As much as we all love to throw sticks for our dogs, it's really not a good idea because, according to Dr. Dan Brockman, Professor of Small Animal Surgery at the Queen Mother Hospital of the Royal Veterinary Hospital at the University of London, sticks can prove to be incredibly dangerous for our dogs. He says:
"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. Commonly, small or sometimes large pieces of stick break off and remain inside the neck. These sticks are usually covered in bacteria; fungi; and yeasts from the environment. In addition, the stick enters the body through a bacteria-laden site, the mouth, carrying those germs into the wound too. 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."
Geez. Who knew sticks were that bad? Well, now there's a safe alternative that some people in England invented after their dog suffered a stick injury. The Safestix was designed in collaboration with four vets with safety top-of-mind. The materials used to make the Safestix (thermo plastic rubber) have been tested right down to the dye that's used to color it.
Dogs love playing fetch and tug with their Safestix and here is a video of a bunch of Labs doing what Labs do best--playing (with a Safestix).
Safestix are:
- longer than any existing dog toys of their type - 20"
- made from tough, non-toxic rubber
- textured to maintain your dog’s interest
- rounded at the ends to prevent lodging in soft ground
- great for throwing and fetching;
- brightly colored to aid retrieval by your dog and you
- and they float!
; "Safestix Original Fetch Stick Dog Toy - 20\"")
; "Safestix Original Fetch Stick Dog Toy - 20\"")
