Tennis balls dangerous?

[Ottos_owner]

My husband thinks our large GSD should not play with tennis balls because one could get lodged in his throat and suffocate him. Is there any truth to this? Otto loves chasing and retrieving them; it's an important part of his day. I'd hate to give it up. He doesn't catch them in mid-air, only scoops them up off the ground. I don't see the problem myself but I promised him I'd ask for other opinions.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

If he's supervised and he doesn't catch them mid-air, I don't see a problem. But any toy can be dangerous. (my crew wouldn't give up tennis balls either).

 

[Brattina88]

I agree with BP. My GSD would go into a deep depression if I mentioned life without tennis balls :lol-sign: j/k

 

[Barb04]

Some pet stores sell extra-large balls that might be safer.

 

[RedyreRottweilers]

I personally know a breeder who was heartbroken when she was notified by a family when their young male Rottweiler suffocated on a tennis ball.

The dog went to fetch the ball, which was slick, as we know they do get that way when they dogs are playing with them.

It went down his throat, and the dog asphyxiated right there in front of this family (with the 2 kids present). They tried EVERYTHING to get that ball out of the dog, but he was dead in minutes.

I know of another dog who died the same way, also a Rottweiler.

My dogs do not get tennis balls.

 

[StillandSilent]

Wow, it never even occured to me that that might happen! I think Radar is fairly safe, because of his size, but wow!

 

[Gempress]

I think it depends on the size of your dog. I don't give my boys regular-sized tennis balls because I think they pose a choking hazard. But many pet stores actually sell oversized versions of the tennis ball, and my boys love them. You may want to look into that.

 

[mrose_s]

doesn't seem like much is safe these days. i'd think the extra large ones shoudl be okay

 

[squirtsmom]

I use the extra large because Baby is a Great Pyrenees, and she is getting them already. Not returning them but getting them none the less.

 

[Fruit bat]

Tennis balls are the one thing Sadie can not play with. I didn't think about her choking on one, it is because she bites down and crushes it. Then she rips it apart. I thought she might ingest the pieces.

 

[BlackPuppy]

I've read that it has happened. One story was with a German Shepherd. The owner had to sit on the dog to get it to hold still and massaged the ball up it's trachea.

We don't have Tennis Balls because I read a German study about the glue, when reacting with saliva, can corrode tooth enamel.

 

[Boemy]

My mom had a beagle who choked on a smaller ball. So with a large dog, I think a tennis ball would be a worry. Depending on the size of the dog and the size of the ball.

 

[M&M's Mommy]

Missy cannot live without her balls either, but I don't let her play with tennis balls because I'm afraid if she bites too hard into it, it may knock her teeth out . She plays with plastic squeaky balls, it's soft & round, it bounces & it squeaks . Missy loves chasing after it, and squeaking it all the way back to me

 

[milos_mommy]

as long as he's supervised and they're big enough, shouldn't be a problem. it's a dog, dogs play with tennis balls. not letting him play with it would be like not letting your child play jump-rope because they might strangle themself.

 

[BostonBanker]

We don't have Tennis Balls because I read a German study about the glue, when reacting with saliva, can corrode tooth enamel.

I'd actually heard they were really bad for teeth as well, although I had been told it was the texture of the fabric. I don't worry about it with my dog - she's non-destructive of toys, too small to swallow a regular sized ball, and doesn't play enough to do much damage to her teeth. But it is certainly something to think about. The extra-large balls do sound like they might be an option.

 

[Denaluvscorgis]

I'd actually heard they were really bad for teeth as well, although I had been told it was the texture of the fabric. I don't worry about it with my dog - she's non-destructive of toys, too small to swallow a regular sized ball, and doesn't play enough to do much damage to her teeth. But it is certainly something to think about. The extra-large balls do sound like they might be an option.

That's what I've heard. I don't give them to JB and Chloe anymore.