Here’s a heartbreaking story: A dog owner is asking the public to demand the recall of a chew toy after it caused an injury to their dog that required amputation of its tongue.
On Sunday, June 22, 2008 my 10-year old lab mix, Chai, sustained a severe injury from a product that the company Four Paws Inc, produces. The toy I’m referencing is the pimple ball with bell. (Item #20227-001, UPC Code 0 4566320227 9)
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. I became aware of this when Chai approached a friend at my home whimpering with the ball in his mouth. She tried unsuccessfully to remove the ball but the tongue had swollen and could not be released.
Chai was taken to the Animal Medical Center (an emergency care facility in New York City) and was treated by Dr. Nicole Spurlock to have the ball removed. Because the size of the opening on the ball was so small, all circulation to his tongue was cut off. The doctors had to sedate him in order to remove it. Once the ball was removed, his tongue swelled to the point that he could no longer put it in his mouth. Chai was sent home with care instructions and to be observed overnight for any changes.
By the following morning Chai’s tongue had swollen even more.
He was taken to his regular vet, Dr. Timnah Lee, for treatment. He was admitted and kept sedated for a period of three days during which time they were treating his wounds and waiting to determine how much of his tongue could be saved. On June 26, 2008 Chai had his tongue amputated.
He was kept in after-care for an additional three days. On Sunday June 29th I brought Chai home from the vet with a barrage of home care instructions, to last for an additional 7 days. His next visit was to have his mouth re-examined and have the feeding tube in his neck removed.
The owner says they mentioned the injury to friends and were shocked to learn that the same type of injury had happened to their dog. Now the owner is asking for a recall of the chew toy:
it is their position that there just aren’t enough instances to do anything about this. I told their Insurance company’s case manager that was not a good enough excuse, It was inferred that my dogs value wasn’t much and that his pain and suffering don’t count as he is just a piece of property.
You can read the rest of the story and check out photos of the injury (Warning: they’re pretty graphic) here.
The Chai Story(Thanks, Paul!)
UPDATE: Someone who contacted the company on Chai the Dog’s behalf posted this email response in the comments:
Thank you for your recent note expressing concern over the Four Paws® Pimple Ball with Bell. We were equally alarmed to learn that a dog may have injured himself while playing with this toy.
Dogs have been enjoying the Pimple Ball with Bell for more than a decade with over 500,000 units sold. In all the years this product has been on the market, this is the first injury of this nature that we are aware of. Unfortunately, accidents sometimes happen. That’s why we recommend that dogs always be supervised when they are playing with any toy. We take great care in developing safe products for pets and their owners.
At this point we have identified the problem and are not shipping any more Pimple Balls. We have contacted customers that carry this product and have asked them to immediately return their inventory.
Thank you for your concern and feedback. Please know that we are in direct communication with the pet owner whose dog was injured. At Four Paws, happy pets and satisfied pet owners are our number one priority. Rest assured we will continue to work hard to deliver on our priority.
Sincerely,
Allen Simon
President, CEO
Four Paws Products
Sent by Haley Birk on behalf of Allen Simon
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@CumaeanSibyl: I get you. My best friend’s dog (and thus, by extension, somewhat of my secondary dog) used to play with these steel core, rubber exterior balls. Anything else would be destroyed and become a choking hazard within minutes on a good day, seconds on a bad one, no matter what brand.
That dog died of old age with a neck and a pair of jaws stronger than a rock.
@woot: One freak accident doesn’t warrant an expensive recall and there’s no need to remove the product from the website since they’ll obviously only send out fixed versions of the product.
Goodness. That’s tragic.
I never buy my dog those kind of toys because 1) He doesn’t like them. 2) I never felt they were safe. And 3) I’m allergic to the rubber (latex allergy).
I also don’t buy the “rope” toys, especially the ones that have strings hanging off the end. After I saw a string come out the other end, I knew that was off the menu. Dogs can destroy toys so quickly, you never know what’s going to happen.
It’s important to pay attention to your dog when he’s playing with a toy that has squeakers (my dog always tries to take them out). That doesn’t give the company a thumbs-up to make an unsafe toy, however. When used correctly, this toy can cause a dog’s tongue to get stuck. That’s a bad situation and I’m glad the company is taking steps to address it.
As for myself, now I stick to the occasional pig ear, billy sticks, and tennis balls (well, and one ball that squeaks, which causes my hands to break out, but he loves it so and I have Benedryl cream).
This is why you should only let your dog chew on fluffy, fat kittens.
JOKE! I j-o-k-e!
Just read her blog and she states that she’s run into two other dog owners who’ve had similar (tho less drastic outcomed) experiences with the same toy. Considering this is only within her social circle, I look askance at the pet toy manufacturer’s claims of not having run into it before.
It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out as it gains publicity and whether other potential dog owners add to this horrific story.
Yep, the manufacturer has been aware of a serious design/manufacturing defect since at least 2005 when a dog died from a very similar injury. At the time they said they’d fix it.
