Throwing sticks for dogs?

This week I saw a news headline about the  dangers of throwing sticks for dogs. Now this reminded me of a case I saw during the summer. 

A terrier came in howling in pain. One of the worst noises I have ever heard. The owner said that, that morning she was throwing him a stick and he had ran onto it and came back screaming in pain. 

After an X-ray had been carried out nothing could be seen but the vet taking the case was sure that this dog had ruptured his oesophagus. Then they did an endoscopy which showed nothing. However the vet was still very sure that this dog had ruptured something. 

Despite this, the vet practice did not have the means to help this dog any more, so all tgey could do was give the dog some painkillers and a drip. 

One other thing this case taught me was how to deal with a distraught owner, she came in to see her dog before taking him to a specialist and she really wanted to stroke him and cuddle him. However just seeing her made the dog want to move and therfore agrivated his wound more making him scream in pain. The vet at this point had to urge the lady to leave because she was causing the dog more harm than good. 

This dog was then taking to a specialist where he was found to have an air passage running past his Scapular through his soft tissue. Which was what was causing the pain. It had happened due to a 5cm rupture in his oesophagus. I have to reiterate that this dogs scream was the worst thing I have heard in my life. 

So the main message of this post is just to say that if you don't want to have to hear your dog screaming in pain, a noise that would move you to the point of tears, then please don't throw sticks for them. Instead throw a tennis ball or a throw toy because they are a lot safer.

I hope that people read this and take into account the dangers of throwing a stick can pose for your dog.