WHAT UK VETS SAY

Throw the
right thing.

Fetch is play, exercise and time together.

A happy medium-sized dog bounding across a grassy park in soft morning light with a bright rubber ball in its mouth — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

No sticks
A ball too big to swallow
Cool hours only in the heat
Simple swaps, safer play

UK vets want owners to keep playing. They just ask for a few changes: swap sticks for dog-safe toys, pick a ball your dog cannot swallow, and go easy when the weather is hot.

Updated 14 October 2026

THE SHORT ANSWER

Keep playing,
change the toy.

Exercise and play matter for dogs.
The guidance is about how, not whether.

PLAY

Play is a need

The government's code of practice says a dog needs regular exercise and chances to walk, run, explore, play, sniff and investigate.

Four habits

STICKS

Swap the stick

The BVA says stick injuries are common, serious and can be life-threatening, from mouth wounds to splinters lodged in the throat.

Check a game

HEAT

Mind the weather

A UK study found exercise triggered 74% of heatstroke cases in dogs, most of them after just walking in the heat.

See the numbers

A QUICK GAME CHECK

What are you
about to throw?

Pick a game to see what UK vets say about it. The bar shows how much caution the guidance urges.

Based on advice from the BVA, PDSA and the Royal Veterinary College's VetCompass study. General information, not veterinary advice: speak to your vet about your own dog.

Game check

Choose a gameA rubber ball too big to swallowA standard tennis ballA very hard plastic ballA stick from the parkLong fetch on a hot afternoon

A rubber ball too big to swallowGood choice

PDSA says a ball should be large enough that your dog cannot fit the whole thing in its mouth, and soft rubber, nylon or natural rubber toys are often a good choice.

A standard tennis ballNot ideal

PDSA says standard tennis balls are not always ideal for dogs, because the outer coating can slowly wear down tooth enamel over time.

A very hard plastic ballThink again

PDSA advises avoiding very hard toys or brittle plastic balls, which can raise the risk of broken teeth.

A stick from the parkSwap it

Three in four vets in a BVA survey had seen dogs injured by stick-throwing in the past year. Injuries include mouth wounds, buried splinters and sticks lodged in the throat.

Long fetch on a hot afternoonSkip it

Exercise triggered 74% of heatstroke cases in a UK study. Researchers suggest walking early while it is cooler, or skipping walks altogether in a heatwave.

Sources: BVA news (March 2017); PDSA, How to choose a safe ball for your dog; RVC VetCompass heatstroke study, published in Animals.

TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING

Sticks and sun
send dogs to the vet.

One figure from a survey of vets,
one from the records of UK dogs.

3 in 4

Vets who had seen stick-throwing injuries in a year

BVA's Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey found three in four vets had seen dogs injured by stick-throwing in the last year. Most had seen about two cases; one had seen 50.

STICKS · BVA

74%

Heatstroke cases triggered by exercise

Royal Veterinary College researchers studied records of more than 900,000 UK dogs, of which 1,222 had been treated for heatstroke. Exercise triggered three quarters of cases, and 68% of those followed just walking in the heat.

HEATSTROKE · RVC

In the same study, 14.2% of affected dogs died. Hot weather alone caused 13% of cases and hot vehicles 5%, and most cases occurred between May and August, though heatstroke can happen at any time of year.

A dog drinking from a water bowl in the shade of a tree on an early summer morning, a lead resting on the grass — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

FOUR HABITS TO TRY

Same game,
fewer vet trips.

None of these means less play. They are small changes UK vets suggest to keep fetch fun.

Leave the sticks on the ground
Bring a dog-safe toy instead, and ask your vet if you want suggestions.
Size the ball to the dog
Choose one your dog cannot fit wholly in its mouth; larger breeds need a wider ball.
Take breaks
Watch for signs of tiredness and pause regularly during fetch games.
Play in the cool
In hot weather go early in the morning, at a gentle pace, or skip the game during a heatwave.

WHO IS MOST AT RISK IN THE HEAT

Young, keen,
or flat-faced.

In the RVC study, male and younger dogs were more likely to have heatstroke triggered by exercise. Older dogs and flat-faced breeds were at higher risk even when simply sitting outside in hot weather.

The government's code of practice for dogs also says to try to avoid exercising dogs in extreme weather, and notes that young dogs may need their exercise restricted during periods of rapid growth.

A sturdy rubber dog ball lying on short grass next to a fallen wooden stick, in soft daylight — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

Questions

Questions people ask

Is it really dangerous to throw sticks for dogs?

UK vets say it can be. In a BVA survey three in four vets had seen dogs injured by stick-throwing in the last year, with injuries ranging from mouth wounds to sticks lodged in the throat. The BVA suggests dog-safe toys instead.

What size ball is safe?

PDSA says a ball should be large enough that your dog cannot fit the whole thing into its mouth. Smaller dogs need lightweight, easy-to-grip toys and larger breeds a wider diameter.

Are tennis balls bad for dogs?

PDSA says standard tennis balls are not always ideal, because the outer coating can slowly wear down tooth enamel over time.

Can I play fetch in hot weather?

Take care. A UK study found exercise triggered 74% of dog heatstroke cases. Researchers suggest walking early in the morning when it is cooler, or skipping walks altogether during heatwaves.

What if my dog swallows part of a toy?

PDSA says to contact your vet immediately if your dog is choking, struggling to breathe or has swallowed pieces of a damaged toy.

Throw the
right thing.