Last week I spent a few hours in a veterinary emergency clinic, providing emotional support for a friend whose dog had gashed his throat on a stick. He’s fine now, but it could have been much worse. One friend’s dog almost died after impaling his chest on a stick. It missed his heart by millimeters. I don’t write this to make anyone paranoid about playing fetch with their dog, but as a word of caution. I should say that I’ve tossed thousands of sticks to dogs in the past, and I still occasionally pull a stick out of the wood pile for Willie to run around with. People have been throwing sticks for dogs to retrieve for eons. But then, people have been giving dogs cooked bones for decades too. (I remember a vacation in Jamaica during which the visiting Americans snatched cooked chicken bones away from the resident dog in horror, resulting in peals of laughter from the residents. They saw the chicken carcass as a feast for the dog, while we saw it as a potential for injury or death.) As we all know, cooked bones don’t always cause injury, BUT they can indeed badly injure dogs, and jagged sticks can injure dogs too. Here’s an article from the Daily Mail (British press) about the dangers of using sticks as toys, in which veterinarians beg their clients not to use them. We’re back to that probability statement we often talk about: What’s the chance this might injure my dog, and is the risk worth it?
It is not worth it to me, which is why I usually give Willie & Maggie substitutes for sticks that are safer. No, not always, I have to confess sometimes finding myself stickless and needing to put something in Willie’s mouth to keep him from treating Maggie like a toy object, but I do most of the time, and at least significantly decrease the potential that one of them will be injured by a real stick. Here they were this morning, playing with their absolute favorite:
The toy is a Kong Safestix, and it is perfect for Willie and Maggie because Willie can run around with it by himself, or the two of them can play a tug game with it. Willie adores it, and I love it because 1) he adores it, 2) it is safer than a wooden stick, 3) it is long enough for tug games and short enough for one dog to play with, and 4) the colors are so bright it is almost impossible to lose, even in high grass. (It looks like I Photo Shopped the color of the Safestix, but I did nothing, it just seems to be lit from within all on its own.)
Another favorite at the farm is Ruff Dawg’s The Stick, which is thicker, shorter and a great toy to toss if your dog likes to fetch. Willie can’t do much of that because of his shoulder, but he loves to run around with The Stick in his mouth anyway.
What about you? Have you ever had problems with your dog being injured while playing with a stick? I have no idea how common it is and am curious to hear your experience. I’d love to hear if you have any safer substitutes you like to add to the list, and I’m sure Willie would be too.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Willie was in another sheepdog trial last Saturday. His first run wasn’t great but wasn’t awful. Perfect outrun and lift, a nice straight line to me on the fetch although we just missed going between the fetch gates, but then a sloppy, barely-made it drive, in which the sheep tried desperately to bolt to the exhaust pen while Willie worked and worked to get them back on line. Lots of dogs had trouble here, handlers were calling it the “Bermuda Triangle.” We finally did manage to get around the course, and got them in the pen with no trouble. But his second run was an entirely different matter. He did a perfect outrun and then stopped still behind the sheep, put his head up and looked at me. I whistled and called and whistled and called for what felt like an eternity, but he just stood there, immobile. Finally he followed the sheep, picked them up and began working well, but I called him off and retired after one old, wise ewe figured she had his number and bolted to the exhaust pen. I have to admit it was a low moment for me. I’d go into more detail but I’m still processing it. I love Willie so much, and he can be such a brilliant dog; it’s hard to see a dog you love struggle at something he can be so good at, not to mention to stand at the post while your dog stands stock still and doesn’t move. Ouch.
As best I can tell, Willie spent no time worrying about this yesterday or this morning, while working sheep at the farm or playing with Maggie. Here they are again, having a great time this morning:
Robin Jackson says
On the second run, sounds like Willie’s leg/shoulder/something may have been bothering him. A good sheep dog will do that freeze in place when he feels he’s not physically up to the run and he doesn’t want the sheep to see his weakness. It doesn’t seem to be about pain, they’ll work through pain, it’s a self evaluation of their own competency in that moment.
Just a thought.
Kat says
This isn’t an issue at my house since Ranger believes that fetch is a stupid and entirely pointless game and Finna is convinced that the only two things in the universe that are worth fetching are squeaky balls (regular tennis balls don’t cut it) and things I drop such as keys, phone, books, etc. The latter is especially worthwhile since she gets paid well for those. Ranger will occasionally decide to crunch up a stick he has found but all he does is use his teeth to break it into smaller pieces.
That said, I often wonder if in our efforts to keep our dogs safe we deny them the right to be dogs and try to protect them from everything at the expense of quality of life. It’s always a tricky balancing act between protecting them from real hazards and getting so overprotective that they live lives wrapped in cottonwool. I always try to ask myself the following questions 1) is this inherently dangerous and how dangerous is it 2) how do my dogs do this and does that make it more or less safe and 3) is it a risk I’m willing to take in light of my answers to the other questions. Most things have an element of danger so it’s important to be clear in my mind about how dangerous it really is. The way the dog behaves can make things more or less dangerous so knowing the dog’s behavior is very important as well. Chucking the ball for Finna is allowing her to engage in dangerous behavior that has seriously injured and even killed other dogs but she doesn’t just charge blindly after the ball with no consideration for her surroundings or the potential hazards of same and she doesn’t become so obsessed that she doesn’t know when to stop so I don’t feel like I am taking undue risks letting her play fetch with her squeaky balls and a chuck-it. I would feel very differently about the game if she charged blindly into thickets with no slackening of speed or apparent awareness that there are obstacles or if she became so obsessed that she lost all sense whenever she saw the chuck-it come out. So knowing the risks, knowing the dog, and making a judgement call about whether the risks are within an acceptable range. That’s my approach and so far at least it has served me well.
Trisha says
Thanks for the thought about Willie’s shoulder, but I don’t think that was it. I can tell by the way he moves when it bothers him and it’s been doing great. I think it might have had to do with his ability to hear (was very windy, wind coming toward me), possibly advice I got from a super good trainer to correct him if he stopped short at the top after doing lots and lots of encouraging. That’s what I did, buzzed him up over and over, and then eventually (last year tho) said No Willie in a very calm voice when he went too slowly. I think he interpreted that as “Stop what you are doing” and confused him. But I suspect that most importantly it relates to his long periods of recovery from injuries and surgery, during which he basically couldn’t move without permission from me. That’s when his hesitancy began, after his 12 month + recovery from his shoulder surgery, almost as though he had Stockholm Syndrome. Poor Willie, he’s been through so much. That’s my guess about what is going on anyway, but of course, still not sure. Thanks for trying to help me sort it out.
