A journalist recently asked “Are sticks safe for dogs to play with?” and it got me thinking about news headlines dating back over a decade, warning us not to throw sticks for our dogs. I personally don’t take the risk and prefer to use dog toys on walks if my dog is a lover of fetch. But what exactly are the dangers of dogs playing with sticks?
Why dogs shouldn’t play with sticks?
Throwing and retrieving a stick is not just a harmless game to play with your dog on a country walk or at a visit to the park; it can be dangerous and can even be fatal.
But let’s be real. You are on a walk, your dog’s eyes light up because they have spotted a stick that makes them drool and before you know it you are joining in by starting a game of fetch. It feels wholesome and safe but actually it is not a good game to play with your dog. Sticks can cause serious injuries.
Let’s discuss what a pet parent needs to know and why sticks are best left on the ground.
The hidden dangers of sticks
It sounds unlikely doesn’t it. How can an innocent stick, part of nature and all things good, cause your dog harm? But here’s the thing – sticks are sharp and unpredictable objects. They can stick out from the ground, snap, splinter, and even stab.
What can go wrong?
Mouth injuries – This would be things like splinters in the tongue from stick chewing, torn lips, or even sticks impaled through the roof of the mouth.
Throat damage – If the stick hits the ground at the wrong angle or lands sticking up, a running dog can race straight into it and cause themselves serious injury. Sticks are sharp and unyielding and can jab deep into your dog’s throat and soft tissues.
Chest trauma – In more severe cases, sticks have actually pierced through to a dog’s chest cavity, leading to a very serious emergency situation.
Infections – Germy bits of bark and wood debris can get lodged into delicate flesh, potentially leading to nasty infections that are tricky to spot early on and can be difficult to treat.
Dental issues – Even something as innocuous as chewing on and eating sticks can lead to wedged bits of bark and potential mouth issues. If your dog has a piece of wood or a splinter in their guts or mouth, chances are you won’t know about it until it is a much bigger problem.
Dog dentist Dr. Rachel Siddall says “Over time, the presence of this material (called a foreign body), causes inflammation and infection which can lead to periodontal disease and severe bone loss.”
Horrific Injuries
In 2016 there were news headlines about a collie who got a stick stuck in her throat. Maya was playing when a piece of wood punctured her tongue and displaced her voicebox. But this was not an isolated or unusual case. It wasn’t the first and won’t be the last dangerous stick injury. Fetching and playing with sticks can cause horrific and sometimes life-threatening injuries in dogs.
Sarah Stevenson, from the veterinary practice that treated Maya, said more and more dogs were being brought in with stick injuries. She said “Stick injuries may not be initially obvious and may cause long term problems. For these reasons, we are warning pet owners against throwing or encouraging their dog to play with or chase sticks.”
Maya’s owners said they were unaware of the dangers and agreed that people needed to be warned. “I’m absolutely devastated by what happened. How many people throw a stick for their dog to chase? It could happen to anyone” Maya’s owner said.
Do we really need to be worried?
So for a while now we have been warned about the dangers of letting our dogs play with sticks, with possible injuries ranging from painful splinters to potentially fatal neck or chest punctures.
Going back a few more years to 2013, a Daily Mail headline read “Bad news for the dog as vets tell owners not to throw sticks in a bizarre health warning”. What is so bizarre about it? If vets deem something to be dangerous to your dog, wouldn’t you like to know? They are not asking for sticks to be outlawed or for owners to be fined if their dog chases a stick. What they are doing is simply trying to warn dog owners about the dangers.
In the Daily Mail article the subheadings were as follows:
– Leading vets say owners are unwittingly putting their dogs in grave danger
– Throwing sticks can cause dogs to choke or get infections from splinters
– Operations to remove splinters from dogs’ throats can cost up to £5,000
As a dog owner, I don’t know about you but that is information I would like to know, so thank you “leading vets” for bringing this issue to our attention. Sticks are sharp and dirty. Splinters, open wounds and scratches, spear-type wounds and infections are all dangers associated with playing with sticks.
Expensive vet bills
Going back even further to 2008, Dan Brockman, professor of small animal surgery at the Royal Veterinary College, led a study of both acute and chronic stick injuries in dogs. He explained that he had treated dozens of serious injuries and infections caused by dogs stabbed while chasing sticks and warned that owners risk thousands of pounds’ worth of vet bills by throwing sticks.
He said: “For vets it is one of the most frustrating kinds of injuries. Many injuries are minor but some are horrific. They range from minor scratches to the skin or lining of the mouth, to paralysis of limbs, life-threatening blood loss, and acute and chronic infections. The problem is that sticks are sharp and very dirty. That means that, as the dog runs onto them or grabs them in its mouth, the end of the stick can easily pierce the skin, going through it to penetrate the oesophagus, spinal cord, blood vessels or the dog’s neck.”
Prof Brockman added: “Several dogs involved in the study died as a result of their stick injury and these deaths almost always involved resistant bacteria and infection that spread from the neck to the chest. What this research shows is that dogs that are allowed and encouraged to play with sticks can sustain serious injuries that result in bleeding to death, paralysis or acquiring infections that will kill them days or weeks later.”
