We all know how much dogs love picking up sticks on walks, but every now and then they can cause more trouble than you might expect.

A young Golden Retriever, Gus, came to see us after getting himself into a bit of a sticky situation. While out in the garden, he had been chewing on a bramble. His owner was concerned and tried to lure him away with something else. Nothing else significant happened at the time – Gus didn’t yelp or whine and didn’t seem particularly bothered.

Later that day, however, he started retching. Although he was still happy enough to eat a few treats, his owners decided to err on the side of caution and bring him in for a check-up, just in case there was something going on that they couldn’t see.

On examination, we discovered the potential cause of his symptoms. Wedged across the roof of his mouth between his upper teeth was what appeared to be a piece of stick.

As it was firmly stuck in place and Gus wasn’t keen on letting us have a proper look, we admitted him so that we could safely remove it under a short anaesthetic. Once he was asleep, we found that the stick was tightly wedged between his upper carnassial teeth.

Thankfully, it came out without too much trouble, although it had left a couple of scratches on the roof of his mouth. We also checked the back of his throat to make sure there were no other pieces of stick or injuries. Luckily, there weren’t any in Gus’ case.

In other cases, however, stick injuries can be much more serious. Pieces of stick can lacerate the oesophagus or trachea, or become lodged within the muscles of the neck. These injuries can require advanced imaging and, in some cases, surgery.

After waking up from his anaesthetic, Gus went home later that day with some pain relief and has since made a full recovery.

Although many dogs enjoy carrying and chewing sticks, they can cause injuries to the mouth and throat. They can also splinter and become lodged, as happened with Gus.

If your dog suddenly starts drooling, gagging, pawing at their mouth or seems uncomfortable after playing with a stick, it’s always worth getting them checked by your vet. Swelling around the jaw or neck should also be taken seriously.

Sometimes, an injury caused by a stick may not be immediately obvious, so if your dog seems unwell after chewing on one, it’s better to be safe and have them checked.