LisaW says
Sticks were always at-the-ready, cheap, and fun toy for fetching until a few years ago when I threw a stick for Olive and it landed upright in the grass, and she ran full on into it with her mouth open and it scratched the inside of her throat. It could have been much worse. The vet told us a piece could still be in there, so a course of antibiotics was given. He told a story of a dog that had gotten a piece of stick stuck in their gums and it took months to work its way out. We then switched to the Ruff Dawg’s Stick, which is great but not indestructible. We still use sticks for fetching in the water, the only down side is if its too waterlogged and sinks!
This topic conjured up a very old memory: We were in a park throwing sticks for our dog, and I picked up the stick and drew it back to throw and heard a “tunk.” I didn’t realize my dog was standing right behind me, and I had hit her in the jaw with the stick. Her jaw was jutting off to one side. She took a minute, wiggled it back and forth and was good as new, wagging her tail, ready for the next toss! I had literally dislocated her jaw with the stick. I cringe at the memory, sometimes it’s not the stick that’s dangerous. Ouch.
Janice says
Yes have had a dog be injured by chasing a stick. I threw it a fair distance and then turned away to walk away. Heard that terrible dog cry of pain but because my back was turned did not witness the incident. What I think happened is …. Bond ran for stick and somehow the stick was on it’s end and seriously poked him in the chest (yellow lab) when he pounced on it. The area swelled significantly … looked like a cantaloupe hanging off his chest! The swelling eventually subsided and he completely recovered. But I hate that sound and no longer throw sticks (I do throw other things!!) … I correct myself, if he barks long enough at a stick he has joyfully discovered I will on occasion throw it a short distance but I don’t look away any more. Sooo glad I found your blog. Loved your books … thank you.
Peri says
Quality of life. The end result is that we are all going to die eventually and most of us will probably get injured a couple of times as well. I found Kat’s post insightful. It is an issue that I wrestle with regularly; more often about medical issues these days.
Cait says
For us, sticks are water-only toys, where there’s no way Jack will impale himself, and if they float away, I’m not out $15. (I wish he liked the cheaper hard plastic bumpers, but no, only the expensive foam ones. Or sticks. Sticks are better than ANY bumper, says Jack.) Sometimes I throw a ball, but I kind of wonder about the environmental impact of tennis balls- I suspect they don’t biodegrade well.
Susan S. says
Long version: my Weimaraner Luna was running with one end of a stick in her mouth when the other end stuck in the grass & drove the fairly large stick up through the back of her throat. She stood there screaming. I ran over & pulled the stick out & felt real resistance. It was lunchtime so our vet wasn’t there. The tech couldn’t pry Luna’s jaws open but she saw no blood & sent us home. We went right back to the park to find the stick & Luna ran straight for it. There was a lot of blood on that stick. I took her to an emergency vet clinic where they took one look at the stick & admitted Luna for surgery to clean & close the wound & to secure a dislodged tonsil. Three months later she needed surgery again to remove necrotic tissue & to drain a huge swelling caused by a chunk of wood the vet couldn’t find. A few months after that she had a third surgery during which the vet located & removed the 3/4 inch x 1/2 inch
wood chip. Luna’s swelling then went down & she lived to be fifteen. Now my dogs are not (NOT) allowed to play with real sticks. I buy rubber ones.
chloe says
I throw sticks only to encourage swimming as Baruch won’t swim otherwise and I think it is a great exercise for her. Overall I don’t throw things for her or other dogs. I believe that our time together can be spent better considering we live in the city and if I take her to a large wild place I think it’s best if she sniff, and do what she wants, including picking up sticks or other things. but no throwing.
An Ortho vet told me once that the ‘ChuckIt’ is the number one reason dogs blow their ACL, running and leaping even after too tired or without stretching.
Robin Jackson says
Coercion fallout, then?
I know Kathy Kawalec reads your blog, are you familiar with her training protocols for herding trials? Like Jim Barry and Susan Emmen have shown with gun dogs, field work can be done reliably without P+, in spite of traditional practice. It does take more work on the part of the human, but it tends to make the failures more predictable, and so easier to correct.
Frances says
The stick injury happened to a dog I know – he either ran onto the stick, or ran with it end on, and it penetrated deep into his throat. It took a major operation, but he recovered and is fine. Neither of mine are interested in retrieving, but Poppy loves to run around with a “treasure” in her mouth. I choose short, rounded pieces of wood, or very fragile twigs – I am much more aware of the potential danger these days! Sophy used to love chewing wood when she was a pup, and would help herself from the kindling basket, but that faded away once she finished teething. She still can’t resist pencils, though…
Barbara says
This is more about the dangers of resource guarding than physical damage from the stick. I live in a forest so sticks are handy and are the only things my GSD Mindy is interested in chasing for fun. From the time she was a pup stick throwing was our special game. It was an easy way to give her lots of exercise. She has never been interested in balls. The game changed when my second GSD, Miley, grew up and that female competitiveness kicked in. Mindy is extremely possessive of thrown sticks while Miley is interested only if Mindy has one. I made the mistake of throwing the stick when both dogs were in the field. Mindy was running with her stick, Miley took it away, Mindy bit her in the side. $350 to stitch the hole in Miley’s side. Did I learn? Nope. Another time I tossed the stick and experienced my first (and only) serious dog fight. Fortunately there was a leaf rake nearby and I was able to break it up by whacking them on their backs. This time both dogs had damage to their ears. Another expensive trip to the vet. Mindy is not possessive about anything other than thrown sticks. They take turns when I toss fir cones in the field and they politely negotiate possession of Nylabones in the house. I try to make time to take Mindy to the field alone so we can play our special game together because it brings her such joy. But I make it clear to her that I am the owner of the stick. If she doesn’t bring it back or starts to chew on it I say, “Mine” and put the stick away for another time. I agree that there are risks in any game or toy. Mindy has never been injured by the actual stick (or chewing on fir cones or Nylabones for that matter.)
I too love your blog and reading about your your adventures with your dogs. In your archives I read about folks dealing with sick or injured dogs. My younger dog has Immune-mediated Polyarthropathy. It has helped immensely reading how other people have dealt with long-term illness. I “found” you in an article in “The Bark” magazine. So glad I did. Thank you for your wisdom.
Vicki Woodward says
I know to my cost (roughly £500!) how dangerous sticks can be. My boy had run head long into the kitchen door and his mouth was bleeding profusely, so after emergency first aid took him to the vet for antibiotics etc etc. While the vet had him on the table we were both looking in his mouth and to our horror there was a piece of stick wedged across the roof of his mouth, between his back teeth. The smell from it was disgusting, it must have been there for some time but he had never once complained or given any indication that he was in trouble. He was eating normally and I was still able to clean his teeth but because it was far back and in the roof of his mouth was not visible without tilting his head right back. It was so tightly wedged that he had to be sedated before it could be removed, hence the £500 vet bill. If he hadn’t injured himself on the door we may not have found it and it would have been a lot worse. I’m now paranoid about him chewing sticks, he loves them and thinks I’m a real old meany but I don’t let him have them, full stop!! He has the Safestyx now and loves it, along with his ball and anything else he can chase after!
