Just a Info post

I just thought this maybe of useful info....to watch out for. For anyone who's dogs carry or play with sticks.

Bruce isn't a chewer, but on Thurday on our walk, whilst waiting for Bruce and Skye to catch thier second wind, before ball throwing again, we caught Bruce carrying a stick, which we took off him (we don't like sticks, but thats just us). Anyway yesterday I suddenly noticed that the corner of his mouth looked very red.

Well I checked today, and it was still red so I took him into the vets(plus he was due his booster today), and low and behold, right along where the black edging is to the lip, the vet found a splinter of wood.

A injection today & few anit-biotics for 3 days will see it right, but I thought I'd share this as it has just taken the vet ages to find it as it was along the black part and could of been very easily missed, causing (if left) more infection.

He'll have his booster in two weeks now.
Hope you don't mind me sharing, I just thought it was a useful piece of info to share.

There have always been horror stories of dogs and sticks. Like you, I try not to let mine play with them, but.. Dogs will be dogs... If they do pick up and play with a stick (kismet did with a staffy pup we met the other day) you have to be more careful, check around their mouths when you get home, or if they act at all strangely. I remember an incident from when Selkie was a pup...

Selkie was playing in the garden, pottering about as she was happy to do, when suddenly she stopped dead and began retching.. I stood with her for a while 'holding her hair back', but nothing came up and still she continued retching and retching ... I was so worried. I thought I'd feel down her throat to see if she had something stuck, but there was nothing... In a fit of panic, I got my friend to hold a torch while I prised her mouth open... and there it was...


... Wedged across the roof of her mouth from teeth to teeth was a stick! I hooked it out and within seconds I had my playful puppy back!

Sticks! Beware!

poor wee man, hope hes on the mend soon x

I don't encourage or allow my dogs to play with sticks either - not worth the risks.

Mine have done that with a biscuit

I hate sticks too, and Toro just loves em, typical eh ? the bigger the better for her, if she finds a real big un heavy with it I generally let her carry it cause thats all she does and it keeps her focused, but I don't let her have the wee ones and don't throw sticks for them, as others have said I have seen injuries caused by sticks stabbing into the back of the dogs throat or being impailed on them, nasty !!

Glad he is OK, it is worrying how easily injuries can happen

Well he's fine thanks, although I am not at all sure he noticed the splinter, it was me, as his mouth looked bright red. Fortunately he let the vet get it out with tweezers and a needle whilst I held his mouth,....he just sat there but then Bruce actually likes going to the vets.

no your right steph to share it ,mine have never gone for sticks ,but i too would take them off them ,i think they are dangerous ,and have heard horrible stories over the years about sticks ,he is much better with his ball ,bless him hope he is better soon , poor little chap

Sometimes when Missy is off lead she'll pick one up too - and you're right to warn.

Although I never deliberately let her play with them, same as you, sometimes the little herbert will pick one up!

Glad you noticed it and got it sorted