Give Your Pet a Safe Gift This Year

‘Tis the season for buying gifts for your pets. Pet owners are often eager to include their pets in the family holiday celebration and enjoy buying gifts for our fluffy pals. While it is great way to show your pet some love, owners must be aware of certain factors when choosing a toy or other product for their pet to assure their safety. Here are a few factors to keep in mind when choosing a toy for your pet…

Do not buy a toy that contains vinyl or smells like vinyl. Products made of vinyl or that have a vinyl smell contain phthalates, which are toxic and can cause liver and kidney damage in dogs.

Be careful not to buy a toy that is too small and could cause a pet to choke. For a dog, nothing smaller than a tennis ball would be a good gauge.  For any other animal, the size should be nothing that could go all the way in their mouth.

Avoid toys made with rope or rope parts. Rope can easily be chewed apart and a pet could choke on the pieces they are chewing. Actually any material that seems easily chewed apart is not advised.

Also steer clear of toys with paint that easily scratches off. Of course any lead-based paint is lethal to a pet, but it’s not always easy to know which toys contain lead-based paint, as most toy packages don’t list what materials are contained in the toy. As a rule though, you might want to avoid toys made in countries that haven’t banned lead-based paint, such as China.

Just be aware and keep these guidelines in mind and you will be able to find a toy that will keep your pet happy and healthy!