Well, just picked my dog up from the vets, having had a hole in her pharynx stitched up, from a stick injury. Extensive bruising to the throat, damage, risk of infection, strict rest for at least 10 days, not allowed to use a collar and lead ...... and an £800 or so bill so far (at least until Direct Line reimburse me, thank heaven for insurance!).

So, just a cautionary tale to those who do allow their dogs to play with sticks while out walking. You could be in this position too, please think about taking a safe toy with you instead and banning all play with sticks.

Please note, in the nicest way, that this post is not intended to invite replies asking how I could have been so daft as to allow my dog to play with sticks ...... yes, yes, yes, I've heard the stories, didn't think it would happen to me, etc. - I won't make the same mistake again. Just want to warn others.

Marina x

Oh Marina :( The poor thing, and poor you - you must have been frantic.

I hope she's better soon and the next few days aren't too difficult.

Fiona
x x x

Thanks, yes it has been a huge worry. However, despite long surgery yesterday, she is back to her usual happy-go-lucky self today, which is a great improvement - before she just wasn't moving unless she had to, no surprise as she must have been very sore.

Long recovery ahead, but fingers crossed all will continue well from now.

M.

Hi Marina, hope she recovers well - know what you mean though, Mauser is a g*t for sticks, I take out three different things for them to retrieve and play with. He usually selects a discarded plastic bottle to play with, if he finds one - but every so often he snatch up a stick and run off at the speed of light, with me screaming drop it at the top of my voice - so it happens to a lot of us:( His real passion unfortunately is if he should come across a baby's dummy/soother - I noticed him the first time , with something in his mouth, he turned to face me, and he had it in the right way, as funny as he looked, I had to stop this immediately, but if he does find one - he knows I make him give it up , so runs off for a suck first! so dangerous! Julie:)

I sympathise, been there, done that. (Yes, I'd heard all the cautionary tales too, but it always happens to someone else, doesn't it?)

It's always good for us to have these kind of reminders, Marina.
Hope your dog is soon fully recovered.

Joyce

Marina,
Sorry this has happened, hope all recover well
Anne

Marina, sorry to hear about your doggies injury. Just to try and make you feel better, two weeks before xmas I took my two GSDs out with two separate balls to throw in different directions as they have a tendency to go for the same ball. We were in a completely flat field, no trees or bushes. As Mia ran for the ball she let out a yelp. I ran to her to find the flat of her hind leg partially skinned. I rushed her to the vet where she had about 20 stitches. I couldn't understand what happened and when I went back to the same spot the next day there, amongst her skid marks, lying on the floor was the only stick in the field! broken in half. It looks like she had run into it. The point to my story is if it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen be it a stick you're throwing or a toy. I didn't see that one coming and I felt so bad so now I'm afraid all toys are left at home and we just all have to walk enjoying each other's company!

Yep I'll second that I took my dobe out one evening, let her off the lead, next thing we were rushing her to the vets with massive internal injuries because a branch had fallen and the sharpe end had caught her in the side. Unfortunately she didn't make it. The point is you never know what is around the corner, you can take every precaution and still having a situation on your hands.

Clair

Ive also been there, my mum took lady out for a walk and i had told her time and time again do not throw sticks but she did and it got caught in the back of her throat, anyway the long and short of it, she nearly lost her eye had to have a drain put in just above her eye because it kept oozing with puss, cost me a fortune (she wasnt insured) by the end of the second year it suddenly just healed up, a tiny peice of wood just had to work its way through and it took two years, so i never ever throw sticks.

Been there too with my Gsd last summer, he impaled himself on a stick in our local canal, luckily althoiugh it was quite a deep wound it ran parallel to the skin so no major internal damage. Ingrid

very sorry to hear, but thankgoodness everything is ok.
Sorry again
ttfn

How is your doggie doing today? Hope he gets better soon. Julieann xxxx

Hi Julieann,

Lil is much improved thanks, full of the joys of spring, although still coughing now and again and a long way to go before all is healed - difficult to remember when it's all on the inside! Back to the vet on Monday for a check-up, then back at the end of the week for them to sedate and re-xray to ensure that all is still OK.

Don't think she's impressed by the 'at least 10 days strict rest' instruction, though - haven't even gone and bought the harness/halti yet, as obviously she can't go out on a lead and collar yet. Will buy it before vet visit on Monday, then if Friday's test are OK maybe she can go out for short walks.

M.

I've always believed that sticks were bad and have always discouraged my dogs from chewing them, but even with as careful as I was we had a bad scare as well.

There is a great site about this at http://www.colliecorner.com/stick-to-toys/, and my Chelsea's story is on there (or at least it was a few months ago).

This is not getting at the poster of the original message, but a warning to others to please read the site. There are way too many dogs killed or permanently injured from sticks each year. Don't let yours be one of them.

Wendy

ps - the owner of the site would be happy for any other stories to add to the site if you'd be willing to share

I hope your hound is almost back to normal now? :) Julieann xxx

Juliann - if that was for me - she's fine. It was about a year and a half ago that we had our scare.

Wendy

Its horrible when it happens isn't it - I had a scare years ago, luckily not a bad one. We all think it may not happen to us.

I have a small heart attack each times a friend's Beardie insists on racing around with a stick, luckily he seems to be growing out of this a bit.

Lindsay