Never Give Your Dog a Toy If It Contains These Toxic Chemicals (and 5 safe brands to look for)

They say dogs are Man’s best friend, but are we their best friends? Do friends walk each other hand-in-hand? Do friends pick up one another’s feces? Do friends pick one another up and pet each other? Unless you’re a in a seriously dysfunctional friendship, then the answer is no, friends do not do these things. In fact, the relationship described is much more characteristic of a parenthood-baby bond than one of friendship.

Dogs really are big babies. We clean them, we walk them, we give them toys to play with, we try to stop them from eating dangerous things, they whine and cry and we console them. If this is true, the question remains: why are you so careful with your human baby’s health and so careless with your baby-like dog?

What’s Wrong With Dog Toys?

Dogs need toys. It’s difficult for their physical and psychological health for them to be pinned up in a house all day. Dogs use toys as a tool for expelling their stress and energy, but also to satisfy gentle gnawing and teething instincts. Just like how dog toys come in many different shapes and sizes, they also come in many different qualities. Some toys are safe to play with, others are toxic and potentially fatally harmful.

Some toys have more obvious dangers. The most common dangers include choking and stomach obstruction. Small toys and pieces pose a risk of accidental ingestion. Fortunately, many dog owners are aware of theses dangers, and do their best to limit the number of choking hazards available to their dog.

Really, though, it’s completely up to owners to look out for the welfare of their animals, because no one else is. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate dog toys, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) only regulates toys that are considered dangerous to human consumers, not dogs.

What’s so dangerous about your dog’s toys?

Bisphenol A

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical added to plastics and vinyl that provides materials with elasticity. BPA is used in a wide-range of human and dog products, stretching from cutlery and dinner plates, to toys and storage bins. It structurally and functionally imitates the natural hormone 17B-estradiol by binding to and activating the same estrogen receptors as the natural hormones. Prolonged exposure may have significant effects on reproductive organs and developing fetuses.

BPA laden products were already banned in the manufacturing of baby bottles, but they continued to be used in dog toys. Experts are concerned with the use of fetching batons that are frequently used in training exercises, as well as the plastic and rubber toys that dogs use every day, like the plastic bones offered as alternatives to real bones. The ageing, weathering, and physical deterioration of these toys causes leaching of BPA and other chemicals. Continual chewing means your dog is assured to ingest many of these toxins. If these toxins are too dangerous for your children, why expose them to your dog?

BPA isn’t the only of your worries; they’re many toxins that contaminate your dog’s toys, and nearly known of them are known. Chinese imported toys have been proven to be polluted with toxic metals, like cadmium, lead, and chromium. These dyes, preservatives, and chemical residues cause innumerous health complications, and they’re all exposed to your dog through licking and chewing.

What to watch out for

Since dog toys are more or less completely unregulated, it’s up to you to be your dog’s personal health regulator. Be careful and skeptical when buying dog products. Evaluate the materials just as if you were buying it for your child.

Remember that these items aren’t just touching their hands, but they’re inside your dog’s mouth. Strong chemical scents indicate residual chemicals. Flashy colors indicate dyed fabrics that will often be composed of toxic ingredients and will most likely leach these toxins when wet. Avoid toys labelled as fire retardants or stain guards, since they contain formaldehyde and other chemicals.

The key is to always do your own research. Companies and products which are conscientious about their health responsibility are always transparent about their manufacturing process. So take a look at whether the products mention anything about non-toxic ingredients or safe material – if it doesn’t, there’s a reason. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of moderately trustworthy dog toy brands. Check it out: