Vets urge fishing safety after dog’s injury
Three prongs of the fish hook had impaled Bryn's mouth,
The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) has called for anglers to take more care in storing and disposing of their equipment, after a dog became impaled on a large fish hook.
Two-year-old crossbreed Bryn required emergency care after a fish hook became stuck through the corner of his mouth while on a walk.
The incident happened during a dog walk in the woods, after he had run ahead of his owner, Paul. Soon after, Bryn came rushing back to Paul with the fish hook stuck in his mouth.
Due to the severity of the situation Paul did not stop to investigate, instead rushing his dog to Sheffield PDSA Pet Hospital for urgent care.
Paul’s wife, Susan, rushed to the hospital after hearing about Bryn’s accident. She was horrified to see the large hook, and to see how much of it was inside Bryn’s mouth.
Susan said: “I felt sick, worrying about what would happen next and if Bryn would be okay.”
The veterinary team at PDSA performed a thorough investigation into his injuries, discovering that three prongs of the hook were embedded inside and outside of Bryn’s mouth. This meant they needed to anaesthesise him before beginning the procedure.
With Bryn under general anaesthetic, the veterinary team needed to use large bolt cutters and a surgical blade to remove the double-barbed hook safely. They then closed the wound using stitches, so that it could heal properly over a few weeks.
Sophie Widdowson, a veterinary surgeon at the hospital, said: “Luckily, Bryn’s surgery went well, and he was able to go home later that day with pain relief medication.”
Within four hours, Bryn was taken home and on the road to a full recovery.
PDSA veterinary surgeon Lynne James said: “Sadly we do often see dogs that have been injured while out on walks, so we advise everyone to dispose of rubbish safely to prevent accidents.
“We also recommend that owners make sure their dogs are trained to respond to a recall, so you can stop them if you see them going into a potentially dangerous situation, such as near people fishing.
“We do have a free first aid guide available to download on our website, to help owners understand what to do in an emergency.”
Images © PDSA
Joanne Webster, a professor of parasitic diseases at the RVC, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS).
