Just because a dog toy is designed for dogs to chew on doesn't mean the toy is safe for every dog.

If you have a dog on your holiday shopping list, local veterinarians and animal experts caution you to find out something about the dog before you buy the dog a toy.

After receiving an e-mail from a devastated Bainbridge Island family, KOMO 4 News learned many pet owners may be putting too much faith in pet toy regulators.

'Merlin Was A Part Of Our Family'

When Sam and Lisa Weiss bought a Portuguese Water Dog, they thought the puppy would grow up with their two children and live for years.

But the dog's life ended prematurely in mid-October when Merlin swallowed part of a chew toy called "Booda Bone."

"He managed to ingest several of the threads from this Booda Bone," said Lisa Weiss.

The knotted rope toys are made of hundreds of cotton/polyester strings. Merlin's swallowed some of the strings, and they lodged in his stomach.

The thread perforated Merlin's intestines and colon.

"We had to cut it apart to get it out," said Veterinarian Lisa Barfield. "It looked like a rope that was twisted and unraveled."

Within 2 weeks, Merlin was dead at the age of 19 months.

"Our case is not an isolated case and I'm sure there are other families that this has happened to, and other pets," said Lisa Weiss.

'Greenies' Could Be Dangerous Too

The Weiss' are not alone, and the Booda Bone is not the only animal chew blamed for the death of a family pet.

Some of the hottest chewables on the market right now are called "Greenies". They're promoted as natural, digestible and good for dogs' teeth.

But Shellie in New Jersey thinks "greenies" are dangerous. She went online to tell people how her dog Peanut choked and died when a piece of Greenie got stuck in its esophagus.

Shirley and Harvey Hannah are concerned about synthetic "Nylabones." The bones are approved by vets, but the Texas couple says a chunk of the nylon chewing bone killed their dog Rambo when it broke off and lodged in his intestines.

Each of these chew toys, and dozens more, are sold every day in nearly every pet store in the country. Their manufacturers say they've sold millions with few serious problems.

They even sell them at the local Humane Society, and use them with some of the animals here.

Not The Product, But The Pet

Animal experts say it's not the product, it's the pet.

"There are some chewables that are specifically designed for a dog to chew up and eat and swallow, that I will not allow my dog to chew on, because I've just heard so many nightmare stories," said Martha Norwalk, Animal Behavior Specialist and KOMO Radio talk show host.

Even so, Norwalk gives her dog Annie Nylabones, and says the Booda Bone is one of Annie's favorite toys.

"If we wanted to make a case against any dog toy or chew we probably could, because most people don't understand the basics," Norwalk said. "All of these objects should be supervised."

The Weiss' insist they did supervise. But Merlin swallowed the Booda Bone strings right under their nose.

"I was probably 3 feet away from him when he swallowed those threads," Lisa Weiss said.

But Dr. Lisa Barfield says she doesn't think it's really fair to put the blame on anyone.

The truth is, no chew toy is safe for every dog.

'Sit There And Watch'

Dog chews can be dangerous if they're too soft for your dog's strength, too small for your dog's mouth, if they break into pieces that are too brittle and sharp, or are made of long indigestible string or rope.

"Sit there and watch," Norwalk says. "Pay attention. Is it doing what it claims it's going to do? Is it just tiny little pieces or is the dog taking big chunks? And if it looks at all dangerous, then take it away. Don't buy any more of that particular item."

That's critical, because of the way pet products are regulated.

With the exception of food, and medicine, there are no safety regulations for pet products. The industry regulates itself.

Still, local vets surveyed say they've seen no pattern of obstruction problems with any particular chew toy, just isolated horror stories.

That's small consolation to the Weiss family.

"There just need to be warnings," Lisa Weiss said.

They say even one horror story is too many,

"I mean Merlin was a member of the family," said Sam Weiss.

A big part of the problem is: Many chew toys are made of materials that cannot be picked up by X-rays, so the obstructions go undetected until it's too late.

One local independent pet store in Seattle told KOMO 4 News it stopped selling nylabone products and rawhide, because of the potential hazard.

Right now, local vets are bracing for more holiday emergencies. Not because of pet toys, but kids' toys, holiday decorations, ribbons and even ornament hangers left lying around the house.