A veterinary nurse has taken to social media to warn all dog owners over the dangers of a common activity that can prove fatal for their pets – and it's something many people do
A veterinary nurse has issued a stark warning to all dog owners about the dangers of a common activity with their pets. Jade took to TikTok to share her advice, highlighting the risks associated with throwing a stick for your canine friend to fetch.
“When you throw a stick it can get stuck in the ground – and when your dog runs towards it at high speed and tries to snatch it, sometimes they can run over it and end up impaling themselves through the roof of their mouth,” the veterinary nurse explained.
She revealed that she had sadly witnessed such an incident before, which resulted in the death of the dog. “The stick went straight through the roof of the dog's mouth and straight into it's brain and it died immediately,” Jade recalled chillingly.
Jade also mentioned that she knew of similar unfortunate incidents happening “a few other times”, before highlighting additional hazards of playing with a stick.
“Sticks can also splinter and those splinters can get stuck in your dog's mouth or even the oesophagus or stomach,” she warned. “Overall, sticks just aren't a good thing to play with and I just cringe when I see people throwing them to their dog.”
Reacting to the post, one TikTok user shared their own experience of their pet falling victim to this activity. “That happened when I threw a stick for a Collie, he was in the vets overnight, I felt so so awful,” they confessed.
A second person shared: “My dog isn't allowed sticks and he knows it. As soon as he sees one he eats it so fast as if he's never been fed and sticks are a nourishing food source!”
A third admitted they had been oblivious to the risks involved: “Wow, I never knew this. I used to throw sticks for my dog all the time.” Whilst a fourth declared: “I never give my dogs sticks or bones.”
Echoing the advice from Jade, the British Veterinary Association warns on their website: “Whilst throwing sticks for your dog can appear like a great form of play, the dangers are all too well known by veterinary surgeons.
“Sticks can get impaled into a dog's throat, and whilst this may just cause minor wounds, some dogs will suffer life threatening injuries such as lacerations of the vital structures within the neck as well as multi-resistant bacterial infections.”
They further advise: “If you and your dog enjoy this type of activity, vets recommend using more safer alternatives such as dog-friendly frisbees and rubber sticks. Speak to your local vet if you would like information on alternative dog-friendly toys. In addition, if you suspect your dog may have incurred a stick injury, seeking veterinary attention as soon as possible can be life-saving.”
