A Christchurch woman has warned about the dangers of a $5 Kmart pet toy after it almost killed her dog.
Leah Mabey posted about the Dental Bone Pet Toy saying her Pomeranian had to have emergency surgery after he managed to chew off the end and swallow it.
"Our little pomeranian is a puppy still and like most dogs will give anything a go but I thought I'd be safe buying this," she wrote.
She said her 10-month-old dog with "brand new tiny teeth" had to have surgery to remove part of the toy from his bowel.
"I know all toys at some level will get broken etc but I genuinely didn't think a chewability level 4 toy wouldn't be able to be eaten by a tiny Pom," she said.
She said she wanted to post the message to serve as a warning to other animal lovers.
"Please no hate or comments about being a "bad pet owner" etc, I'm not here for that. Simply writing a quick warning about this toy," she wrote.
Her post has since been shared more than 2000 times and attracted more than 3000 comments.
Mabey said she was worried that other dogs big or small may also have the toy at home and could potentially need surgery too.
"My recommendation would be to chuck it away," her post warned.
A Kmart spokesperson has previously told the Herald that the safety of their customers and pets was its number one priority.
"We want all members of the family; including our furry friends, to have a safe and positive experience when using our products at home.
"This is why we encourage customers to carefully read through all product care labels, to ensure they are selecting toys that reflect their pet's size and play style.
"We urge anyone who has any concerns or enquiries, to please contact Kmart Customer Service on 1800 124 125."