Retriever Rescue

Out for a walk this afternoon Milie Lucy and me. Millie ahead picking up bark and eating it at will Lucy a bit behind couldn't see her so shouted for her and she came runnung to me faster than normal I thought it was strange but carried on. Then she started choking then tryimg to be sick and then gasping for breath. Really gasping mouth wide open . I thought she had got something stuck but couldn't feel anything , then I thought she was having a heart attack. No-one around to help and I couldn't leave her to find someone. By this time she had collapsed on her side still gasping I did a kind of Heimleich maoevre on her as she was laid down and then put my fingers right down her throat and then there it was a piece of wood about two inches long and about I/2 wide. It must have got stuck when she ran towards me.

She lay there for a while longer and then got up and we went home. Millie had been eating bark the whole time never even came to see what we were doing.

So Lucy must have been chewing a stick when I wan't watching. I really thought I was losing her and felt so helpless at not being able to help her sooner.

All is well now She ate all her tea and looked for more. Thank goodness.

A very nasty moment for you Jan!, so pleased everything turned out right in the end. Steve.

OH, poor Lucy and of course you Jan. Must have been an awful experience Thank goodness all is well now. These Goldens seem to have a penchant for sticking.

Oh Jan, what an awful thing to happen, especially when you were on your own and couldn't get help. I am so glad she is alright now, but it is a worry. Goldens are terrors for picking things up. Meg used to pick up anything she could get her jaws round, but thank goodness, Sam prefers a good sniff.
So glad everything is O.K.
Love - from Joyce, David and Sam.

So glad that Lucy is OK.... why on earth they have to shred and 'eat' sticks I'll never know...... or 'carry' and 'chew' pebbles.

it's frighening when there is no else else about who can help you......

on a much lighter note.... a few weeks ago Cobi and I were walking through some woods and I had decided it was less mucky 'my way' that was until I went down on all fours !!! Cobi came running back to see me ...... I said you are a good girl coming to see if I'm OK.... as I said that off she went.... too busy, can't stop... too many sniffings. As it was just my pride and my knees that hurt i was glad that there was no one else about !!!!

what a dreadful experience especially when you were on your own and no other dog walkers about.
Thank goodness she recovered quickly and you had the first aid knowledge to help her.
They do love sticks Candy is a great chewer, especially brambles


P,S,J & C

Jan so please Lucy is better,it must have been very frightening, glad all is well now...x

So glad to hear Lucy is ok you must have been so worried,there is no end to your talents Jan thank goodness, now a life saver as well.

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts and wishes.

I don't know about being a life saver I think it was pure fear that kept me trying.. I did quite a lot of sreaming as well Funny I didn't have the whole of Euxton down there with me I am not good in a crisis.

I stopped throwing sticks for Holly to fetch as she promptly started chewing them up into shreds. I am so pleased
everything was okay in the end but I can imagine how frightening the experience was! Lots of hugs to you and the goldies
Lesley, Steve and Holly xxx

I always have bite my tongue when I see people throwing sticks for their dogs, they really do not know what disaster can happen in the blink of an eye. I have at times said things but they look at me as if I am mad. " Never had any problems " they say. " Not yet"

I also have the same worries about tennis balls.

Can't see the pont of throwing a stick... just incase it stabs the dog, or the pointed end goes into it's eye or throat, we've had dogs that like to wittle a stick usually around the caravan...and I've thrown them when the dog is in the sea or water and is no where near it.

Ginnie had a thing about golf balls, she would find them and it was nigh impossible to get her to give them up, she would hold them in her mouth right at the back.

I don't like those ball flingers..... the dog runs too fast... turns too quickly.... accident waiting to happen with the cruciate ligament, anyone who has seen the cruciate 'go' and the scream from the dog with it's leg hanging, it's horrible..... I've never used one, Ginnie was only playing and chasing Abby, Abby could turn on a sixpence... Ginnie didn't one day !!!! a long rehabilitation, for months on a lead after her op to repair it.

Good Morning All!
Having things to throw for dogs is quite a contentious subject, with various items having their pro's and con's.
Sam has what we call a mop, which he loves to run after and bring back. It is a thick "rope" of coloured cotton with a knot at each end. (It becomes a mop when he has got fed up with it, and tries to tear it up, at which point, we retrieve it!) He doesn't have freedom of it, we just use it to throw, and if careful, can be thrown in the house without too much lasting damage! He is quite happy with it. We also have a thing that looks like a hand-grenade with knobs on, which is too big to get stuck in the mouth, but he loves to have that thrown outdoors.
So far, we have not had a problem with either.
Hope you are all well.
Best wishes - Samsmum (Joyce).

Oh god Jan poor you and Lucy too!Sending hugs.
I have to watch Ellie with chews she is so greedy willl swallow them
too early have put hand down her throat on a few occasions.
She panics and clamps her mouth shut-ouch
So sorry not sent that cheque for cards i sold again
have been poorly over Christmas only just surfacing
Need to go through paypal account that'll teach me for not writing things down as they sold
any way glad you're ok
much love Diane
ps please don't send me to prison yet!

Harvey, in true Retriever style, has to chew absolutely everything. One of the presents for his 2nd birthday (a week Saturday he is officially a big boy!) is a 'Safestix'. It's about half a metre long, chew proof and obviously very safe. Designed for dogs who love to play fetch with a stick. Worth a look!