Add. to BEWARE: (toys)

[Nyx]

Hiya all....


I want to make you all aware of the dangers of the BALL.
Yes the every day ordinary ball.

Our dogs love to chase them, and we love to toss them for our babies.

However, they are DEADLY!

Yes.. dangerously deadly- when they are too small for your dogs Chompers.

My Asher girl nearly died.
I had NEVER ever fretted over a ball.
Yes I made certain they were not golf balls, or tennis balls.....
And both my babies are supervised with their toys. They are land sharks after all.

However we suffered a horrible accident that I wish to share with you all and hopefully spare some one else from the trauma incurred by myself and my little girl.

Asher Lane has a HIGH chase drive..she LOVES to fetch and she will try to put everything (Mostly her toys) she finds along her way into her mouth to bring it to you.

Normal day, December 22 2012; She is 10 months old. Happy, energizer bunny GSD baby... we all know they need their exercise to keep fit and to keep us all sane.
Playing a little "fetch", or retrieve, with her ball.
A HARTZ textured ball with a bell inside it.
It is approximately the same size as a tennis ball (including the fuzz) but it doe snot have the fuzz, instead it has crisscross patterns for them to enjoy on their tongues.
On her "fetch" the ball is swallowed (or so I think) it is no longer in her Choppers, and we can not feel it within her mouth/throat...
Frantic we try a Heimlich. No go.
Asher starts frothing and foaming at the mouth and nose and is having trouble getting air...
I call my Vet's office, but, they are closed for the weekend (it is a Sunday) and THANKFULLY refer to emergencies with an Emergency Pet Hospital in our area. ( I did not even know there was one).
I call, inform them of the issue, am advised to get here ASAP and get directions. WE SPEED (yes I know, bad mom) to the hospital about 20 minutes away, normally, I make it in ten...
All the while poor Asher girl is wheezing, frothing, foaming and laying like she is already dead as I am cooing(chanting) to her to "just breathe... relax and breathe." And reminding myself to do the VERY same thing.

I am informed after her initial examination that Asher DID NOT swallow the ball.
That, in fact, if it had penetrated her Trachea she would have suffocated before we arrived to the Hospital.
However, the bal was jammed between the back portions of her jaw (the jaw make a V shape) and that it was impeding her breathing AND KEEPING the ball from being removed.
That the ONLY way to try to remove the ball was to preform a tracheotomy as soon as they put her Under General Anesthesia or she would suffocate before they could EVEN ATTEMPT to dislodge the ball.
Furthermore--- That the procedure MAY NOT WORK because the ball is covered in frothy foam making it slippery and lodged/wedged so strongly. In the event they can not remove the ball I would have to transfer her to the University with the Trach still in to ensure her breathing.

Mom (me) is loosing it.

The Veterinarian informs the staff that she is unable to take any other cases as they work to save Asher.

-Miracles do Happen-

As they prepare for surgery, having ALREADY given Asher pain medicine and start to give her the G.A. just before they start the Tracheotomy Asher-girl relaxes so much that the ball is removed with out cutting her open!

8 hours at the Emergency Hospital, Luck, and A great staff of Veterinarians and Technicians... saved My Asher-rat.

And no ball (or other toys) smaller then a darn soft ball will EVER be permitted near my puppies again.

[katdog5911]

I am SO glad your story had a happy ending. I am always worried about that sort of thing. Stella finds the craziest stuff to decide to play with sometimes.

[Nigel]

Im glad everything turn out ok, what a scare.

[onedogman]

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll ditch Maggie's smaller balls.

[Jax08]

You are very lucky. So glad she's ok. EMoore lost her boy to a Kong ball a couple years ago. I prefer toys with holes through them or balls on a rope.

[gowen]

A good reminder for those(me) who allow their extremely high driven dogs to pick up tennis balls on occassion. Thanks for sharing your story.