This ain’t rocket science: make a bigger vent hole and have a QC procedure that makes sure it’s open. They didn’t bother and dogs will continue to die until they do. Doesn’t seem to bother Four Paws.
Be safe, buy a Kong!
@pigbearpug: Sure. Comcast probably wouldn’t honor the credits if they issued them, so why can’t I just make some up myself?
There’s a stupid joke I’m trying to make here, I just can’t seem to get the bat off my shoulder.
Let’s hope this doesn’t turn into another Wal-Mart/Nazi T-shirt story.
Sympathies and condolences to the dog and its owners.
@pigbearpug: Awwwww sweetie.
I bet it looks like turkey bacon when it’s fried.
How will the poor dog eat, drink and cool himself without a tongue??
Poor little guy.
@Grive: steel core, rubber exterior balls? I must get some of these… Right now, the Kong is the only thing that has stood up to our dog, and thats just because he loses interest…
@SMSDHubbard: I’m saying that even if a small air hole existed in the first place, the dog could very well have just chewed that area, making one big hole instead of two (one small for ventilation/suction prevention and one large, where the dog was chewing). I’m not sure my wording made that clear.
I sure could use a couple of these for some co-workers…
Goddamn, this ain’t the kind of story I like to read in the morning. But it’s an important story nonetheless. Forwarded it immediately to my sister who has two dogs and does a lot of dog-sitting for people during the week as well.
@god_forbids: Yeah I always thought it was a stupid disclaimer. That said, there are certain toys and items that I do put away when I’m not around.
Now I’m a sad panda…on a friday!
I feel for the dog. Best of luck to him and hopefully Four Paws will make some form of restitution without having to go to court to get it out of them.
@wiggatron: the holes are on opposite ends of the toy (you can see the vent hole on the product picture on their website) so the dog would’ve chewed the toy in two had he created one large opening.
I agree it’s probably a manufacturing defect. Which is still tragic for all the dog owners involved.
Who signed off on the name for this toy? Pimple ball with bell? What’s next? Introducing HPV ball with bell!
I would like to comment on some of the issues above that people have raised, such as feeling that dogs are equivalent to people, pain and suffering compensation deserved, revenge, etc.
and perhaps they are most dramatically illustrated if you read the startling comments of “pigbearpug” above.
First of all, I like dogs myself. They are pleasing animal companions, and are fun to play with. They are endearing. And this case of the dog with tongue amputated is a sad case, a freak accident.
But you have to realize that in no reasonable society will an animal be equal to a human being. And you should not expect that. Even in an “enlightened” society. That is because being a human in any society comes with rights, responsibilities, and an expectation/implication that you understand how to behave and interact as an independent being. As a human, you are subject to the rules/benefits/punishments that society affords you.
Animals/pets do not have this capability (independence yet responsibility), and they cannot be expected to have resonsibility for their actions, and that is why they cannot have “rights”. You cannot punish a dog for misbehaving in a park — you punish the owner, right? Some pets may be very clever, and show aspects of human behavior, but they can never be independent actors in a human society. Animals do have “rights” in a sense that humans take it upon themselves to afford them humane treatment, and protection against cruelty. But those rights are invoked by humans on their behalf, not by animals. This is an important distinction, and something not understood by die-hard animal “rights” activists. Animals depend on people to invoke rights for them. Therefore animals do not have rights that they can claim for themselves.
Why all this preface? Well, mostly to try to tell the above commenters, that no matter how close you consider your pet, it is not healthy to put it on the equivalent of a human family member. You will end up believing they have “rights” like a human, and will be greatly disappointed/your time/emotion wasted when you try to act/recover from injury (physical,mental) based on that incorrect belief.
I don’t understand people who don’t understand that their dog, while a great companion, etc. — is not what your life should be built around! You may have a great time, but I think a healthy perspective is needed — you should understand that your dog is a dog. Not to be so cold as to say that an animal is a “tool” or “property” for your enjoyment, but to admit to yourself (and not forget) that a dog must not be confused for a human.
In a sense, it cheapens the value of your human relationships or suggests that you have a problem if your perspective on a dog reaches this point. How can you suggest “looking for blood” (I know it’s figurative) because of an injury to your dog? Would you kill someone if they killed your dog in a car accident, or on purpose? No. A rational person sees that a dog is not on the same moral scale as a human being, and can go to great efforts to try to prevent something similar from happening.
Be close to your pets, appreciate their affection and companionship. But do not forget that they are not humans. Let’s have some sympathy, but also reasonable perspective.
That is so sad
Poor little doggie. Ugh, I’m carefully examining all of my dog’s toys when I get home…
They’ll only do a recall if its less expensive than the average out of court settlement.
@kepler11: I get what you’re saying, and while I don’t believe my dog has the same rights as a human, it doesn’t mean I love it any less. If someone killed my dog on purpose, you bet your ass I’d be looking for blood. If someone released a toy that reduced my dog to whimpering on the couch, and the manufacturer knew of other instances where this happened before my dog, I’d be looking to break the nose of the manufacturer. If a neighbor kills my dog for on purpose, then I am going to beat the shit out of my neighbor. This is assuming my dog does not turn into Cujo and the person is put in fear of his safety.
