Toys That Can Kill

by Tracy Werner

They squeak, they squish, they bounce. They come in all shapes and colours, from T-bone steaks to squeaky porcupines. Your dogs play with them, chew on them, and love them to pieces (literally). What you might not know is that they could cause cancer and liver damage. Vinyl and plastic dog toys contain a chemical compound that is currently under investigation by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) due to possible cancer risks to humans. The chemical in question is DINP (di-isononyl phthalate), used to make hard PVC plastic soft and pliable. In 1998 Health Canada issued an advisory warning about the dangers of mouthing soft plastic toys by small children, and some countries, such as Sweden, Germany, and Italy, have already started phasing out DINP for use in children's toys. But no one is talking about the effects DINP may have on dogs' health.

Over the past decade, scientific research has shown that DINP can be toxic to lab animals, causing liver and kidney damage and at higher levels of exposure, increased cancer incidence. These findings were important enough to prompt further review of exposures to children due to mouthing soft plastic toys. The studies focused on small children who generally only mouth toys for brief periods during a small fraction of their lifespan. Dogs, in contrast, may chew and ingest soft vinyl toys for hours at a time throughout their entire lives.

The U.S. CPSC concluded that phthalates can leach out of plastics and that a child mouthing or sucking a soft plastic toy may ingest more than the acceptable daily intake. Their 1998 report, The Risk of Chronic Toxicity Associated with Exposure to Diisononyl Phthalate (DINP) in Children's Products, states that "Animal studies show that DINP causes chronic toxic effects to the liver and other organs." and that "the maganitude of the risk is directly related to the amuont of DINP released from mouthing and the amount of time children mouth the products."

Then what about our dogs? According to vinylfacts.com, "almost all soft plastic toys contain PVC," so avoid these types of toys if you're concerned about the health risks mentioned above. Natural rubber or latex soft toys provide a non-toxic and environmentally friendly alternative.

References: www.vinylfacts.com – PVC in Toys USCPSC – The Risk of Chronic Toxicity Associated with Exposure to Diisononyl Phthalate (DINP) in Children’s Products 1998
Tracy Werner is the owner of Natural Pet Market, a company focused on healthy alternatives for companion animals. (www.naturalpetmarket.com.) Her recent loss of one of her dogs to cancer prompted her to research the issues she discussed above.

Other Dog Toys can be unsafe as well.

A dog owner wants legislation changed so that toys for pets are made as safe as toys for children. Marilyn Anderson found loose metal nuts in a plastic bone she had bought for her dog.

She said she was horrified to think that her smooth-haired lurcher, Pepsi, could have choked on the nut.

Even more, FDA ISSUES NATIONWIDE PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY ABOUT CONTAMINATED PET CHEWS October 1,1999

The Food and Drug Administration today issued a nationwide public health warning alerting consumers about a number of recent cases in Canada of human illnesses apparently related to contact with dog chew products made from pork or beef-derived materials (e.g., pigs ears, beef jerky treats, smoked hooves, pigs skins, etc.).

These products may pose a risk of bacterial infection such as Salmonella infantis which can cause flu-like symptoms (e.g., nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea) in normally healthy people, but may cause far more serious - even life-threatening injury in immune-compromised patients.

FDA is urging pet owners who have these products to handle them carefully. Anyone who comes in contact with these treats should wash their hands with hot water and soap. Elderly people, young children, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk from exposure and should avoid any contact with these chews.

Initial reports of illnesses came from Canada and involved Canadian products, but subsequent examination of similar products produced in the U.S. indicate that all pet chew products of this type may pose a risk.

FDA is working with other U.S. and Canadian health authorities on this issue and has issued an import bulletin on products that have been directly linked to illnesses. The import bulletin focuses FDA’s attention on imported pig ears at ports of entry for possible sampling and analysis.

FDA is also examining the manufacturing processes for products containing pig ears to determine how this product, and similar products, can be made safely.

R A W H I D E S, C O W H O O V E S, & P I G S ' E A R S

These well-liked dog treats are purchased in large numbers, especially around holidays, by well-meaning dog owners hoping to give their pets something special. These toys are favorites for many dogs and are popular with owners because they keep their pets occupied and supposedly out of trouble during holiday activities. There are definite risks associated with these treats, however. All three types are supposedly made of digestible animal products. However, they are digested quite slowly and, if consumed rapidly, can cause either vomiting or diarrhea from the many pieces still sitting undigested in the GI tract. If the treats are swallowed whole or in large chunks, there are additional dangers. Rawhide chews can lodge in the throat and cause choking, or a large piece may be swallowed, scraping and irritating the throat and esophagus on the way down. Once in the stomach or intestinal tract, a large piece of rawhide can also create a physical obstruction. An additional danger that is less widely known is the practice, in some countries, of using an arsenic-based preservative in the processing of rawhide toys. We recommend that, if you do purchase these products, stick to brands processed in the U.S. There has also been a recent FDA alert about the risk of Salmonella accociated with dog chew products made from pork or beef-derived materials: refer to the FDA advisory or call 1-888-INFO-FDA. See below (discussion on pigs' ears) for more details.

