Dangerous Toys Fluffy may love her ball of yarn, and Rover may chase after that darn stick all day, but pet owners must be cautious when offering toys to their pets. If not used in the appropriate manner, some store-bought pet toys, too, can cause problems. Sticks and bones can splinter and cause choking or vomiting, or they can perforate the mouth, throat or intestine.
Hard bones can easily damage teeth.
Instead, use hard, non-splintering chew toys to play fetch or to allow your pet to gnaw. Soft, latex toys can be shredded by a chewing pet. If the toy includes a squeaking mechanism, the squeaker can be easily swallowed or cause choking. Superballs can cause intestinal obstruction if ingested. Other types of balls, such as tennis balls or handballs, may be too small for the pet playing with them and cause choking.