Nylabone is dangerous and I won?t have one of these so called ?toys? in my house again!

Do you think I?m over-exaggerating? After all, I?ll bet you?ve read other reviews of this product absolutely singing the praises of Nylabone? But you certainly won?t get that from me.

OK, going back to the beginning, I am lucky enough to share my life with two furry little girls that go by the names of Skittle and Mokee. Skittle is a seven year old border collie, and Mokee is a five year old Collie Cross. They?re both the most gorgeous and wonderful dogs in the world (of course) and, as I believe myself to be a responsible dog owner, I like to make sure that they?ve got everything that they could ever, possibly need (though I do draw the line at little doggy coats, they are already covered in fur, after all!)

In my quest to find the perfect chewing toy for the two of them I had already tried presenting them with several expensive canine toys that were supposed to be especially designed for aggressive chewers. The result? Well, not good! Especially one spike covered bone type toy from Sainsbury?s that only lasted two minutes of Skittles administrations (though top marks to Sainsbury?s, who gave me my money back instantly when I returned the mangled remains to the shop half an hour after buying the thing!)

I?d heard good things about Nylabone, both on opinion sites and on TV programmes, so decided to give it a go. Nylabone is available in various sizes, from a tiny bone for very small dogs, right up to something that looks like it came out of the leg of a dinosaur for your Wolfhound or St Bernard! It is readily available in most good pet shops, although as you?re probably aware I wouldn?t recommend that you purchase one. However, I had selected the Collie sized bone, and &#

73;?ll admit I baulked a bit at the price. At very nearly a tenner this was certainly one of the more expensive toys I?d ever bought for the dogs, but as you?ve probab
ly guessed already I?m one of those sad people who believe that nothing is too good for my dogs, so I splashed out on the Nylabone anyway. I so, so wish I hadn?t?

Taking it home and presenting it to Skittle (who, as top dog, insists on being first to try her teeth on any new toy that enters her domain) I was, at first, pleased with the Nylabone. Skittle immediately set to, and a good half an hour later the Nylabone, although looking a tiny bit chewed at the edges, was practically as good as new. I was impressed, but soon returned my attention to the television. That was when I discovered the first problem with Nylabone? Although the bone I had selected for Skittle and Mokee was relatively large and designed for chewing, not playing fetch with, Skittle didn?t know this. In the mood for a game, and unnoticed by me, she?d picked up the Nylabone and carried it over to me, to deposit it on my foot in time honoured ?play with me, mummy? fashion. Only problem is, the Nylabone is extremely solid and heavy, and it felt like she?d just dropped a house brick on my toes? After the cursing and swearing had subsided, I removed the Nylabone, replacing it with a nice, soft tennis ball for a game of fetch.

I was quite surprised, though, when picking up the Nylabone, that after only half an hour or so of really intense chewing the ends were already beginning to form into tiny razor-sharp spikes that the makers of Nylabone claim with help to keep your dogs teeth clean. I was concerned that the dogs might hurt themselves on these spikes, but decided to place my trust in Nylabone, and gave it back to the two of them. Big BIG mistake.
>
Ov
er the next couple of weeks the Nylabone went ignored for much of the time, although one or the other of the dogs would, occasionally, hunt it out for a really good chew. Yes, I?ll be the first to admit that when it came to a need to chew, this is the first toy that Skittle and Mokee went for every time. However, persona
lly I soon began to detest the Nylabone, as I was forever scratching my ankles on the sharp edges, which was surprisingly painful! I was also concerned that occasionally, as they chewed the Nylabone, my dogs would launch into a tremendous coughing fit as one of the tiny, sharp pieces of Nylabone broke off, and was swallowed. The makers of Nylabone claim that these tiny shards are harmlessly swallowed by your dog, but I?m here to tell you that they?re not harmless at all, far from it, in fact.

A month or so after the introduction of the Nylabone, I couldn?t help but notice that Mokee had developed REALLY stinky breath. Now, I?m very careful what I feed my dogs on, and I also give them plenty of Denta-Stix and similar dental health chews to ensure that there teeth and gums remain in perfect condition. As a result of this neither of them had ever suffered from halitosis before. I was concerned, and as Mokee was due for a booster vaccination anyway, I took her in to the Vet and asked her to check out Mokee?s bad breath in case there was a serious problem. What she found both shocked and upset me. You see, it appears that the Nylabone I?d bought for my dogs to exercise their jaws and teeth on, had actually injured Mokee. Holding Mokee?s jaws open the vet was able to show me a livid, red scratch mark, all the way down the back of Mokee?s throat. This scratch had, according to the vet, become infected, which was causing the terrible smell. 
7;okee must have had a r
eally sore throat, and I?d had no idea. I felt terrible. The vet asked if I allowed my dogs to play with sticks, but I assured her that I don?t, and explained that the only new toy they?d had recently was the Nylabone. Smiling a rueful little smile, the Vet asked me if I?d noticed any coughing when Mokee was chewing the toy. Of course I had, so she then explained that the Nylabone was the most likely culprit, that the sharp shards from the chewed ends could quite easily have caused Mokee?s scratch, a
nd subsequent discomfort.

Needless to say, as soon as I returned home with my poorly dog and a bottle of antibiotics (also £40 out of pocket in Vet?s bills) the Nylabone went straight in the bin. Now, I?m no mathematician, but even I can do this equation:


Nylabone (£10) + Mokee (priceless) = £50 in total costs, a nasty throat infection for Mokee and terrible guilt for me


So, after that experience, what do you think the chances are that I?ll be giving Nylabone 5 stars? Yes, not very likely at all, in fact. I would never recommend a Nylabone to any conscientious pet owner. Not only are they expensive to buy in the first instance, but they can injure your pet, as Mokee and I found out to our cost.