!!!!!DANGEROUS!!!!! Ball Games Please Read

[Carol and Banjo]

Shortly after we got Banjo and I began posting pics of him on FB, I got  a message from a friend of my cousin, who saw my pics.   She introduced herself and said she'd fallen in love with my pics and would I mind if she asked me a "million questions" about him, about the breed, etc.     We quickly struck up a friendship and subsequently, she ended up with 2 Doodles.    She's a lovely, sweet lady and I love hearing about her "boys" and their antics.     I was shocked and devastated to get the following message from her the other morning.     We've been in constant contact since and I asked her if she would be alright with me sharing her message here.   She asked me to, hoping that it might save someone the heartache that she is now experiencing.

Hi Carol, I wanted to reach out and tell you personally that we've had some really tragic news here. I have not put anything on FB because I am still trying to reconcile it in my mind and my heart.. On Monday, i was playing ball with my amazing and wonderful dogs around lunchtime. My Huey, who is the 'ball king' was running and catching and enjoying every single moment. Sadly, the last ball he caught, got stuck in his windpipe. I saw immediately what happened and ran to help him. I gave him the heimlich several times and i couldnt dislodge it. In a panic I ran to the street, where the paving guys were working and screamed for help. Two men came and tried to heimlich it out also. I called 911, We still had a heartbeat and I could feel the ball in his neck, so i pushed up on the ball from outside and one of the men was able to reach in and get it out. I started CPR with compressions and breathing, but it was too late, and he passed away. We all love this boy so much and we are devastated. I keep replaying it in my mind, even though I know logically I did everything possible, but I still can't believe he is gone.   .........

She was throwing a Chuck it Ball for the dogs.   She bought the recommended size, a large.    She now feels the only safe size would be the XXL.     

This is something I've never, once considered as something that could happen.   Although Banjo is not really into playing catch with balls, I know many of you have ball crazy dogs.     I hope sharing Gena's story makes people aware of a possible danger that they may never have thought of.

[Stacy]

What a tragic accident. I'm so sorry for your friend. I think it's very kind for her to use her tragedy to help keep other dogs safe. I also think that it's a good reminder to just love them as much as we can every day. Life is so precious and fragile. 

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Thank you for sharing your friend Gena's sad story with us. It could possibly save another doodle's life.  I am so sorry for her and her family -it is so heartbreaking.  We do not use chuck it throwers or the balls, but Charlie is crazy about Kong rubber squeaky medium balls.  We do not through with force and recently start rolling them very fast, or playing soccer because one high throw & Charlie is launching in the air to catch it no matter what and I do not want him tearing an acl, or ?? 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

This is really tragic....I would never imagine that something like this could happen.  I'm so sorry for your friend.

[DonMarie and Picco]

This is terrible and I'm sure a freak accident.  I have a small chuckit ball too.  So sad for you friend.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Apparently, it's not all that uncommon. After I read Carol's post, I did some googling, and there are dozens of articles and warnings online about dogs choking and suffocating from balls getting stuck in their throats, especially bigger dogs. It seems to happen most often with tennis balls, but any similarly sized ball poses a risk. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here are just a couple:

http://www.dobermantalk.com/doberman-related-chat/47792-choked-chuc...

https://dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/dog_tennis_ball/

http://iheartdogs.com/10-most-common-items-dogs-choke-on/

[Carol and Banjo]

Wow!     Thanks for sharing this Karen.     

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Since reading about this, I have to be grateful, because this could easily have happened to JD in his younger days. 

[Carol and Banjo]

I remember JD's love of catching those balls!    

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yep, and he would catch them on the fly with his head thrown back so the balls would often "fall" into his wide open mouth, with force. 

[DonMarie and Picco]

I always equate running with sticks = running with scissors!  I'm thankful Picco doesn't play with them or pick up strange things.

[Carol and Banjo]

She realizes it was a freak thing....everything just sort of came together at the wrong time.     She isn't blaming Chuck It or herself.    She only wants people to be aware that something like this can and does happen.