Dog Toy Recall
My friends always keep their eyes peeled for important information, which they suggest I share with our readers. I was most disturbed about the story I received this morning. It is a harsh reminder to check out all pet toys, carefully, for safety, before allowing our beloved furry companions to play with them.
This extremely dangerous product is the Pimple Ball with bell, manufactured by Four Paws, Inc. Chai, a ten- year-old Lab mix, while chewing on the toy, got his tongue stuck in the hole of the ball, creating a vacuum, which prevented the ball from being removed by his owner. Chai was rushed to an emergency veterinary clinic in order to have the ball removed. Unfortunately, since all circulation to the tongue was impeded, Chai had to be sedated to remove the ball to stop the swelling. Sadly, after three days of observation by Chai's regular veterinarian, the decision was made, with no alternative recourse possible, to amputate the tongue in order to save the dog’s life. This toy also seriously injured another dog, a Shepard mix.
The Recalled Toy
Chai's owners, who had been pleading for a recall, wrote the following letter to the manufacturer, explaining the details:
"While chewing on the toy, a vacuum was created and it effectively sucked his tongue into the hole in the ball. From speaking with my vet, this likely occurred because there is not a second hole in the ball preventing the vacuum effect from happening."
Manufactured by the Four Paws, Inc, the Pimple Ball with bell, (product # Item #20227-001, UPC Code 0 4566320227 9).Thankfully from all the publicity surrounding Chai's experience, circulating widely on the Internet, the product has now been recalled from the market.
If you have a Pimple Ball toy, immediately return it to Four Paws, Inc. Customer Service, 50 Wireless Blvd. Hauppauge, NY, 11788, along with a letter of explanation about its return. Four Paws, Inc. will issue a refund check.
Fortunately, Chai is slowly recovering from his ordeal. He is now being retrained to eat without his tongue, in a rehabilitative program. His owner writes, "I now have to re-teach my dog to eat, drink and adjust to life without his tongue. Just walking him requires about 30min twice a day and we only make it three blocks. Feeding him takes me about 90 minutes twice a day and for at least this first week he is not to be unattended for more than 20 minutes at time." This is going to be a long recovery period for Chai who also is receiving pain management treatment.
Watch the touching video of Chai’s rehabilitation program uploaded by DanielRechelbacher
Share your feelings about this brave dog and his fur dad, by leaving a comment.
Recent Posts
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day with your Pets
WEEKLY CUDDLE CHAMPIONS: Monroe and Buckeye
Introducing Caplin: The World's Largest Rodent
Loyal Canine Rescues Drowning Kitty
Shakti: The Cat that Lived Up to her Name
"You're Fat": Vet Hits Me With Hard Truth
The Cat who Owns an R.V.: Luxurious Travel
Lazy Dog Owner Arrested for Walking His Dog
Petside: Get Started
-
- 2010 NCAA Mascot Tournament
Vote for your favorite pet mascots to determine the ultimate NCAA mascot champion!
-
- Find a Breed
Browse dog and cat breeds to find your perfect pal.
-
- Diagnose a Condition
Use PetVet to research what's ailing your pet.
-
- Locate a Hospital
- Find the nearest accredited animal hospital.
Specials
Check out these deals picked by petside.com just for you!
Comments (6)
skylark August 26, 2008 8:46 AM
How tragic is that?! This poor dog! My heart goes out to him. He's obviously trying so very hard to eat and drink, just to survive.
It's a shame that there was no alternative for this guy than to amputate his tongue. I hope he learns to eat and drink on his own.
Skylark
Vicki August 26, 2008 9:22 AM
Poor baby. My dogs have lots of toys, but thankfully, not this one. I am going to check with the Petsmart I do business with and ask them if they know about this.
Nancy August 28, 2008 12:57 PM
Poor dog!!! What a great dog he is, though!!! I fell in love with Chai just watching him trying so hard. This is just the saddest thing! Bless his heart! He'll make it....he's a smart dog! His owner sure loves him, you can see that by the video!
I had a cat who ripped one of his pads on a scratching post one time! They use staples to attach the carpeting, and those staples come loose after awhile. He really ripped his pad wide open. And a torn pad bleeds quite a bit, too! A pad has to be stitched up within the first hour, also. So, please pass that along to other pet owners. Nothing is safe anymore....not even the food we buy for them, it seems.
What a lucky dog Chai is to have such a loving owner, too!!! I was very touched by this video. I will never forget this wonderful dog!!! He's a survivor!!!
Charles December 2, 2008 9:19 AM
I found this video by doing a search for something completely unrelated, but I am so glad to have seen this video. Chai is such a survivor. Keep working with him.... He is actually an inspiration to people like me with a disability. God bless you both and Chai.
Fliffa December 11, 2008 12:22 AM
Oh this poor dog! I almost cried when I saw this. I'm also afraid for my grandmothers dog, Jackson. I can't remember, but I think i recall him having a toy like this. I'm gonna make sure he never plays with that demonized ball Four Paws has created. Shame on them for creating something harmful to an animal.
Winnie June 26, 2009 6:26 AM
How is Chai doing today? Could he learn to eat on his own in the meantime? What a sweet, lovely, cute boy.
God bless his owners for helping their dear friend!
I hope the ball-company paid for what they caused. Chai shoud have a large amount of smart money at the very least!
I wish you all the best and get well soon, my dear!
add your comment