Dog Impaled by a Stick is Thankful This Thanksgiving

Jake, a five-year-old pointer mix, certainly has a lot to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. And so does his family.

The dog, described as “energetic,” is recovering after undergoing emergency surgery at BluePearl Veterinary Partners hospital in Waltham Thursday to remove a four-inch stick from his chest.

The accident happened while Jake was on a hike in Cat Rock Park in Weston with his owner, Christine Newton, and her four-year-old daughter, Thea. Jake ran ahead and didn’t immediately return when Newton called to him.

“That’s when I knew something was wrong,” Newton said in a statement. “Then, when he did come back, I saw the hole in his chest.”

There wasn’t much blood, but Newton knew there was something stuck him Jake’s chest when she picked him up to put him in the car.

“Fortunately, the stick missed all of the major organs,” said Dr. Kristina DePaula, a board-certified specialist in critical care with BluePearl, in a statement. “The surgery went very well and Jake was able to go home on Thursday night.”

DePaula said it’s not uncommon for dogs to become injured by sticks, and added that Jake’s situation is a good reminder for all owners to be cautious when taking pets into wooded areas. Sticks are sharp and dirty, and can cause deep tissue injury and infection, she said.

Jake is doing very well, given the severity of his injury. Newton said the hardest part will be the two weeks of enforced recovery time.

“This is a dog who needs to run,” she said. “He’s going to be a wild man when he finally gets to go outside and play again.”

Newton said it’s especially nice to have Jake home with the Thanksgiving holiday coming up next week. Thea, Newton’s daughter, was particularly relieved that her furry friend was going to be okay.

“He’s such a sweet dog. He loves children and gets along well with other dogs,” Newton said. “He’s a part of our family.”

Information and photos via BluePearl