Ron Rutherford says
All these horror stories are making me cringe! I’ve been pretty lucky with my pups — no major injuries — but this is definitely enough to make me take note. No more sticks for my dogs, we’ll stick to safe toys from now on. Thanks for the heads up. I’d be devastated if anything ever happened to them.
LisaW says
What came to my mind upon reading about Willie’s freezing was wondering if its related to his personality, long rehab, and more recent injuries. Our dog Olive and Willie seem to have similar “issues” and share a long rehab history. Her recovery was both mental and physical, and while she is now much sounder all around, there are instances of hesitation and uncertainty within certain contexts. I’m wondering if Willie connects a physical movement or sound or cue or situation with his past injuries and isn’t sure how to respond. He’s so sensitive. I’d love to know how these physical challenges affect their mental processes and possible aftermaths.
em says
As far as throwing sticks goes, it’s water only for me. Neither of my dogs is an enthusiastic fetcher, though Otis does love his big squeaky ball, which is pretty much the only thing he’ll retrieve on land.
We do live and play in forested areas, though, and both my dogs will pick up sticks on their own to chew or play with. They will (Otis used to do this much more commonly when he as younger), sometimes play tug or ‘let’s both run!’ with another dog using a stick, also. I don’t worry about it much, and I’ve never had an injury. I think several factors mitigate their risk when it comes to stick play.
–Neither is an exuberant fetcher. Otis will very carefully extract things from the water (which is the only time I use sticks as fetch toys. They are my preferred toy in this setting, though, owing to the likelihood of never seeing the thrown object again since he’s not only a fairly indifferent fetcher, but won’t swim. If it drifts too deep, goodbye.) and Sandy will fetch only if she is showing up some other dog. Neither runs or snatches recklessly, which minimizes the chance for injury, but I still use only balls/toys on land because they fly better and are usually less gross to touch (damp climate).
— Neither dog cares enough about fetch that I would need a toy at short notice- the temptation to use a stick as toy of last resort just isn’t there.
–Otis has a very, very soft mouth. He’ll hold one end of a stick while another dog has the other and run together, but his teeth are only barely touching the stick- he drops it instantly and easily at the slightest pressure. Sandy will occasionally bite and tug more vigorously, but she’s strong and bossy enough that most of her play partners surrender to her almost immediately. She’s also fairly disinterested in objects won in this way, so she usually drops it almost at once once she’s won, and there’s relatively little risk that she’ll hurt herself either by jostling during tug or by jamming it into the ground running with it after winning.
–Running sidelong with a partner, which is the only time either of mine run with sticks, means that the stick is always sideways in their mouths, so less risk of impalement. They also only play this game in an open mowed field, so there’s no chance of rapping the stick on obstacles.
— They both chew sticks, but do not swallow the pieces, so provided that they are standing/lying still when chewing, I watch closely but don’t discourage the practice too much.
So, weighing their particular inclinations, I don’t worry about my dogs playing with sticks enough to buy a substitute, or to avoid them in all contexts. But if I had an intense fetcher, an object swallower, or a wild tugger, I would definitely have a different attitude!
HFR says
So weird. Just last night on our walk I was trying to gently warn the owner of a young vizsla to be careful with sticks and his dog. He loves to throw them for the dog and the dog loves to run around with them. I don’t know what worries me more, the chasing or the dogs who love to chew them into splinters. I’ve known so many pups who end up with splinters from chewing on sticks. One dog ended up with a huge abscess on his neck which needed to be drained and took forever to heal. I actually bought the owner one of those kong sticks (although a shorter one) because she was still letting her dog play with sticks. The dog loves it.
But it is true that horror stories abound about everything. My limit is 3 verifiable stories. Then I pay attention. But in the end, it’s all about being aware of the dangers and being mindful of them. Not rocket science.
Martina says
While I think that it’s not good to treat dogs with gloves because you can’t protect them from everything, I’m also quite happy that my dogs don’t like fetching sticks. They must believe that wood-sticks are meant to be chewed on and that’s why they regularly get (short) sticks from blackberry (a variant without thorns).
There are so many other traditional toys which can also be harmful when used wrongly or when the dog is left without supervisor for too long. E.g. Gina loves to play fetch ball and it’s even more interesting for her if the ball bounces a bit, while I can’t stand when she jumps into the air. By now I’ve become quite apt at having the ball bounce that low, that there’s no need for jumping high but still interesting enough for her.
Sue Prouty says
My Rottie, Spike, had the same occurence as Vicki W mentioned. I was out in the yard with him, and he was just playing by himself, and chewing on sticks. Suddenly he came to me, frantically pawing at his face, rubbing it on the ground, salivating, and gagging. We had only had Spike a few months, and he wasn’t crazy about being “messed with”. Also, because he was so frantic, we couldn’t get a good look, so off we went to the vet. Once there, we could see that a stick had wedged between his upper molars, up tightly against the roof of his mouth. I could get my hand in there, but because of all the salivation, I couldn’t get a good grip. He had to be sedated….they left the room, and I finally went out and asked for a hemostat so I could remove it. The vet instructed the tech to get me one, and I removed it myself. I “only” had to pay about $100, but it annoyed me that I did the work, and still got charged. (cost of the sedative). I don’t throw sticks for the dogs, but they sometimes find them and chew…..or, like our Lab, will carry a 6 ft limb around the yard for fun.
Trisha says
LisaW: I think you are absolutely right about Willie. All this hesitancy started after his horrible shoulder injury and endless recovery. And got worse after last summer, when he was yet again leash restricted for three months for a strained iliopsoas. I suspect he has a version of “Stockhom Syndrome,” in which he became so dependent upon me for everything, and was denied all autonomy for so long, that he is simply lost in some situations now. I’ll work him in a Kathy Knox clinic in two weeks, but won’t run him anymore next year in trials at all. I just have to keep remembering that he won’t care, as long as he can still work sheep at home.
Connie McGhee says
Well, my retrievers have never been injured by a stick, but like you, I heard a few horror stories and have backed off giving them. However, sometimes a tree drops a small limb and they find it before I do, and I have to admit it’s pretty fun to watch them run around the yard with their prize. 🙂
I throw bumpers for them in the backyard now. I switched to the soft canvas type after Simon had a cracked tooth. But wow, I love that Kong Softstick! Thanks for posting the photo of it. I’m totally buying one I think Simon will love it!
