How can I tell when a dog toy has become unsafe or worn out?

Worn Toy Warning Signs, A Toy Inspection Routine

Most toy-related injuries and blockages don't happen with a brand-new toy, they happen with a toy that's been slowly breaking down for weeks and finally gives way. Building a habit of checking toys every week or two, rather than waiting for something to go visibly wrong, catches most problems while they're still easy to fix by simply removing the toy. This is especially worth doing after a particularly enthusiastic chewing session, since that's when a weak seam or a hairline crack is most likely to give way.

Plush Toy Safety, Exposed Stuffing and Loose Squeaker

Soft toys are usually the first to show wear: seams starting to split, stuffing poking through a small hole, or a squeaker that's become exposed or loose. Once stuffing or a squeaker is accessible, it's very easy for a dog to pull it out and swallow it, so these toys should be retired the moment a seam opens, not "just until the hole gets a bit bigger."

Cracked Rubber and Frayed Rope, What to Look For

Solid rubber toys tend to show wear as deep gouges, cracks, or a chunk that's actually missing, a rubber toy that's lost a piece has a rough or jagged edge where the material tore away, and that missing chunk is now somewhere (swallowed, or hopefully just on the floor). Rope toys show wear as loose, frayed strands or sections where the weave has come undone; a rope that's still tightly braided end to end is in better shape than one that's starting to feather at the edges.

Hard Chew Wear and Sharp Edges

Look for sharp splinters or shard-like breaks rather than smooth wear, nylon and other hard chews can develop sharp edges as a dog gnaws through the surface, and those edges can cut gums or be swallowed. A hard chew that's been worn down to a small enough size to be swallowed whole needs to go, even if the material itself still looks intact.

A Simple Toy Check Routine to Retire Toy Early

A quick squeeze-and-look check during a normal play session, feeling for soft spots in rubber, looking for stray threads on rope, checking seams on plush, takes a few seconds and catches the majority of failing toys before they cause a problem. If you're ever unsure whether a toy is still safe, it costs nothing to swap it for a fresh one and keep the questionable one out of reach.

If a piece goes missing

If you find a toy has a bite taken out of it and you didn't see where the piece went, treat it as swallowed until proven otherwise, watch for vomiting, gagging, reduced appetite, or lethargy, and call your vet if these appear or if the missing piece was large, hard, or sharp. It's worth writing down roughly when you last saw the toy intact, since that timeframe can help your vet judge how urgent the situation is.