2-inch diameter rubber ball dog toy is too small for fetch

A 2-inch diameter rubber ball dog toy is too small for big dogs playing fetch. I am referring to the small red KONG Signature ball which you can buy in a 2-pack pack on Amazon. They are 5.08 cm in diameter which is about 2 inches (1.96 inches to be exact).

Small KONG red ball is too small for big dogs according to one dog owner whose dog gagged on it and died
Small KONG red ball is too small for big dogs according to one dog owner whose dog gagged on it and died

One of these balls killed a three-year-old German Shepherd dog, Luna, when she was playing fetch outside. Luna’s owner is Kayleigh Hellwing, 22.

Luna was playing with the KONG Signature red ball when it got stuck in her throat. The ball is neither squishy nor flexible.

Kayleigh was unable to remove it from Luna’s throat as she was gagging to death. There was lots of saliva which alarmed her.

She tried rubbing Luna’s throat and in doing this she could feel that the whole ball was in the back of lunar’s throat. Luna was struggling to breathe and there was no gap between the back of her throat and her airway.

When Luna collapsed, she was able to force the ball out of her throat and begin CPR but it was too late by then. Luna passed away in front of her.


Sidebar: We are not told by the Lynn News author but it seems to me that Luna would have been chasing the ball and as she got to it at speed and opened her mouth to grab it, the ball was thrust into the back of her throat and partially down her throat where it became lodged.


She recommends that dog owners learn how to do CPR. She also recommends not to buy this particular ball for a big dog and in general by a bigger ball to prevent it being stuck as described.

In fact, this advice will apply to all toys for large dogs although I think this particular hazard only arises when a dog is playing fetch (read sidebar above). Although there would appear to be a possibility that a large dog can swallow a smaller toy where it can become lodged in their throat.

Kayleigh is an RAF police dog handler from Lynn, UK. She is devastated. Kayleigh has spent every day with Luna until she passed. They had a great bond and Luna was very loving towards their child, Arthur.

Kayleigh says that Luna adored her family and they adored her. Luna had played with toys before including balls without any problems. That’s why I think she has decided that this ball is too small for big dogs in combination with its rigidity.

On Amazon, it is described as lightweight and durable. Both these characteristics may have contributed to this fatal accident.

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Source: Lynn News

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