Tania Lex says
My first dog injured his throat playing fetch with a stick. He caught it by the pointy end. He wasn’t badly injured, but his throat was definitely scratched or bruised. I’ve been extremely cautious about playing with sticks ever since. I will only play with sticks that don’t have sharp nubs sticking out of the sides and I won’t throw it in a manner that the dog could catch it from the air.
Jen says
My dogs prefer to eat sticks, rather than fetch them. While they enjoy retrieving balls, Frisbees, etc… I’ve just never formed the habit of stick throwing- probably because it’s one of those things I was taught not to do as a child, for reasons unrelated to dogs. The dogs I had growing up were not interested in fetching or chasing sticks, either. If and when I’ve occasionally tossed a few, I throw them horizontally, rather than vertically (end over end). I feel there’s less chance of getting stuck in the ground upright and fallen on that way. I do pay close attention when my foster puppies discover sticks and begin running with them, or engaging in a game of tug with a stick, but at our house, sticks are chew toys, rather than retrieving toys.
Dawn says
Both my Labrador Maya and my Aussie mix Pierson have been hurt by sticks. Luckily, not badly. I try to keep them away from sticks but both of them consider sticks as the best toys ever. Maya loves sticks so much that she pulled all the lower branches off one of our small trees! I’ll check out the toys you mentioned and see what they think of them. Thanks for the info. 🙂
Bianca Schmid says
I am using both a Kong safestix as well as normal sticks, however, since reading and hearing horror stories about impaled dogs, I tend to use normal sticks only to entice my dogs to swim in the pond because I do not trust them to always bring the toys back. Sometimes they leave the balls I throw, swim past them and go for a leaf or try swimming after a duck and I then spend 20 minutes to direct them back to fetch the original ball.
When I ordered the safestix, I was not sure if my dogs would take to it. Especially our staffy x absolutely loves her sticks but she took to it as if I had never thrown her anything better. She is still struggling to carry it properly but that is just comedy entertainment.
Our whippet tends to prefer balls on a string anyway, so no problem there… unless my bad aim causes me to throw it into a tree.
CJ in Canada says
I unfortunately know 2 dogs in the past two months who’ve had a stick impaled in their throats. The first one ended up with stitches and was back to himself in two days. Unfortunately the second one suffered too much damage for surgery to save her. It helps that mine prefers chase games over retrieving, but she’s landed at the emergency vet for other stuff, so I avoid the risk & she sticks to balls & toys instead, (plus her style is to run with the end of a stick in her mouth, it feels like watching a little kid running with scissors).
Sue says
Great memories and one photo exist depicting three Labs retrieving a sturdy and just long enough stick from Otter Lake near King. No problems with sticks, but one of those Labs got a rabbit bone wedged crosswise way back on her hard palate. Needed a vet to retrieve that!
Sarah says
No problems with sticks though will be careful hearing these stories! But Trisha I totally hear you on the “Stockholm syndrome” issue with injured dogs. When my girl had a bad iliopsoas injury last year, I slept on the LR floor for weeks with her so she wouldn’t use the stairs. Then we graduated to using a ramp onto the bed, where she was hooked by a leash onto the bed all night so she couldn’t jump off. Chained to the bed with me!! This was for many months. At a certain point I threw my hands up and said enough, she needs some freedom. Then if I took her to hike offleash she would give the best kisses after to thank me, brought tears to my eyes. After a year we started up our agility classes again. I have my girl back. Hope Willie’s spirit recovers soon– sure it will!
Cindy says
I know someone who lost their young dog as a result of an injury with a stick that pierced his throat and esophagus. They waged a long and expensive battle to try to save him, but couldn’t.
We can’t save our dogs from all possible injuries, but I agree with the person who said that they sit up and take notice when they hear of 3 injuries or more due to a specific toy.
I personally know 2 people whose dogs were killed by balls lodged in their throat. I’m hoping that balls these days are made better and safer than they used to be. I think it was the slick, heavy balls of the “olden days” that were most dangerous, and, of course, size is important.
connie says
I have had a dog injured by a stick…he was having a grand time running around with it in his mouth and then just a freak turn and he managed to force the stick under his tongue….big hole in his mouth…luckily the stick came out….and it healed just fine….but lots of blood (tongues bleed heavily) and a dog that was sure he should never ever pick up a stick again 🙂
Laurie Kimball says
Splinters to be pulled from teeth. Splinters in gums. Impaled in chest on stick. Try to avoid them. Frisbee. Tug a ball. Kong stick for water. Favorite stuffies.
Suzanne says
Oh yes, my first dog Ruby, BC suffered a gashed throat from fetching a stick. I’m still not really clear how it all happened…..in the evening she couldn’t lift her head so an emergency vet visit and antibiotics and she was ok. My current girl Maisie will occasionally chew twigs (when I’m not paying attention) and often get a piece stuck in the roof of her mouth which I have to yank out. Could gash her gums I guess, so far no repercussions from that but it is unpleasant so I don’t allow my dogs to play with sticks. I do use a rubber stick..also fun because she can bend it in half and sometimes it flies out of her paws!
Anne Payne says
My dog Lili used to love to chew on sticks. Last year I discovered a large cyst on her throat and although we don’t know for sure, our DVM suspects that a small fragment of a stick pierced through soft tissue in Lili’s mouth and got lodged in there. They tried draining the cyst but it came back, so she had to undergo surgery to remove it. During surgery, they found a channel that went from her lower mouth to the location of the cyst, a hint that whatever caused the cyst had come from the mouth. I was told this is actually a common situation for dogs who chew on sticks and bones. I think it was a stick because Lili stopped playing with them all on her own – she must have a memory of when the stick got jammed into her flesh – ouch!
Gayla says
I’m convinced. Sticks are now reserved for water retrieves only… Thanks everyone!
Rachel Hutchings says
I have thrown sticks for various dogs for years. I stopped when my terrier seemed out of sorts. On examination of her mouth she had a hole at the back of her throat which could have been very serious. Antibiotics and soft food were prescribed. I now only use balls and use different sizes for different sized dogs. I like the suggestions you show as alternatives for real sticks. I also found my dog sometimes coughed on pieces of stick or bark that came off while they were mouthing it.
Lynn says
On sticks – I don’t generally throw them, mainly because one of my three Border collies has shoulder and hip issues that aren’t helped by pouncing on sticks (or any other toy on land). But I’m also worried about dogs getting impaled on sticks, because I’ve heard far too many horror stories. When I do throw them, they’re sturdy, blunt, and in the water.
I tried to discourage my younger dog from playing with sticks as a pup. But he was hard-wired to like them. Never happier than when he’d found a stick – he’d prance, tail curled. Our back yard is wooded, so he’s always finding them, though periodically I’ll scour it for sticks and discard them.