Cow hooves are even more dangerous than rawhides. They are hard enough that a dog can actually break a tooth on one. They can also be chewed up into sharp fragments which may cause a partial intestinal obstruction. Partial obstructions are often difficult to diagnose until the point at which the fragment is ready to perforate the wall of the bowel from pressure against the sharp edges. If perforation has occured, the infection that ensues from leakage of intestinal contents can be fatal.

Pigs' ears can cause GI upset if overeaten, similar to the situation with rawhides, although obstructions are less common because the ears are not usually shaped into solid chunks. There is, whowever, a less widely known danger associated with pig ears: A recent FDA advisory published by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human services on Oct.1, 1999, stated that there is "a nationwide public health warning alerting consumers about a number of recent cases in Canada of human illnesses apparently related to contact with dog chew products made from pork or beef-derived materials (e.g., pigs ears, beef jerky treats, smoked hooves, pigs skins, etc.)... FDA is urging pet owners... to handle them carefully. Anyone who comes in contact with these treats should wash their hands with hot water and soap. Initial reports of illnesses came from Canada and involved Canadian products, but subsequent examination of similar products produced in the U.S. indicate that all pet chew products of this type may pose a risk...."

Rawhide is probably the most popular type of chewing device that dogs enjoy. Go to any pet supply store or any store that sells pet supplies and you will find an abundance of rawhide chews in every size, shape and color. Unfortunately, rawhide could be dangerous for your pet. Learn about rawhide dangers and how you can prevent any unnecessary harm to your dog.

Any dog owner knows how much puppies and adult dogs chew. They chew on slippers, carpet, furniture, walls, etc. To prevent the ultimate destruction of their homes, they run out and buy gobs of chew toys for their dogs. A large percentage of what they buy will be rawhide.

WHAT IS RAWHIDE? Rawhide is literally the outside of a cow – the skin. It provides dogs with a satisfying chewing experience and it’s cheap and easy to find. So how can it be dangerous?

HIDDEN DANGERS

Dr. John Wedeking, an Iowa veterinarian, remembers hearing about rawhide in the news.

“Reports of arsenic contamination popped up in papers once,” he says, but adds that it came from another country.

Since rawhide is not regulated in any way, it could happen again. These foreign hides may also contain other detrimental things such as antibiotics, lead, or insecticides that could adversely affect the health of your dog.

Wedeking adds that dogs can easily choke on it when the original large rawhide object is chewed down to a smaller piece.

“Choking is a hazard, and rawhide can cause gastric irritation when dogs chew on it often,” he says. Wedeking adds that gastric irritation can also cause vomiting and extreme discomfort in dogs.

'Tests on imported pet products made from animal hides by UK health authorities revealed many carried the salmonella bug, a common cause of gastro-intestinal infections in humans." "They found that one in three batches imported from Thailand and one in eight from China contained salmonellas that had survived processing and manufacturing"

WHAT YOU CAN DO

There are plenty of wonderful alternatives to rawhide. Pet supply stores are everywhere, and carry many diverse alternatives including vegetable and meat-flavored bones made from potato starch, bones made from extremely strong rubber infused with flavorings, and corn-starch & wheat based based bones also infused with flavor(please be careful and watch for allergies to these products). All of these but the rubber ones break apart into tiny pieces while being chewed. Once they are chewed down to a small piece that your dog could swallow, discard it. All of these bones except for the rubber-based ones are easily digestible.

Nyla Bones® are a very popular and safe alternative. They have edible ones as well as great hard ones that wear down slowly. Caution: Do NOT give the GumaBone (made by Nylabone®) to adult dogs, they may be able to chew off large pieces, give them to puppies up to 6 months of age only.

Nylabones® are made from pure virgin nylon, which makes them stronger and more durable than Gumabone. In fact, the Nylabone® Galileo Bone® is the World's Strongest Dog Bone! Nylabones® are: unique therapeutic devices designed to satisfy the chewing instinct of aggressive chewing dogs; safer than other dog chews; will not splinter or break off in chunks; endorsed by leading dog authorities; and their natural flavor enhancement makes these products irresistible to dogs!

Offer your dog a variety of chewing alternatives and choose them responsibly. Your pet may thank you by forgetting about your furniture and your slippers…and your favorite chair…and the toilet paper roll...

The Whole Dog Store is as concerned with your pet's health and happiness as you are. We carry only safe, non-toxic toys. Please be sure to see what we have to offer while you are here.