Veterinarian Forced To Use Bone Saw To Remove Chew Toy from Dog's Mouth

By Amanda Thomason August 22, 2019 at 10:50am

When pet owners select toys for their pup, they generally trust the products that make it to the store shelves are safe for their four-legged friends — but that’s not always the case, especially when it comes to chew toys.

Cow hooves can splinter and hurt your dog. Rawhide chews are notoriously dangerous. They can cause blockages or choking and are the nutritional equivalent of glue — and yet, what pet store doesn’t offer them? Especially around the holidays, you’ll see stocking-stuffer sets offering cheap rawhide chews.

Amy Walsh of Kearney, Missouri, discovered a new dog danger when she gave her 2-year-old golden doodle, Bentley, a Lumabone “double chew.” The bowtie-shaped chew has “handles” at either end that were just the right size for Bentley to get his lower jaw stuck.

“I guess it was the way he bit down on it,” Amy Walsh told WDAF. “He had one of the holes of the bottom part wrapped around his jaw and his bottom teeth to dislodge it.”

“I was terrified. I love him. He’s my favorite pup-pup that I look forward to coming home to. I didn’t know if I was going to lose him.”

Not only was the dog’s jaw trapped, but the shape of the bone also forced his tongue to the back of his throat, making it difficult for the golden doodle to breathe.

Fortunately, Walsh was there to take Bentley to the Long Veterinary Clinic where Dr. David Leighr used a bone saw to cut the dog free before any serious damage occurred.

“This particular toy, it was kind of a rough finish,” Leighr said. “It was difficult to slip it in and out of his mouth. Once it got lodged in there, it was hard to slip out.”

Though Bentley is fine now, the clinic circulated his story to make other dog owners aware of the situation. This wasn’t a one-off incident, either — this shape of the toy has caused the same issue for other pets.

“A few weeks ago a client of ours had to bring in their pup Bentley in on emergency because he unfortunately got this bone stuck on his jaw,” the clinic’s post said. “We would like to report it was successfully removed by Dr. Leighr and Bentley is doing great!

“This is a common issue with bones of this style, and unfortunately not the first time we have seen this occur. We do not recommend toys/bones shaped like this due to how they can get stuck around the jaw. Shout out to Bentley for cooperating so well! We are so glad to hear you are doing great.”

“Doing great and comfortable at home after the incident,” the clinic posted in an update on Bentley. “Owners were completely on top of it immediately and ensured to get him help in an adequate fashion. He was glad to be back home to relax with his family.”

A concerned man posted on the Lumabone page, alerting them to the issue with the bone, to which they responded that those particular toys were no longer being manufactured.

“We are aware about this and this particular product has been redesigned and removed from December last year,” Lumabone responded. “It should not have been on the shelves in the stores. Looks like this dog has an older version of the bone. We are sad to see this and take this matter very seriously. Thanks again for your concern.”

Next time you head out to purchase a fun new toy or treat for your favorite pooch, make sure to do your research and remember that dogs should be supervised when enjoying any sort of chew toy.

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