I don’t tend to throw balls, though occasionally I’ll toss one indoors (“catch” not “fetch”). Outdoors they pick up dirt and wear dogs’ teeth down. In the water, a medium-sized dog will have to open its mouth wide enough that it’ll ingest enough water to make water intoxication a concern. Instead I’ll throw a floating disc or some similar toy that’s relatively flat, and about which the dogs’ mouths can close better.
On Willie freezing – well, I have to say I’ve seen this even with dogs who haven’t gone through extensive PT. I saw it as recently as Labor Day weekend when a friend was giving her dog some practice on picking up sheep being ‘held’ by a human with a dog (she normally practices at home on her own, holding the sheep on grain). Her dog (who does NOT have a lot of ‘eye’ froze and didn’t seem to know what to do. But the following weekend, she ran very well indeed in Open. Some of this is just dog trialing, I think… My trial dog has had days when she was brilliant, and days when she couldn’t find the sheep. Was she confused by the setout and exhaust sheep in the adjacent field? Was she refusing to acknowledge that black sheep (I drew three black Katahdin ewes) were really sheep? Who knows! The run right before this one (different field, same day) she’d placed first in pro-novice. I sure wish I could have gotten into her mind to see what was going on!
Thrilled to hear that Willie is back to trialing, even if you’re thinking of retiring him next year. I’m sure he’ll enjoy working sheep on your property just fine. But I also hope you’ll savor those special moments at trials, all the more because of the work you invested to get him there. He knows when he’s had those flashes of brilliance, and that will just intensify the bond the two of you have to one another.
Ken James says
My boy Chocolate got a stick impaled in his mouth once, he recovered just fine, so now I carry a small saw with me so I can finish off the ends of sticks so they are blunt. I pick sticks of bigger diameter. This way, we always have a good supply of toys. We look for sticks that are soft, and old. The dogs much prefer them to “bought” dog toys. (except for balls, which are on the top of the list, but which have their own drawbacks)
Kathy says
I’m going to “out myself” as the owner of the dog whose traumatic accident inspired this blog. It was my dog that Trisha comforted at the emergency vet’s office as he was sedated and the large gash deep in his throat next to his tonsils was scrubbed out.
May I say that having Trisha McConnell come to comfort your dog is a lot like having Mr. Rogers show up to comfort your toddler or Michael Jordan stop by to coach your kid’s 2nd grade basketball team.
Anyway, that incident with my dog cost us over $600, not to mention the depressed dog and the necessary pilling of antibiotics for the next 10 days. I always used to think of sticks as cheap toys–no longer! Despite years and years of harmless and fun stick-throwing, I will never, ever throw a stick for a dog again.
No, we cannot wrap our dogs in cotton wool and protect them from the world, but to refuse to learn from such a clear-cut situation and to continue to make the same bad decision would be irresponsible. No more sticks.
Liza says
Stick Aussie will lay down to “chew” the stick to pieces. He bites, breaks it apart & spits it out. Recently we learned this is NOT a good idea (anymore) the hard way. Instead of spitting, I think he inhaled. Immediately he was in distress trying to discharge the stick. I was panicked and we rushed to the emergency vet 5 minutes away. As I pulled into the parking lot, he spit it out. (I didn’t know until 2 weeks later looking for my grocery bag) The vet tech checked him out & said he was not choking. The vet did a check and thankfully no complications. So……. no more stick chewing for us, ever, ever. Appreciate the Kong-stick-toy idea Tricia. I’d not checked it out previously.
Karen Wilson says
I truly cringe each time I even see a dog even carrying a stick. Twenty-five years ago I had a sheltie that loved to retrieve. We played fetch for hours at a time, usually with sticks. Until one day the stick landed badly…it stuck in he ground with one end up. My sheltie was going full speed and grabbed the stick, it lacerated his tongue on the underside just along side a large blood vessel. I took him to the vet right away, he put him out and the vet showed me just how close to death my dog had come. The vessel was a major artery and you could see it pulsing in the wide open wound. I have never thrown a stick for a dog since and I never will. I quickly went out and purchased an assortment of bumpers for him to chase and retrieve. All these years later it still makes me shiver just to think about what could have happened.
T Hardey says
We used to throw sticks all the time. My Callie would bring entire dead aspen trees (5 ft long), to me and expect me to throw the fool things. Did make good firewood, much to her disgust. Then, one day, my Mac caught a stick just as it hit the ground, jabbing himself badly at the back of the throat. Healed OK etc., but scared the hell out of me. No more sticks in this family. I prefer the soft disks, and being bright colors, we don’t loose them in snow in the winter. Skye loved her Jolly ball, but Darby still prefers the tennis balls with a chuck-it. I hate the tennis balls, they are like sandpaper on the teeth!
Sasha says
No sticks even in water because of the way he carries them – one end in his mouth pointed directly at the back of the throat/roof of his mouth. He impaled himself at the back of the throat once trotting along when the free end dropped a little and then caught in the ground. Took him to the vet to clean up the wound and I’m still paranoid there’s a splinter lurking in there even after all these years.
Jana says
I’ve never allowed my mastiffs to play with sticks. But imagine my dismay when one afternoon, I was working in the yard, pulling up volunteer Rose of Sharon sprouts, trimming back dead branches on the mature Rose of Sharon’s, only to turn around to see my 2 yr old mastiff happily following me with one of the Rose of Sharon trees in his mouth, dragging the rest of the tree behind him. He was obviously watching and mimiced me as there was a stump of a tree left, about mid-thigh high that was the diameter of my wrist and about 8-10 feet high pre-mastiff pruning. From then on I had to watch him closely as he’d chomp down any Rose of Sharon he wanted that wasn’t already too large. Several of my favorite blooming ones were chomped back knee high. And the mature ones would get any large branches that were waist high or lower “pruned” by mastiff teeth.
He also learned how to pick cherry tomatoes and ripe raspberries off the plants the same way, watching me.
Trisha says
To Kathy, whose dog motivated this post: You are too kind, but seriously, it was nothing any friend wouldn’t do. I was happy to be able to help in some way. I’m soooo glad that Argus is okay.
And thanks to all of you who have sent in your experiences. I was cautious before, now I’d say I’m determined to never use sticks ever again. Of course, like many of you, we can’t always control an off leash dog from picking up a stick, but we be as prepared as possible to have an alternative.
Pike says
And then there is this kind of stick danger:
The hound just threw up grass and a rather large rock (sharp edged, too) yesterday morning and I was puzzled as to why she would have possibly eaten a rock after 8 years of zero interest in eating anything that is not food (granted her definition of food is different from mine, but it never included hard or dirty inorganic objects). But I was in a rush on my way to the vet acupuncturist with my dogs and just cleaned it up and left.
