Millions
of dogs regularly play this seeming innocent and harmless game with
their pet parents, but this favorite pastime is actually a leading
cause of serious illness and injury, two leading veterinarians warn.
This
time-honored tradition frequently results in dogs contracting serious
infections, getting nasty puncture wounds and even becoming paralyzed
or dying, they say in a report. This favorite pastime that puts your
dog in harm's way is playing fetch with a stick.
"Every
year my colleagues and I treat dozens of dogs injured while running
to fetch sticks thrown by their owners," Dan Brockman, a
professor of small animal surgery at the Royal Veterinary College,
University of London, states in a report that he co-authored with
colleague Zoe Halfacree. "When I see people throwing sticks for
their dogs in the park, I just get so frustrated. I want to go and
tell them to stop."
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Story continues here
Dr.
Brockman says health problems result because the sticks are sharp and
dirty. "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," he states.
Infection
caused by splintered sticks spreading around the body is a lethal
problem, the report states.
Small
or sometimes large pieces of a bacteria-laden stick will break in a
dog's month and lodge inside the neck, Dr. Brockman said. "Unless
the pieces of stick are all found and removed, infection develops.
Sometimes these bacteria can become very resistant to antibiotics -
so-called superbugs - that eventually kill the animal."
The
report advises dog parents to use toys - such as a rubber ball,
tennis ball or Frisbee - for playing fetch.
"Rubber
throwing toys ... all will keep a dog just as entertained as a stick
- and a lot more safely, too," Dr. Brockman said.
More
reports about dogs and health:
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Favorite dog pastime a leading cause of illness
An all-natural substance that makes pets sick
Try this fountain of youth for your pet
A wonder drug guaranteed to help your pet
A handy way to stop your pet from getting sick
Alarming rise in heartworm a threat to pets
Purebred dogs needlessly suffering, report says
Dog heart medicine research results promising
Cushing's drug receives FDA approval
Warning issued about alternative medicine
But
dog parents should also exercise caution when choosing a toy, the
report states. "You must make sure the size of ball is right for
the dog," Dr. Brockman said. "I have had to operate on dogs
that have swallowed tennis balls, too."
------
The Ruff Report is a column that appears on MySetterSam.com,
a blog written by Joseph A. Reppucci, a retired editor from The Patriot
Ledger in Quincy, Massachusetts. Mr. Reppucci worked as a reporter and editor on major daily
newspapers in the Boston area for more than 30 years. He is the author
of the book, The Hunt of Her Life,
a heartwarming story about his once-in-a-lifetime rescue dog. Find it on Createspace.com and Amazon.com.
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