By Kelly Lucas
DOGS are great companions when fishing and camping but they are often attracted to shiny lures and bait, so it is important that we do not leave lures around for easy access. Dogs can be curious creatures and they can sniff out a lure left behind by another fisherman, or it could simply have appeared in the shallows where the river is now low after once being snagged on a log when the water was flowing and full.
If your dog happens to hook themself, they are indeed in a bit of trouble. During our family’s holidays, it was our seven-year-old Staffy x “Millie” that go hooked when she ran into a stump jump lure, which has two treble hooks attached.
Lures of like these are designed not to be freed easily, which makes them an immensely helpful piece of fishing equipment, but trouble for Millie. One of the treble hooks had caught in two spots on her face just under her eye, the other caught to her paw when she was trying to remove the first lot from her face.
When your dog gets hooked, do not remove the hooks yourself, especially treble hooks. Due to the multiple barbs, they can prove to be exceedingly difficult to remove and, in our case, no one was up for the challenge, so we went to GV Vets in Shepparton.
Millie was sedated, underwent the removal on her face and paw and was released later that afternoon with some anti-inflammatories and antibiotics. She has since made a full recovery. Our story was costly and stressful, but it could have been a lot worse. When fishing, keep your furry friends close and check the area for items that could harm children or pets, and never leave your hooks around.
