Veterinarian Issues Warning After Using Bone Saw to Remove Chew Toy From Dog's Mouth

KEARNEY, Mo. (CBS Local) -- A veterinarian in Missouri says a dog in his care might have died if he hadn't used a bone saw to remove a chew toy lodged in the pet's mouth.

Dr. David Leighr, owner of Long Veterinary Clinic in Kearney, said Bentley, a golden doodle, was having trouble breathing when his owner, Amy Walsh, brought him in for treatment.

"I was terrified. I love him," Walsh said. "He's my favorite pup-pup that I look forward to coming home to. I didn't know if I was going to lose him."

Walsh said Bentley began choking on a nylon chew toy in late July. The flexible toy got wedged in his mouth and the two-year-old dog could not close his mouth and his tongue was stuck in the back of this throat.

"I guess it was the way he bit down on it. He had one of the holes of the bottom part wrapped around his jaw and his bottom teeth to dislodge it," Walsh told WDAF.

The chew toy is made by a company called Lumabone. It has an unusual arched shape with holes at each end.

"A Facebook search produced several posts where other owners complained about the same thing happening to their dogs," WDAF reported.

"This particular toy, it was kind of a rough finish," Leighr said. "It was difficult to slip it in and out of his mouth. Once it got lodged in there, it was hard to slip out."

WDAF said it reached out to Lumabone for comment. The company didn't respond but a Facebook post by the company's owner indicated the toy has been taken off the market.

Lumabone's website said owners should supervise their dogs while they gnaw on toys like these.