Vets are calling for a $5 Kmart dog toy to be pulled from shelves following the admission of two dogs for surgery at the Wilston Vet clinic in North Brisbane.
Each dog, who were completely unbeknownst to each other, had parts of the Two-Handled Tug Pet Toy lodged in their upper intestine.
Writing a warning on their Facebook page, the vets explained that the toy breaks easily, which has allowed dogs to swallow parts.
“Last week two completely separate dogs (unrelated and unbeknownst to each other) came in on consecutive days to a local emergency centre both with an obstructed gastrointestinal tract,” a representative wrote on the Wilston Vet page.
The dogs were vomiting and not eating, promoting owners to take them to the vet.
“Both had a foreign body lodged in their upper intestine. Both required major abdominal surgery to remove the obstruction. In both cases it was a $5 K-MART dog chew toy. Warn everyone out there. They are brittle, and somehow break, and dogs think it’s a good idea to swallow them,” the representative added.
The representative added that colleagues have contacted Kmart to ask for the removal from the toys from shelves.
A spokesperson for Kmart told 7News that customer and pet safety is a top priority.
“We want all members of the family; including our furry friends, to have a safe and positive experience when using our products at home,” the spokeswoman said.
“This is why we encourage customers to carefully read through all product care labels, to ensure they are selecting toy’s that reflect their pet’s size and play style.”
The toy remains available to buy online.