Playing fetch can be hazardous to dogs, especially if sticks are involved.

Most dog owners see no harm in tossing a stick. But sticks can scrape a dog’s throat or infect them with splinters, possibly resulting in a trip to an animal emergency hospital for treatment of blood-tinge

A ball is a safer, healthier thing for a dog to fetch than a stick, which can have harmful splinters.

d saliva, pain, vomiting, reluctance to eat or drink, lethargy, swelling of the face and neck, and/or bloody stool (indicative of a pierced organ). In some cases, sticks have been known to perforate stomachs.

More words to the wise: Instead of wooden sticks, play fetch with rubber sticks, balls, and discs.

Source: Blue Pearl Pet Hospital, whose locations include Lakewood, Renton, Seattle, and Kirkland.