Sticks & Stones May Break Your Bones…and Seriously Injure Your Dog
Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my five funny dogs, Poppy, Bailey, Kodah, Ned, and Fred.
I’m probably showing my age here, but I remember if I ever came home from school, crying about what some horrible person had said to me, my mother would always tell me to say the same thing: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.
Honestly, it’s like she wanted me to get bullied.
Of course, we all know now that it’s usually the name-calling that does the most damage to children, but it is the sticks and stones that can really hurt your dog.
It’s All Fun and Games…
How many times have you watched a dog gleefully chase a stick that has been thrown by their owner? Or seen a dog that, for some unknown reason, enjoys carrying and chewing stones? These very common and seemingly innocent activities can have serious consequences for your pet.
Show me a vet who hasn’t had to treat a stick injury, and I’ll show you a vet who has only been on the job a few months. And you don’t have to look very far to find a story about a dog that’s ended up in surgery for eating a stone…or in this case, 2.6 lbs of them! You might think I’m being a bit of an alarmist, but trust me, this advice could save you thousands of dollars in vet bills, and maybe even save your dog’s life.
In my time in clinical practice, I have personally treated around:
- 15 dogs with fractured teeth from chewing stones
- 10 dogs with intestinal blockages caused by stones
- 5 dogs with stone and gravel constipation
- 5 dogs with mouth injuries from sticks
- 3 dogs with penetrating stick injuries
- 2 dogs with sticks wedged in the top of their mouth
- hundreds of dogs with severely worn teeth from chewing stones
of these,
