Made in China: Are These Toys Safe for Your Pointer?

ByAmy

We’ve all been horrified by the succession of news reports and warnings about children’s toys that are made in China. Apparently, many of them contain toxic substances.

It’s been the same story with pet food and treats coming from China. For a while there it seemed like were hearing bad news about tainted dog food and treats almost every day.

So, have you ever wondered if any of your Pointer’s toys originally came from China? And if so, are Chinese-made dog toys safe for your Pointer? There’s plenty of cause for concern because of all the other dangerous products coming from China.

Well, I recently read a report which said that two Chinese-made dog toys (randomly purchased at a popular super-discount store) flunked tests for heavy metals and other toxic materials. A latex stuffed dog toy contained traces of arsenic, cadmium and mercury as well as significant amounts of chromium and lead. A cloth dog toy also contained cadmium. Unfortunately, all of these substances are toxic to dogs.

They could cause severe health problems for your Pointer, depending on how much he absorbs into his system. For example, chromium is a known carcinogen and can lead to bladder or kidney cancer. If inhaled, it can also cause lung cancer. Excessive lead levels can cause blindness, vomiting, abdominal pain, decreased appetite, seizures and/or personality changes. And arsenic, cadmium and mercury aren’t any day on the beach, either.

Maybe the smart thing is to make some homemade toys of your own. That way, you’ll be able to stay away from dog toys that have been made in China. I’ll write about that in a separate post.

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