Later in the morning, she still seemed a bit under the weather and both the vet and I were puzzled as to what had happened. Though not so much as to take x-rays quite yet. Back home I pulled the paper towel with the evidence back out of the trash and looked at more closely. It was not just grass and the larger rock (about an inch long) but also a handful of smaller rocks and a flat corner of a stick. And that piece fit perfectly into a much larger stick on the backseat of my car.
And then it all made sense: The day before, I had let her finish my ice cream bar on a stick as I always do and when chomping down on the stick she must have swallowed a corner of it. I would have thought that soft wood like this would just get digested or pass through. But this one had one very pointy side and obviously caused her discomfort. I am guessing that she first tried the grass to throw up and only later added the gravel pieces when that didn’t do the trick.
Well, today she seems good as new and all digestive functions are working fine 🙂
Lesson: No more handing over of the ice cream on a stick. In the future it will be licking only – or maybe ice cream in a cone.
Margaret McLaughlin says
Off topic–please forgive. @ Robin Jackson–do you have a link for gundog work without P+? I would love to put at least a WC on Nina (her breeder would love it too), but all the trainers I know of in my area think it can’t be done without a shock collar. Not Going There.
Trish K says
This topic has convinced me not to use sticks for play with my dogs or even to give as something to chew on while outside, something my Bella really enjoys. It seems so natural for dogs to chew sticks. I’ve never heard of so many serious injury incidents before this. Actually not one. Guess I need to get out more. Well I’m getting the kong safestix. Hope they like it. As always I enjoyed hearing about the dogs and willies sheep herding experiences .
Kat says
Not trying to minimize the danger or potential hazards but I would like to point out that this is something of a self-selecting report of the hazards. Thinking of all the dogs I knew as a kid growing up who fetched countless sticks and never had anything happen. As with anything making a reasoned decision based on the best information available is the responsible thing to do. It’s just that looking at all these horror stories it begins to sound like letting any dog play with any stick ever is inevitably going to result in tragedy. I suspect that while there are definitely true hazards to be aware of the picture developing here is reflective of a self-selected position rather than an empirical analysis.
I’m not sure I’m expressing myself as clearly as I want to but I do wonder if for every dog that is injured or killed there aren’t as many or more that never have a problem. It’s easy to decide that something is too much of a risk if only the problems are put into the equation. I’d love to know real numbers if the numbers are of every 100 dogs that plays with sticks one will be injured maybe the joy my dog gets from fetching sticks is worth the risk. If the numbers are 75 of every 100 dogs that play with sticks will at some point end up at the emergency vet’s office that’s a greater risk and probably one I wouldn’t be willing to take. And now this devil’s advocate will go play ball with her dog.
Trisha says
Kat’s point is a good one: We still don’t know what percentage of dogs who play with sticks are injured by them. My guess is that it is relatively small. I too have never had a dog who was injured by a stick. But, that said, given that veterinarians report often seeing dogs who are injured by sticks, and that the response to my question was a barrage of stick-related injuries, and that I’ve personally known of 3 dogs who were badly injured by sticks and one who was killed by one, I’m sticking (ha!) to my Safestix.
By the way, I thought you would all be amused that last night Maggie picked up a stick and tossed it into the air, and caught it on the way down. That is the first time she has ever done that, she has never picked up a stick since I got her in March. What timing. I burst out laughing while I gently asked her to drop it and distracted her. Ha!
HFR says
I’m no research expert but to me it’s not about the chances of it happening but the consequences if it does. For instance, most people who run while holding scissors don’t trip and fall, but if they did the consequences could be serious. So even tho most of the time nothing will happen if your dog plays with a stick, why take the chance especially if the injury could be so severe and there are safer alternatives? I’m not an anti-stick nut, but really just curious about evaluating risk and how to take that into consideration without becoming one of those people who see danger in everything.
For instance, my dogs love to jump and play in streams and ponds. But now with the fear of poisonous algae, I’m nervous to let them do that. My friend has decided to not let her dogs go into any natural water ponds. The consequences are serious but do I deprive my dogs of that joy on the small chance there is a problem. So unless the water looks bad and obviously full of scum, I let them go in. But, I worry.
LisaW says
Of course this is skewed by self-selective reporting. That is the point of the blog and the conversation to share our experiences and stories on a particular subject. The topic wasn’t about dogs who had never been injured by sticks — that would be an entirely different conversation. It’s all relative to the context we’re in. I think we’re making the best decisions we can based on our own experience and information we can gather. My decisions and subsequent actions aren’t based on statistics but my experiences, learning from others, and knowing my own dogs. You could show me study after study on the banality of stick usage and it most likely would not change my behavior as it is related to sticks. We found a compromise and a solution that works for us, that’s what counts.
Robin Jackson says
@Margaret McLaughlin,
Trisha wrote a blog post about R+ gun dog training back in 2009. Most of the names and books mentioned there are still the top resources, particularly Jim Barry and Mary Emmen.
Tom Aaron of Fetchmasters, founder of the Positive Gun Dog Association, is another good resource now. (He was training his own dogs in 2009, but hadn’t started the association yet.) Membership in the association is free, and they have discussion forums and a quarterly newsletter, the R+ Gun Dog.
Trisha’s post:
https://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/positive-training-for-hunting-dogs
Positive Gun Dog Association
http://www.positivegundogassociation.com
Like the positive herding trainers, almost all these folks use mostly R+ with a little mild R- of the “time out” variety. They don’t use P+.
Robin Jackson says
Going back at least 4 generations, my extended family has always used knotted ropes as fetch toys. No sticks. No idea who started the tradition or why. With longer ones two dogs can run side by side with them, which as I’ve mentioned before has always been common play among our border collies.
If I’d been asked before I’d have speculated it was so two dogs could play safely, but perhaps the one dog safety issues factored in as well.
em says
@Kat,
You make a very good point about reporting bias, but I’m inclined to think the the issue you raise in your very first post might muddy the waters to the point where knowing what percentage of all dog get injured while playing with sticks might be misleading.
Some dogs, owing to their play style, are probably at a much, much greater risk of injury than others. An overall average survey of all dogs (while no doubt very interesting) might under-represent the actual risk to fast and vigorous retrievers, for example, while exaggerating the risk to dogs who play less actively.
When I am evaluating risk for my personal dogs, I always consider three factors: What is the likelihood of a problem? How dangerous is the problem if it does occur? and What is the cost of avoiding the risk?
When I evaluate likelihoods, I seldom if ever have any actual data in front of me, so I generally make a best guess based on what I know of my dogs, what I know of past experiences with other dogs, and what I know about others’ experiences with their dogs.
