From the archives: This story was last updated in April 2019.
By the time Indria Tuckler realized that the dog toys she had brought home for her 14-month-old golden retriever were unsafe, it was already too late.
Tuckler had purchased some “rope toys” for her dogs that looked “extremely sturdy” at the time. That same day, she found them torn and shredded to pieces. Immediately, she threw away the debris that was left, and she only hoped her dogs hadn’t swallowed any.
Sadly, that was not the case. The retriever pup, Sam, experienced vomiting and diarrhea, and died two days later. Three feet of rope was found in her stomach, along with chunks of perforated intestine.
After the unfortunate experience, Tuckler made a point of sharing the lesson she had learned for the benefit of other dog owners. She went online and posted a warning to Vizsla Dog Lovers’ Facebook page.
“Dangerous rope toys! Beware!!” she began. She explained that the common yet deadly toys are sold in major outlets like “Petsmart, Petco, Homegoods, Marshall’s and TJ Max.” Tuckler’s post continued:
The ball unraveled and tore several holes in her intestines as she tried to pass it […] The damage from the rope was so extensive that she passed away two days later.
We did not even have the option of having another surgery. She quickly became septic and bled from her intestines into her stomach […]
The danger lies in the rope. The ball unravels into several feet of rope that dogs can swallow.
Linear objects pose more danger because they travel along the intestines causing more damage as they clinch the intestines into a tight ball.
(Illustration - alexei_tm/Shutterstock)
Tuckler had researched some of the dangers rope toys pose to dogs. She cited the Germantown Veterinary Clinic, who explained that dogs that chew toys apart are, most likely, eating some of it; rope toys are particularly dangerous because when eaten, they can cinch the intestines “like a drawstring on sweatpants,” which is “very painful for your dog […] and lacerations may develop where the rope digs into the intestinal wall,” according to their website.
By sharing what happened to Sam, though, Tuckler hopes to prevent future accidents and suffering from happening to other dogs. Not to mention that it’s incredibly heart-wrenching for their owners, too. If more people can spread the message, it may save everyone that heartbreak.
“I believe there is power in numbers and if we can share Sams [sic] story maybe we can save a dogs [sic] life.”
Michael Wing is a writer and editor based in Calgary, Canada, where he was born and educated in the arts. He writes mainly on culture, human interest, and trending news.
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