I have managed to wean everyone in our family from throwing sticks for the dog having been told how dangerous it was. We have stopped despite Harley's big-eyed pleading. We try to remember to take a ball when we go out (he has lost about 50 since christmas). Yesterday he grabbed a stick himself to try to tempt me to play, and then suddenly yelped and yelped and then seemed to gag and despite checking I couldn't find anything. We went home and he lay in a sad little heap on the sofa, wouldn't eat, wouldn't drink, looked really miserable and lethargic. I rang the emergency vet who said to bring him in today. I kept him in our room on our bed because I was so worried about him (slept not at all!!!) .
I am at work so DH and DD took him - the vet found a huge gash under his tongue. He was kept in, anaesthetized for her to have look down his throat to make sure nothing else was damaged, had a few stitches, some painkillers and antibiotics. £180 later he's in one piece and healing (I hope).
Totally terrifying. I guess we will have to be more vigilant from now own 