A vet has issued a warning to owners who throw sticks for their dogs to chase after sharing a grisly discovery.
The family of border collie Dash noticed he seemed 'upset' and was refusing to eat when they returned home from a trip to the park.
Unsure what was wrong with him, they took Dash to the Animal Referral Hospital (ARH) in Sydney, where the emergency team determined he was experiencing pain in his mouth and the back of his neck.
Dash was sedated and the team said they discovered a 'penetrating wound' on his tongue and could feel a hard object they believed to be a stick in his throat.
He was then put into the care of specialist surgeon Dr David Simpson, who removed the stick which had become lodged, as reported by News.com.au.
Incredibly, the stick remained largely in one piece - although small parts did splinter off, which also had to be removed.
Dr Simpson said: "Typically the enthusiasm of the average 'stick-chaser' is their downfall.
"The dog runs to retrieve the stick with great energy and if the stick lands end-on just as the dog catches up with it, the forward momentum of the dog will force the stick through the back of the dog’s throat or under the tongue.
"Dash was lucky the stick stopped just inside the chest and it didn’t puncture the heart or lungs. Dash was also lucky we were able to find the stick and removed it and the many small bark fragments that split off it."
Thankfully Dash had since made a full recovery, but Dr Simpson said not all dogs are so lucky and he has seen several cases with 'less happy endings'.
He said the border collie was not a unique case or the worse he has seen, adding: "Dog owners love to play fetch with their dogs and while it is a great bonding activity, it’s far safer to play with balls or rubber toys than with sticks."
