Four popular dog toys that could kill your pet according to vet

If you give your dog any of these four toys, you could be putting them at risk of harm. According to a vet, these popular play items could even kill your pet.

The River Road Veterinary Clinic has outlined which seemingly harmless items  you need to eliminate from your home  and explained how they could cause injury. The pet experts claim some items might lead to your four-legged needing surgery or worse.

Marrow bones and rubber balls, two popular dog toys, are among those outlined as dangerous. They are often given to pets who like to chew on things to calm their anxiety or just give them something to play with.

Marrow and rawhide bones can become dangerous as they can splinter if the bone is cooked. This could lead to your dog needing surgery, as owners are advised to give their pets raw marrow bones only.

A vet from The River Road Veterinary Clinic said: “Unfortunately, they do not come without a risk. The fatty marrow found in the centre of the bones can cause pancreatitis in sensitive dogs, so it is best to scoop most of the centre out before giving it to your pet.”

The larger your dog is, the more dangerous items such as toys and accessories become, as they are more able to break things off into pieces. Rubber balls are also dangerous as they can lead to tissue damage.

Rubber balls with holes can end up suctioned onto a dog’s tongue, which leads to blocked blood flow. To caveat this, the vet clinic recommends balls without holes or with multiple holes.

Rawhide bones are also on the list, with vets recommending rawhide chews as an alternative, as these dissolve in your dog’s stomach. A spokesperson for the clinic said: "They are often swallowed and they absorb water and swell within the stomach, growing in size and rendering them unable to pass through the intestines. Foreign body surgery to remove the large chunk of rawhide is then the only way to solve the problem."

Small, stuffed toys can also be dangerous for dogs. The vet added: "Another common culprit are pieces of larger toys that have been torn apart and are then eaten. Swallowing these things can result in an intestinal blockage that requires emergency surgery to correct."

Dog toys that could kill your pet

• Marrow bones
• Rubber balls
• Rawhide bones
• Small toys, such as small stuffed toys