Fish hook warning after beloved family pet suffers painful and distressing injuries

A GREATER Manchester veterinary clinic is warning dog owners to be extra vigilant while walking their pets near rivers and canals after a much-loved family pet needed emergency treatment to remove three fish hooks.

Molly, an 11-year-old Labrador cross, yelped in pain and had to be rushed to Tameside Veterinary Clinic in Ashton-Under-Lyne in agony after getting one discarded fish hook caught in her lip and two in the pads of her paws while visiting Daisy Nook Country Park, a popular dog walking spot in Failsworth in Oldham. 

After arriving at the practice, senior vet Gillian Laing had to sedate Molly so she could carefully remove the hooks from such delicate parts of her body and prevent further damage to her skin. 

Pictured above: Molly while under sedation with fish hooks embedded in her mouth and paw.

She has now fully recovered from her ordeal, thanks to the Tameside Vets team, but the practice and Molly’s owner Linda Johnson have joined forces to warn people of the dangers of fish hooks to try to prevent future injuries. 

They are also appealing to anglers visiting the river and canal at the country park not to discard fish hooks but to take them home and safely dispose of them. 

Gillian said: “Although Molly’s injuries were superficial, she was in a lot of pain and it was a very distressing situation. We had to sedate her as she wouldn’t let us touch her paw because of the pain. 

“Because the fish hooks have barbs, you have to be extremely cautious removing them and I would urge dog owners not to attempt to do this as it can make things so much worse. We had to make a small incision in her lip and paw to lift the hooks out under sedation. 

“Fish hooks cause nasty, painful injuries so it is important that dog owners are cautious when walking near waterways but we’d also urge anglers to take fish hooks home and dispose of them appropriately, so dogs, wildlife and children don’t end up being hurt and distressed.” 

Molly was on a long walk with a friend of owners Linda and Alan Johnson when she picked up an angler’s fish hook ball and spring, before getting a hook stuck in her lip and two in her paw. 

The couple, who live in Ashton-Under-Lyne, received a phone call from their friend and, while Linda rang ahead to Tameside Vets to ask them to prepare for an emergency, Alan rushed to the scene to carry Molly to the car as she couldn’t walk before taking her to the practice. 

Linda said: “We got a real shock and Molly was in so much pain and very distressed. It was very upsetting, and we don’t want other dogs and their owners to go through this. 

“Other people’s pets, wild animals and children are at risk so it is important that anglers pick up the fish hooks instead of discarding them and dispose of them safely. 

“The Tameside Vets team responded so well to the emergency and really looked after her. She has recovered well and is none the worse for the experience thankfully.”