Vet’s urgent warning to dog owners over beloved ‘toy’ you should NEVER give your pet – they could be seriously injured
DOG owners have been told to avoid a toy their pets are known to love, as it could have deadly consequences.
Sticks are the choice toy of many dogs as they go on walks with their owners, but they can be incredibly dangerous for your four-legged friends.
Dog trainer and educator Susan Garrett has issued a stark warning for other dog lovers after witnessing harrowing accidents, echoing messages from veterinarians.
She said: “I personally know of dogs who have gone after the stick, and when they dove at it to pick it up, it impaled down their throat and barely missed an artery.
“It could have killed that one dog!”
Susan warned your dogs could also get slivers under their gums or on their tongue, causing lots of discomfort.
One of her followers on TikTok echoed her message: “This happened to my border collie, she was bringing a stick out of a creek bank and it caught the ground.
“Stabbed right into the back of her mouth.”
Another said: “I actively train my dogs to ignore sticks because I’m terrified of something happening.”
One viewer had a differing opinion on the controversial toy: “It doesn’t mean you should avoid all sticks.
“These are freak accidents, it’s natural for them to go for sticks.”
The British Veterinary Association has shared the horrors involved with freak stick-related accidents.
They warned: “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 recommend providing safer alternatives, such as dog friendly frisbees, rubber sticks and other soft toys.
Pet owners have been reminded to keep a certain Easter treat out of reach from their furry friends.
Charlie, a Labrador-Staffordshire Terrier cross, jumped a stair gate to get her paws on 1kg of Cadbury Mini Eggs.
The pooch was taken to the vets by her owners when they found her in a subdued state by the empty packet.
She threw up five times at home and continued in the short car journey to the pet hospital in Bournemouth, Dorset.
PDSA vet Clare Sparks said: “We were suspicious that there could be even more chocolate left in Charlie’s stomach, so we gave her an injection to make her sick to empty her stomach completely, and she brought up lots more chocolate vomit.
“Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine, which is perfectly safe for humans, but toxic for dogs, cats and rabbits.
“The seriousness of chocolate poisoning depends on how much chocolate your pet has eaten, how big they are, and the cocoa content of the chocolate – the darker the chocolate the more toxic it is for your pet.”
The mutt made a quick and full recovery after vets gave her an injection.