Our dogs can be pretty curious animals…
It’s not uncommon for them to want to eat or chew on things that they find on the ground (like shoes and socks)…
They also tend to eat parts of their toys and sometimes they’ll swallow a toy whole if they’re able to…
But what if your dog ate string from a rope toy? Is that safe for your dog or should you be concerned?
Well, in this article we’ll be answering those types of questions, and we’ll be doing it by going over the following information…
- Are Rope Toys Safe For Dogs?
- What Happens If My Dog Eats String From A Rope Toy?
- My Dog Ate String From A Rope Toy – What Do I Do?
- What Toys Are Safe For Dogs?
In the end, you’ll know if it is safe for your dog to eat string from a rope toy or not, and what you should do if this situation occurs.
Are Rope Toys Safe For Dogs?
The answer to this question is kind of “yes” and “no”…
You see, rope toys are usually made from a material that is safe for your dog to chew on (such as cotton), and in some cases, these rope toys are even edible…
So they are safe for dogs in the sense that the materials are not toxic or anything like that…
But that being said, the most common types of rope toys made for dogs are those with a knot at one end which can be easily chewed on and even chewed off…
The knots have been known to come loose after being bitten into or pulled on multiple times, and that can turn the toy into a bit of a choking hazard…
In addition to that, your dog can (and probably will) swallow the string from these types of rope toys as he’s chewing on them…
And aside from being a choking hazard, this can lead to some pretty serious medical issues such as intestinal blockages, which we’ll discuss in a little more detail later in this article…
In fact, it is much more dangerous for your dog to eat string from a rope toy (particularly long strings) than other objects such as socks, animal stuffing, or chunks of rubber (again, we’ll get to why in a minute)…
So for your dog’s safety, it’s probably best to avoid allowing them to play with a rope toy altogether, especially when there are so many other dog toy options available…
And if you notice or suspect that your dog has eaten the string from their rope toy, you should contact a veterinarian immediately…
What Happens If My Dog Eats String From A Rope Toy?
As I mentioned earlier, if your dog eats the string from a rope toy it can potentially lead to some very serious medical issues…
You see, if your dog eats a long piece of string, it is possible for the material to become partially caught in their intestine and partially caught in their stomach…
When this occurs, the string can become tangled and cinch down very tightly around your dog’s intestines almost like a tourniquet…
The rope string then cuts off blood flow and can cause lacerations on the intestinal wall…
As you can imagine, this ends up being extremely painful for your dog, and it can result in a life-threatening situation…
The only option at that point is to have your dog undergo surgery to remove the string from his or her intestines…
On top of that, swallowing small pieces of the string from a rope toy can cause issues like gastrointestinal obstruction as well…
And this can also create a potentially life-threatening situation for your dog in which surgery is required to remove the obstruction…
Therefore, if you suspect that your dog has eaten any string from a rope toy even while just chewing on it, you should contact a veterinarian to discuss the issue further…
The vet may end up wanting to look inside of your pup’s stomach with an endoscope to make sure that there are no pieces of string causing problems…
My Dog Ate String From A Rope Toy – What Do I Do?
If your dog ate string from a rope toy, the first thing you’re going to want to do is to check to see if your pup has any more string in or around his mouth…
If he does, you’ll want to get a hold of the string and remove it so that he doesn’t eat anymore of it…
After that, you’ll want to contact a veterinarian because of the potential for intestinal blockages and long strings getting tangled in your dog’s stomach and intestines…
Be sure to observe your dog’s behavior so that you’ll be able to provide the vet with more information… Ask yourself questions such as:
- Is your dog eating and drinking normally?
- Is your dog vomiting?
- Does your dog have diarrhea?
- Does your dog seem to be in pain?
- Is your dog having difficulty passing stool?
The vet may recommend a visit to the animal hospital depending on the situation, and once there…
…a vet may examine your pup with a small endoscope that will allow them to see inside your dog’s stomach. If the vet finds any string, he or she may be able to remove it.
The veterinarian may also recommend giving your pup some medication for intestinal blockages as well as antibiotics in case there is an infection beginning to form…
All in all, it’s best to be cautious in these types of situations, and speaking to a vet will help you determine the best course of action for your dog’s health.
What Toys Are Safe For Dogs?
There are many dog toys available that don’t carry the risks associated with rope toys…
For example, you can find toys made of rubber, cloth, or plush that will hold up better to your pup’s biting and chewing…
And even though these toys can still break and pieces can be swallowed, there isn’t much risk of long strings becoming tangled around your dog’s intestines…
KONG rubber toys are a very popular option because they’re extremely durable and can keep your pup entertained for hours…
Other toys like Nylabones chew toys are also very tough and great options as well…
Plush stuffed animal toys might not be quite as durable as rubber chew toys, but the stuffing inside doesn’t pose the same risks as long strings from rope toys. So they can also be a good option that many dogs enjoy…
Last, tennis balls are a classic dog toy and generally pretty safe. Even though they’re not super durable, your pup can still have hours of fun chasing after and chewing on them.
Final Thoughts…
So in the end, rope toys are probably not the best toys to be giving our dogs because of the serious problems they can create for dogs internally…
And if your dog ate string from a rope toy, it’s worth checking with a veterinarian to make sure that your dog is going to be ok…
On top of that, you should consider getting your dog another form of chew toy such as the ones I mentioned in this article…
They’ll end up being more durable than a rope toy, and your dog can chew on them without the risk of having long pieces of string get caught inside their stomach and intestines.