The first day of 2026 did not start the way we expected. We were all sitting in the living room on January 1st. Calm. Quiet. Just another slow holiday morning. Then Boots lost it. He is almost 15 now. A stubborn little doxie who has been through a lot and still thinks he is ten feet tall. One second he was fine. The next he was panicking, clawing at his mouth, eyes wide. It looked like choking. The kind that makes your stomach drop.
We jumped into emergency mode. Clearing the airway. Thinking about a Heimlich. Running through every bad scenario you never want to run through. Then we realized he could breathe. He just could not clear something from the roof of his mouth. A chunk of a Nylabone was wedged up in the roof of his mouth. Way back. He could not get it out. In the panic, he had clawed at his mouth hard enough to cut himself. Blood everywhere. More panic.
We grabbed the car keys and drove straight to the only emergency vet open 24/7, 365 days a year in Central Oregon. VRC Veterinary Referral Center. We called on the way. They were ready before we even parked.
They took him back immediately. No delay, just action.
We sat in the waiting room trying to calm down. I noticed something small but extremely thoughtful. Snacks. Coffee. Kombucha. Soda. It sounds minor. It is not when you are sitting there panicking and stressed and waiting for someone to come back through that door. Heck, we were hadn’t even got ready for the day, still in gym clothes and covered now in blood and had not even brushed our teeth or had enough coffee before we had to race to a pet ER.
A few minutes later the vet walked out with Boots. Tail wagging. Happy. Like nothing happened and hungry as usual. They removed the piece with hemostats. No sedation. No drama. He was fine.
Then they said they were not going to charge us!!! I do not say this lightly. They were lifesavers. Absolute angels. We are incredibly lucky to have VRC here. When things go sideways, you want good people like that nearby at all hours and also able to put up with panicked people without their teeth even brushed and in tears.
The hard part did not end there.
I posted a warning in a local Bend Costco Facebook group. The Nylabone “Fun & Flexi Dog Toys” we bought earlier in the week at Costco fell apart with light chewing. We have used Nylabones for years without issues. This one was different. I did not want someone else rushing their dog to the ER on a holiday or any day. Most people were kind or had a similar concern or issue with Nylabones. Others did what Facebook does best, Blame. Mocking. Drama. One guy told us to suck it up and go walk our dog. As if we caused it. As if this was funny. People can be awful when they get behind a keyboard. I left the group, not worth it. Still disappointing to see how quickly empathy disappears, even in your own community.
So this is the warning instead.
Be careful with dog chew toys. Even brands you trust. Especially with senior dogs. Watch how they wear. Check them often. If something feels off, trust that instinct.
And if you are in Central Oregon and ever need an emergency vet, know that VRC is there. We started 2026 scared out of our minds. We ended it grateful. Exhausted. And holding a very stubborn little doxie who is still here.