In this particular instance, I don’t personally know anyone whose dog has been killed or seriously injured with a stick, but I know several who have had close calls (minor scrapes that could have been more serious) and I’ve heard many stories about horrible injuries resulting from playing with sticks. Based on that I’d calculate this one as ‘probably not advisable in most circumstances’.
What I know of my own dogs inclines me to think that their risk is especially low (i.e. they don’t play in the way that many of the badly injured dogs are described as playing, running fast after a stick), but the outcome is potentially pretty nasty and, more importantly, the COST of minimizing my own dogs’ risk further is extremely low as well. If my dogs were younger and more invested in fetching or tug games, I’d buy a substitute for them to play with, and assuming that they’d accept it that would be that. No muss, no fuss, no play deprivation or huge financial outlay. To me, it seems that when the cost of avoidance is low, as in this case, even a small risk is worth minimizing if you can. As it is, I just don’t throw sticks for them on land, and I take away any sticks that they find if they seem splintery or otherwise bad for chewing on. It costs me nothing except a small amount of vigilance and the dogs nothing except a very occasional loss of a chew object (compensated for with snacks, usually).
If, on the other hand, you can’t avoid a risk without impacting you or your dog’s happiness and quality of life, you ultimately have to make the choice (hard as it may be) based on your own best judgement. I’m pretty comfortable with my dog fetching the occasional stick from the water and having the occasional gnaw on a big, hard limb, so I’m willing to trade off what risk there may be against the pleasure it brings them. If they were different dogs, or these were different sticks, I would probably make a different call.
Trisha says
I agree that risk assessment is critical. I don’t know how many times I talked to clients about the two important questions to ask re aggression: 1) What is the probability that it will happen again and 2) What does “happen” mean? You might accept a 20% chance that a dog will growl, a 10 % chance that a dog will nip, but not a 1% chance that it will severely injure someone. Of course, we can’t truly know what likliehood it is that any one dog will be injured by a stick, but we can use our heads about how much risk our dog is.
LisaH says
It doesn’t look like anyone referred to stick play causing injury to the human….. I grew tired, and sore, of being thwacked and poked with sticks on my ankles and shins – sometimes to get my attention, sometimes during a run by! For that reason, among others, I limit sticks for the most part. I select them to be smooth and the “correct” length and width, and I take it away if I get hurt or I fear one of them will get an eye poked, or if Lola lies down to chew it up. They are nice to throw in the lake for Java so I’m not losing store bought toys. Right now I have a leg bruise because we were up north in the woods, one found a stick and the other stole it while in front of me and I was hit. As for dog injuries, Java had a stick stuck once inside his mouth as a puppy, and luckily the husband saw it immediately and removed it, then he had a chest gash that we think was from a stick, but didn’t actually witness, that required antibiotics. I am ordering the Safestix today! Thank you for the recommendation.
Nan S says
My Very Hungry Labrador doesn’t bother chasing sticks (or balls), but he methodically ate his way through the kindling I was keeping dry for the wood stove while I was focused on something else…
Jen aka DOGthusiast.com says
I also heard a horror story from a friend, and have largely discontinued tossing sticks (the rare exception being very short dull ended ones as a tossed reward for a trick or photo – very controlled). But edge cases can be so real. My dog almost died from a piece of *raw* bone piercing his bowel causing peritonitis and a resection. Bone fragment torn off a non-consumable bone (knuckle) was tiny but digested into a sharp hook and almost did him in. So no bones for any of my dogs anymore… Or sticks 🙂
Beth says
We know someone whose dog was impaled in the chest by a stick. I will on very rare occasion toss one, but I always make sure that it is tossed in such a way that the stick will most definitely be lying on the ground before the dog gets there. One of mine runs as fast as his legs can possibly carry him after anything that is thrown, so I tend to stick to frisbees and chuck it balls. I may try one of the “fake” sticks to change things up. The problem with frisbees and chuck-its is they go so far, and since my dog is running at maximum speed that means we can only throw it a small number of times before he is panting hard.
There are risks to everything; a dog can bust a knee chasing a ball. But there are so many easy alternatives to sticks that it does not seem worth the risk to me.
Beth says
Speaking of risks, I’m in a patch where it seems risks for the dogs are everywhere. Mine both picked up a lovely little something that I wish I never heard of called Clostridial enterotoxicosis. Probably from eating something off the ground. Vet said it can be anywhere and we thought they got it from goose droppings at a lake, but then we gradually discovered that half the dogs in our neighborhood had similar symptoms at some point over the summer so it could have been right here at home.
We then saw a porcupine on the ground in our very own backyard. After never once in my life seeing a wild porcupine, strange that he should show up right by my deck. And I don’t exactly live in the middle of the forest. When I mentioned it, several people had dogs who got into porcupines, and one even had a dog die from a quill which penetrated and pierced some major organ.
Now the canine flu is going around the area.
So suddenly everything fun— playing off-leash, nosing the ground, socializing with other dogs— seems fraught with risk.
It can be so tough to balance safety with fun.
Maggie says
Enjoy reading your blog. Years ago, I had a sled dog team. Was racing in the Empire -130. One of my dogs stepped on a stick a bit bigger than a pencil and it drove about 8″ up the leg- under the skin but over the muscle and bone. Fortunately, the dog healed completely with minimal veterinary assistance.
Sticks can be a danger!
Frances says
When Sophy slipped a disc last year my vet prescribed three weeks crate rest and anti-inflammatories, and then, if all was well, to let her build back up to previous activity levels and just let her run. He said trying to wrap her in cotton wool to prevent a recurrence would make both Sophy and me miserable, and probably make very little difference. I try to avoid obvious risks – dogs loose in the car, dogs off leash near traffic, sharp sticks, cooked bones – but there comes a point where risk aversion begins to seriously compromise quality of life. And we humans are not very good at assessing probabilities anyway – witness the vast profits made by sellers of lottery tickets!
Trish K says
Just spent two days at the lake with my dogs walking through the woods playing, running and having a great time as usual but I was too aware of the the potential dangers of sharp tree branches from fallen trees possibly fatally wounding my dogs. Lol yeah drama queen. but seriously I’m grateful for this conversation because now I am more thoughtful and aware.
What I observed this weekend was the different energy and play styles my dogs have and what I thought the chances were of them getting hurt while running off leash through the woods. Bella’s chances are probably higher than fifty percent I’m guessing as she is my littl free spirit explorer. Simon will go 100 ft. And turn to look back to make sure I’m there? Ah it’s beautiful to watch though. Bell is lightning fast and so graceful jumping logs maneuvering her way through the woods off the trail. Probably too fast though so I’m a bit worried. I think for now I will limit the sticks to the thicker dull edged type if any at all. Simon did fetch stick in the lake this weekend too but I did find myself thinking about the type of stick and this blog topic was on my mind pretty much all weekend with the dogs.
