Dogs chew on absolutely anything and everything they can get their mouths on, but to keep them from chewing on expensive pieces of furniture, shoes, and even clothes, most dog owners make sure to keep their pets occupied with plenty of toys.
However, one UK dog owner learned the hard way this past month that some chew toys meant for dogs can actually be deadly. On February 26, dog owner Kayleigh Rickell’s dad brought her six-year-old Labrador named Larry for a walk and started playing fetch with him.
First, dad Paul Hartley threw one of Larry’s balls, which the excited dog quickly scooped up in his mouth. But Hartley then threw a stick thinking Larry would drop the ball, but instead, Larry tried to pick up both at the same time and accidentally swallowed the ball, which then got lodged in his throat. “Seconds later, Larry collapsed,” said Kayleigh. “My dad and two lovely ladies also on the field with their dogs tried so hard to remove the ball from the back of his throat, but they couldn’t move it.”
One of the women ran to a policeman’s home nearby, and the off-duty cop rushed over to try and help. At first, the cop wasn’t having any luck, but when Larry died, the muscles in his throat relaxed, and the cop was finally able to remove the ball and start CPR.
“We are so relieved and feel so lucky to have Larry still with us,” Kayleigh said. “We are forever in debt to the policeman and the two ladies that tried to help.” Now, Kayleigh is sharing Larry’s story to warn other animal owners about how dangerous small chew toys can be and has started a Facebook group called Larry the Lab initiative where people can share tips and warnings about choking hazards for animals.
Did you know how dangerous smaller chew toys can be for dogs? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.
[Featured Image: Facebook/Larry the Lab Initiative]
Off-Duty Cop Saves Dying Labrador Who Choked On A Ball is an article from: LifeDaily