Chai's blog was not so lucky -- she lost her dog in 2005 to injuries caused by this.
If you or anyone you know has a pet toy that's a hollow ball with only one hole, please poke or drill a second hole in the ball. The injury is caused by the dog's jaws crushing the toy, then when he relaxes his jaws, his tongue is sucked into that single hole as the ball tries to re-inflate. In Chai's case, his tongue eventually had to be amputated. Another dog owner who responded on Chai's blog was not so lucky -- she lost her dog in 2005 to injuries caused by this.