Vet advice on stick injuries
Vet and columnist Pete Wedderburn wrote an article in 2009 on the dangers of throwing sticks for dogs. He talked about what happened to a five year old Golden Labrador called Whoopie. She was an ardent stick chaser. After selecting a stick, her owners would throw it for her, until one day when the stick was thrown and landed one end stuck into the ground and the other end pointing up. The dog ran towards it full pelt with mouth open. You can guess what happened next. The free end of the stick impaled itself inside Whoopie’s mouth. Her recovery took 2 weeks. Sounds horrific? Actually, she was one of the lucky ones. Pete explains “If the injury had been just an inch in the other direction, it would have damaged the main blood vessel to her head, and she could have bled to death”.
Vets Now explain why sticks can be dangerous in their article ‘Dog’s harrowing case shows dangers of fetching sticks’. “Sticks are often sharp and dirty, carrying a lot of bacteria and the main problems tend to arise when dogs run at high speed onto a falling stick, resulting in all sorts of complications including damage to the tongue and lips, mouth (soft palate), eyes, legs or more serious penetrating deep injuries to the soft tissues of the neck and chest, requiring very complicated surgery and in most cases referral to a specialist.”
So before you dismiss these warnings, a quick look online will confirm what vets have been trying to tell us for years – playing with sticks is dangerous to your dog. There are so many great alternatives you dog will love (or could learn to love) so why take the risk?
But my dog loves sticks
Of course they do. Sticks are interesting to most dogs. It is almost a natural instinct. Maybe they smell like squirrels, lol. Many pet owners see sticks as nature’s very own fetch and chew toy. But just because something is from the great outdoors, doesn’t mean it is safe.
Dogs don’t know what is and isn’t dangerous, especially if you have a fetch mad pooch or teething puppy. It is our job as the pet owner to put their safety first. But don’t worry, there are stick alternatives that are much safer and just as much fun.
Safe alternatives to sticks
If sticks are out, what can you fling instead? Luckily, as you can imagine, there are plenty of safe alternatives. Woof! Here are some dog-safe toys that scratch that itch without the risk.
Rubber throwing sticks – Designed to look somewhat like a stick but made of fun chewy and bouncy rubber that is much safer and chomp-tastic.
Rope toys – Great for tug and fetch whilst being gentler on your dog’s teeth than those dirty old bits of wood and bark.
Dog balls and launchers – Why throw a dirty stick when you can launch a bouncy, lightweight ball for miles. Way more fun and no risk involved.
Training dummies – Popular with gundogs these traditional toys for dogs endure because they are great fun for any breed or size of dog who loves retrieving.
President of the British Veterinary Association, Sean Wensley, says “We don’t want to stop owners from playing and exercising with their dogs. We just want them to know they can protect their pets by using safe dog toys.”
Stick to safe toys
Any stick found out and about on walks is dangerous. There is no safe stick. Buy a safer alternative dog toy instead, which will be much safer and will fly, bounce and entertain your dog way better than a stick ever could.
If your dog loves chasing and retrieving sticks, encourage them to play with safe toys made especially for these games such as frisbees, appropriately-sized dog balls or other floating and flying toys made especially for dogs. If your dog is a lifelong stick lover this may take some time but persevere and you will succeed. It will be worth it.
For a superb game of fetch with your dog, please see our range of dog balls and dog ball launchers. Many of the dog balls in our range come in three sizes so you can choose a size to suit your dog. It is important not to buy one that is too small as that can be a chocking hazard. We are confident you will find something your dog will love.
Chuckit and KONG both do safe rubbery fun stick alternatives for dogs to enjoy. How about the Chuckit Breathe Right Fetch Stick which is the ultimate floating and flying dog toy stick, perfect for games on land or in water. Made from a durable and bouyant material, it is safe for your dog and great fun. Or try KONG Safestix dog stick toy which is a long and rubbery throw toy and a very safe alternative to wooden sticks. Woof!
See our full range of toys that Float, Fly & Tug – all of these are safe alternatives to sticks.
People also ask
Is it OK for dogs to chew on sticks?
Not really, no. Chewing sticks can cause splinters in your dog’s mouth or lead to pieces of wood or bark being swallowed. This can result in choking, internal damage, or even blockages.
What if my dog swallows part of a stick?
Contact your vet straight away. Even small pieces can get lodged in your dog’s throat or digestive tract, potentially causing choking or internal perforations.
How can I stop my dog picking up sticks on walks?
Get your dog a special toy reserved just for walks and use it to redirect their attention when they go for a stick. Use treats if needed, and train a strong ‘leave it’ command. Avoid reinforcing stick play by throwing or kicking sticks.
Final Thoughts
It is so easily done – you forget to take the dog’s toy on your walk, your pooch finds a particularly wonderful stick and grabs it or you absentmindedly pick up a stick and throw it… we are all human. And most of the time it will be fine but the time when it is not… is it worth it? Better to step away from those sticks. There are so many bouncy, fun and safe toys out there to choose from, and they don’t cost the earth either.
We all want our dogs running and playing for years to come – not miserable from a rogue branch mouth injury or worse.
What do you think? Is boycotting sticks a step too far or do you think it is better to be safe than sorry? Has your dog suffered an injury due to playing with a stick? Let us know in the comments below.
Resources
BBC News – Is it dangerous for dogs to fetch sticks?
It’s Stick Season – Should You Let Your Dog Play with Them?
British Veterinary Association – The perils of throwing sticks for your dog
By Jenny Prevel
© D for Dog www.dfordog.co.uk
This article belongs strictly to D for Dog and we do not authorise the copying of all or any part of it.
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