Sue Brown The Light of Dog says
When my Vizsla Romeo was growing up, he chewing sticks all the time. While not my first choice, I figured it was something I would just supervise carefully and we never had a problem. Zuzu, my adolescent Greyhound mix does play some with sticks but doesn’t eat them nearly as often as Romeo did. They will play chase w one sometimes, and their favorite is to chew fresh sticks off the scrub oak. However, I did have a clients’ dog who was boarding with us get a chunk of stick lodged in his mouth between his teeth (upper mouth, lodged between the right and left sides of his mouth). I was fortunate to even see it, and it took us about 20 minutes and some coconut oil to loosen it enough to get it dislodged.
Janice says
Such an excellent discussion. I laughed at the post of “sticks causing injuries to humans”. That reminded me there is one other time we allow Bond, our lovely yellow lab, to play with a stick and that is when he finds and parades with a HUGE stick … several feet long … entire tree branch more like it! … we make sure he holds it in the middle to balance the weight … if we are on a narrower trail we have to inform others of “Wide Load” approaching. He always causes smiles. And yes, I have been whacked at the knees on more than one occasion when I did not get out of the way fast enough!!
Carolyn says
When I worked in a vet practice, I saw many dogs that had impaled their throats while running with sticks, but perhaps the most tragic was my veterinary herding buddy whose BC puppy lost an eye chasing an Aussie with a stick in its mouth. The eye couldn’t be saved, even though his owner was a vet and right there when it happened.
Todd says
I love Dogs and your advice makes sense,but i do question if this becoming a nanny attitude?
So when fido runs outside and grabs a stick do i punish him for grabbing such a deadly weapon?
i have 5 acres with Tree’s all over it and sticks and leaves (Which Fido loves to run through ) all over the place each year as the season go by,
so should i place fido in a fenced yard with cotton wool everywhere or pick up each stick thats on the land ,boy wont that take for-ever.
How do i teach Fido when i through the Plastic stick ( in which the process of making pollutes the environment ) that he must pick up that one and not other deadly sticks ?
as i said, i understand your point and know of people whos dogs have gashed themselves on sticks but really where does the problem lye.
I people whos dog has been run over by a car when living in suburbia,bitten by snakes,spider ,centipides,other dogs,cats,rats etc…,eaten bad food,urinated on electric fences,fallen of cliffs,buildings,roofs well you get my point…
How far do you go till its either a Padded room with cotton wool ?
perhaps some general Dog and Human training would be more effective !!!
Trisha says
I hear you Todd, balance is so important. And of course, many of us remember growing up in a world with no bike helmets, no baby carriers, etc. My mom sent us outside to play all day; we played alone in the desert and our favorite: a new suburb being built just across the hedge. Some kids crawled around in the heating/AC ducts and underground tunnels–it’s a miracle none of us got ourselves killed. Most of us lived through it just fine, but then, of course, ignorance was bliss. My dogs too run around in the woods and fields, and are off leash in the yard with a county highway running past the house. I train obsessively to keep them in the yard and to stop instantly to “Whoa!” but I know that some people are appalled that anyone would let their dogs off leash except inside a fenced yard. I think we all have to find our own comfort level. Thanks for your input…
Tim Stannard says
We sell the fabulous Bionic Urban Stick on our website: http://www.planetbluedog.com. It is extremely tough but soft on the mouth, it floats and can be stuffed with peanut butter etc. for added interest. No more dirty teeth, injured mouths or swallowed fragments. It is also a tough tug. Highly recommended by most of our customers, must be sized appropriately to ensure durability. Check it out!
Brian says
Sticks and stones can break bones, no pun intended. A wide assortment of durable, long-lasting dog toys can usually be obtained for cheap and relieve a lot of the tension when it comes to pet injuries during play or exercise. Thanks for sharing.
Marco Madamba says
My dog died just a few days ago. Exactly a week ago we were playing fetch and the stick went straight on into our dogs throat. We have been playing fetch for years and nothing has ever happened. I had to run and pull it out as it was stuck in his throat. There was a lot of blood and pain. He went to an emergency vet and visited for about three days, getting antibiotics and anti-inflammation injections. However his health got worse and he started refusing to eat and drink as he was very very weak. We tried our best and we, along with the vet did not see death as an outcome. He died in his sleep 4 days later.
All I can say is DO NOT risk it. Don’t play with sticks with your dog/s, as it can lead to horrible consequences. I’ll never have my dog back, but I just pray that others will not lose theirs to similar acts.
Jessica says
Thank you all for this discussion. As a result, we are avoiding all stick play with our new lab puppy.
However, we also have a five year old cocker spaniel and retrieving sticks is his prime reason for living! I choose smooth sticks with no side branches, diameter about 1-3 inches (often driftwood).
He’s never had an issue, and he does this almost every day on land and in water. He will occasionally fetch a ball, but greatly prefers sticks. If I throw a ball, he will likely ignore it and bring back a stick. He bites on sticks but does not break them into bits or consume them. He may strip the bark off, but almost delicately.
He doesn’t run until he sees or hears the stick land, but then he does run, or swim, very determinedly. Very rarely, sticks have landed with the end stuck in the sand, but the other end is above his head, so I can’t picture how he would impale himself . . . In the park and fields, the stick always lands flat—I throw side arm and not more than about 20 meters.
Oh, dear. He wouldn’t understand why on earth I would take this job away from him, and I would miss it sorely as it is a wonderfully easy way to get him exercise and enjoy nature together. I came across something about the dangers of sticks while reading for the puppy, and I was totally blindsided that our shred joy is now a source of serious worry 🙁
Trisha says
Ah, Jessica, I share your angst. There are times that Willie or Maggie pick up a stick while on a walk and begin running joyfully with it. Argh, do we stop them every single time? We all have to make decisions, sometimes on the fly, sometimes after careful consideration, about balancing joy/safety, fun/restrictions. It’s a very personal decision obviously, one I struggle with too. Ignorance truly can be bliss, and sometimes I think we all know a bit too much about the inherent dangers in the world. I do sometimes let the dogs run with a stick, knowing full well that there is a small danger they might be injured. At home and on some walks I use a Kong Safe Stix BUT, I cut the round ends off because Maggie once sliced the round ball off with her back teeth and the ball is the perfect size to get stuck in her throat. And still, she’s also cut off pieces of the Stix, so I watch carefully and throw them away. So, argh, danger everywhere. However, what doesn’t have some risk associated with it? I think we all need to balance the known risks with the pay offs… Given how you describe your Cocker’s method of playing with sticks, I would seriously consider tossing out “serious worry” and going back to your shared joy!