Are Sticks Safe for Dogs?

The Risks of Playing Fetch With A Stick & Alternatives

We’ve all seen pictures of a dog running, holding his favourite stick, we’ve seen funny videos of a dog trying to get through a narrow opening with a stick in his mouth too long, and no doubt we’ve all thrown a stick or two at the park or down the beach for our dog to run after and hopefully bring back.

Is Playing with Sticks Safe for Your Dog?

The simple answer is no! Sadly, stick injuries and illness are one of the more common issues veterinarians deal with, in fact there are numerous ways a stick can, and do cause harm to your dog.

This article takes a detailed look at the types of injuries and illnesses sticks cause with alternatives, so you and your pooch don’t miss out on what is, one of the most enjoyable activities, playing fetch with your dog.

A stick by nature has sharp edges. If the thrown stick hasn’t landed, and your dog catches it in his/her mouth, there is a high chance of impact puncture wounds to the lips, mouth, tongue and even back of the throat.
Even when running back to you, with the stick in its mouth, eager to please, if your dog stumbles or the stick bumps into a tree for example, there will also be a high chance of puncture wounds.

These injuries can require surgery under anaesthetic, after a CT scan to remove all the pieces of stick. Veterinarians are often told by owners they didn’t realise their dog had a stick injury. They recall a small yelp, but the dog continued playing and showed no obvious signs of injury.
It wasn’t until days later they found their dog in some degree of stress, typically drooling, pawing at their face, and showing reluctance to eat.

As humans, we can appreciate the pain a splinter can cause, and how quickly it can become septic if not removed and treated, so you can understand the level of pain your fur baby will be feeling.
There is also the real possibility some of the wooden pieces, broken off can migrate through tissue and muscle to dangerous locations, resulting in very serious conditions.
Bacteria within the wood splinters can lead to recurrent abscesses.

When trying to diagnose what is causing the presented clinical signs, often an Xray is taken, but wood won’t show up, so it can often be a long and difficult process to work out the cause, to adequately treat the problem.

So we’ve covered the dangers and possible consequences of throwing sticks, what about dogs chewing sticks?

Again, the quick answer is chewing sticks is no better, in fact it can be a whole lot worse. When dogs chew on sticks, they will break into sharp little shards that can easily penetrate or become lodged in the mouth, gums, oesophagus, stomach, and even intestinal tract. Often covered in bacteria, the wood can cause serious infections.
Swallowing these tiny wooden pieces, as dogs do, can also lead to obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract, requiring expensive surgical or endoscopic removal.
It’s worth noting too, some branches and sticks can come from plants that are poisonous to dogs, resulting in toxicities when chewed and licked.

A Summary List of the Risks of Dogs Playing With Sticks

To summarise, here’s a list of the most common risks, injuries and illnesses associated with sticks:

Impaling injuries (mouth, face, chest, and abdomen)
Dental injuries
Infection
Perforation of the gastrointestinal tract
Sepsis
Gastrointestinal obstruction
Choking
Recurrent abscesses

If you notice any of these symptoms, take your dog to your local veterinarian as soon as possible.

Alternatives to Sticks

So after discovering sticks aren’t safe for dogs, does that mean you have to stop playing fetch?
Fortunately, not, and fortunately there are many safe and inexpensive alternatives that will actually last longer than wooden sticks.
Local pet shops will have a plethora of plastic versions plus chewable ropes and rolls that often come with flavours to tempt your pooch and can even give your dog’s teeth a good clean at the same time.