Take care of your toys: Dangers for pint-sized dogs

Posted on 07. Nov, 2009 by admin in Dog Health, Top Stories

By Amy Fernandez
From the pages of the APRIL 2007 AKC GAZETTE
© 2007 The American Kennel Club, Inc.

Toys rank among the most popular breeds today, but caring for them entails special considerations, from providing a safe home environment to avoiding all kinds of dangers on the street and in the show ring.

Even a normal household can pose a world of dangers for tiny dogs. Dog proofing for toys requires a different perspective. Some obvious danger spots like hallways, stairwells, decks, and balconies can be overlooked. Toy puppies can easily slip into the tightest spots.

The owner of a 7-week-old Chihuahua left her dog alone for a short time in the kitchen. When she returned, the puppy was gone. After an hour of frantic searching, she heard faint scratching and discovered the puppy, unharmed, but wedged into a two-inch-wide space between the wall and the refrigerator!

Crates, pens, and barriers are essential, but safety must be the primary consideration when selecting such equipment for toys. Bars and slats must be closely spaced to prevent any possibility of the dog squeezing through or getting a foot or jaw stuck.

Vicki Fierheller, of Toronto, a certified vet tech, professional groomer, and longtime Maltese breeder, says that introducing a toy puppy to a large dog can be a problem, even when aggression is not an issue. “It is too easy for a large dog to inadvertently hurt a toy puppy,” she says.

Many owners assume that a structured environment avoids the possibility of accidental injury. But any situation that brings large and small dogs into contact can invite problems. This includes day-care centers, grooming shops, veterinary clinics, and dog training classes. It’s easy to overlook potential hazards when you are focused on working with your own dog. Sort of like defensive driving, you need to train yourself to constantly watch what the other dogs around you are doing.

“Owners need to be aware of posturing and body language that can lead to a bad interaction. Many little dogs feel empowered by their owners, encouraged to present in a challenging way. Assertive posturing that would be obvious in a large dog may be overlooked in a toy,” says Fierheller. “On the other hand, I’ve seen owners panic when faced with a possible threat from a large dog, sometimes making a situation worse.”

Child’s Play

Small children are another concern. Many breeders will not place toy breeds in homes with children under 12. Leah Getty, of Alberta, Canada, grew up with toy dogs, and now has toy Xolos, Papillons, Chinese Cresteds, Chihuahuas, and two daughters, aged 7 and 10. She admits that it’s been a great experience for her children, but also incredibly stressful for her.

“Honestly, I would not recommend toy breeds for young children. It requires constant, exhausting supervision,” says Getty.

Her older daughter received a Chihuahua when she was just 51/2. “I realized it was a mistake immediately and considered placing the puppy with my mother until Victoria was older. By then, she was so attached to the puppy it would have broken her heart to take him away.”

The alternative was rigorous supervision and strictly enforced rules. “The dogs and children learned mutual respect, but it’s unrealistic to expect kids to take on that level of responsibility. Crates are essential. The dogs need a place to go for safety and protection. I prefer designs with complicated latches that the kids cannot figure out. They are only allowed to walk the dogs with adult supervision and never at off-lead dog parks. I don’t encourage the kids to pick the dogs up at all; it’s only allowed when they are sitting on the floor. They are never permitted to let their friends pick up the dogs.”

Children are not the only ones guilty of carelessness, however. Kathy Helming, of Bristol, Connecticut, has bred and shown Miniature Pinschers for 35 years.

“My dogs normally live to 18. I want them to live long, happy lives,” she says. “When someone comes to see my puppies I really drill them on safety precautions. For one thing, it’s dangerous to carry a Min Pin puppy with its legs against your body. They can brace themselves against you and spring right into midair,” she says. “I wish I could send new owners home with a big bag of common sense instead of a bag of food.”

She admits being frustrated that many new owners fail to heed breeders’ safety advice. “I have a big problem with owners allowing puppies to stand on their laps without holding them. Min Pins think they are Superman, they jump out not down! [Owners] let them walk on tables, chair backs, and stand on the backs of car seats when they are driving. A quick stop and that puppy will go right into the dashboard,” she says. “An 8-week-old puppy can climb up a flight of stairs but has a good chance of falling down. Falls can lead to a broken leg or jaw, or injuries that can’t be repaired. I always recommend pet insurance, at least for the first year when accidents are more likely. Repairing a blown kneecap or broken leg costs a minimum of $1,500.”

“I guess you could call it a ‘toy dog risk,’ ” says Patrice Bayer, claims manager and registered veterinary technician for Pet Partners, Inc., exclusive health-care provider for the AKC Healthcare Plan. “People like to carry around their little babies, but that can come with a price. They can jump out of your arms and fracture their delicate legs.”

She says the number-one reason cited, in her experience, for leg fractures in toys is that the tiny dog was being carried and jumped out of the owner’s arms.

Veterinarians say that treating toy dogs presents its own set of challenges. There are several potential complications involved with the treatment of injuries in toy dogs, says orthopedic specialist David Edinger, DVM, from stabilizing delicate bones to choosing the safest drugs in the right amounts for pain control.

Watch the Walk

Helming’s biggest pet peeve is the flex lead. They make it difficult to control or supervise small dogs on busy streets or in crowded parks. “I recently got a call from a prospective puppy buyer. She had just lost her 4-year-old Min Pin. The woman’s mother-in-law had been walking the dog on a flex lead. It lunged into traffic and she didn’t know how to retract the lead.”

Less obvious dangers may also confront toys during a walk. “You really need to be aware of chemicals, pesticides, or fertilizers on grass. Amounts that would not affect larger dogs can cause serious liver damage in small ones.”

Designer dog carriers and pet strollers have become immensely popular to safely transport toys. In some respects, it’s safer for them up off the ground but “I’ve seen owners wheeling puppies around sitting on top of dog strollers,” says Helming. “Do they realize what can happen if it jumps or falls off?” Many toys can climb completely out of openings in dog carriers leaving them dangling in midair. When transporting toys in snap-top carriers make sure they are securely harnessed (not leashed) and clipped. Even enclosed carriers should always be held close to your body. Backpacks and shoulder bags can be jostled in crowds or slammed in subway doors.

Some toy dog accidents are unpreventable, impossible to predict. But many more are the result of carelessness or inexperience. Along with remorse, 20/20 hindsight is an inevitable part of the aftermath, with owners lamenting that they should have seen it coming. But with planning, forethought, and a little common sense, owners of toy dogs can learn to size up a dangerous situation before it becomes a source of colossal regret.