@Bladefist: Thanks for reporting on this. I will be poking additional holes in all my dogs toys from now on.
Never had anything quite like this though, and boy am I glad.
FYI Keep all sugar-free gum / mints away from you’re pets. I had a bunch of mints on the hutch and the wife was dusting and knocked one down. The casing broke open and spilled mints everywhere. We had to take one of our dogs (the other spits everything out the first taste, thank goodness) to get checked out that night (a weekend) and multiple vet visits to check liver function, et al, for over a month. My wife was terrified we’d have to put him down, because of the complications that can occur. Sugar free gum and mints are allowed in our house, but strictly placed where they can’t fall / be gotten at by the dogs.
@kepler11:
It’s true – confusing a dog for a human would be insulting to the dog.
@kepler11: It sounds like you’re annoyed if pet owners feel that Fluffy deserves the right to vote, drink and to own firearms, which no one is suggesting. No one wants Fluffy to down a couple tall-boys then visit the local park with her .306. Squirrels DO annoy, but in this way, we all agree, lies madness.
Reasonable people could agree that there’s a middle ground between pets being given a higher value than a four year old pair of shoes, yet less than a child. That’s how I interpret the gist of what the pet-lovers are saying.
If the Chinese poison food train had brutally harsh consequences for poisoning our pets, they’d be less likely to infuse their product with antifreeze, which is a good outcome.
“Please know that we are in direct communication with the pet owner whose dog was injured.”
Can ANYBODY verify the truth in this?
@devsgurf: I was of the impression that this ball didn’t have any vent hole(s) at all, and that’s what caused the problem in the first place. Most balls that I’ve purchased for my dog only have 1 vent hole, not two or more. My point was that by chewing in the area of the one existing vent hole would create a single large hole with no other outlet/inlet for air which would allow the ball to become a suction device as it did.
Drink? Hell, how’s the poor bastard going to lick himself?
@wiggatron: We’ve had plastic balls with just one squeaker opening, but the pimple balls have one larger hole to hear the bell and then a tiny pin hole on the other end (I checked my dogs’ toybox when I got home). I wonder if a dog could hold the ball in such a way to block the vent as they’re chewing around the larger hole.
@halloweenjack: I read the dog is actually well endowed.
All dog toys have warnings on them and when I used to work at a petstore, we would remind customers that if a dog begins destroying a toy to the point where pieces are coming off, then you need to take the toy away. They also warn you that dogs should always be monitored while playing with chew toys. Always.
The ball was destroyed when the vet was trying to get it off the dog’s tongue. It was not damaged by the dog. The problem with the design is that there should be two holes in the ball to prevent a vacuum effect. If indeed there was supposed to be a pin hole, perhaps it should be larger than that.. obviously it is not working. And to those who say it should not be pulled or redesigned.. how many dead or maimed dogs should there be before it warrants redesigning? And how many have had issues with this toy that is not known.. quietly settled or just not mentioned to begin with?
Oh the poor thing! That is so sad.
My ex and I had a pet raccoon (the mother was killed and we raised it) and she had a pimple ball toy. She chewed a hole in it the same as in the picture. That makes me really glad nothing happened.
well the company should pay for the vet bill atleast.
but if there was just a squeaker hole then this was simply a freak accident. i don’t think most reasonable people would have foreseen such an accident happening before they saw this. so i can’t really say that it was negligent. their future products probably should have two holes just to be safe.
someone commented on rope toys..well it depends on the dog. not all dogs have skull crushing jaws:P many dogs can play with a rope toy and not destroy it. mine never did atleast.
and well, yes dogs aren’t humans and shouldn’t have the same rights. in a way both the company and the owner are at fault. if a toy is showing wear you gotta get rid of it, the dog has no sense. and many poorly trained dogs are from people anthropomorphizing them not realizing they think rather differently.
To all of the posters who gave Four Paws a pat on the back: Four Paws
only did the right thing when the heat was turned up. The blog that
Chai’s master maintains states that Four Paws first discounted the
severity of the incident, and then referred her to their insurance company.
To Kepler 11: People revere canines because they are innocent little
creates who, in the absence of free will as you so astutely observed,
are incapable of malicious behavior. Yes, and many of us treat them as
family members — how irrational of us. When I die, I hope my spirit
goes where dogs go because God/Brahma/Allah wouldn’t let such loving
beings simply pass into oblivion.
Dogs also depend on us to protect them, and we obviously let one of them
down.
[www.fourpaws.com]
Product is being recalled!
The company has issued a recall. It’s noted on their website. BTW the product also has been removed from their website. Sounds to me like they are stepping up which is nice to see!
I checked the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website today & searched for a recall on both the “pimple ball” and under the company name – no recalls posted (where they should be…). As this has been going on since August and still not on the CPSC’s website I’m thinking their “recall” on the Four Paws site is halfhearted at best… I’m still boycotting!!!