A fishing hook “lodged” inside the stomach of a dog is a reminder to fishermen about the importance of responsible fishing as the “common” injury continues to threaten the lives of pets.

The four-month-old labrador named Max was rushed to an emergency vet in Queensland this week in need of specialized surgery after ingesting the hook which had caused significant damage to his esophagus.

Staff at Animal Emergency Service in Tanawha, a rural locality in the Sunshine Coast region, told Yahoo News Australia the circumstances of the incident are unknown but it’s believed Max was on a beach walk with his family. The labrador was referred to them by another vet clinic which realized the extent of the injury after an X-ray which clearly showed a small hook lodged inside the dog.

“Once with us, our skilled veterinarian Dr Dani, confirmed the situation and proceeded with the challenging surgery,” the clinic shared on Facebook. “The procedure was complicated and delicate, the brave patient lost nearly half of their blood volume, requiring two blood transfusions.”

Vets were “uncertain” if the pup would pull through but “against all odds” the hook was “successfully removed”. After two days in the hospital, “the strong pooch made a remarkable recovery” and was eventually reunited with his eight-year-old human brother.

Fishing hook injuries are very common in pets

Dr Danielle Huston who performed the surgery told Yahoo News that fishing-related injuries in pets are very common. While more prominent in the summer months when beaches are more populated, her clinic can see up to 10 a year, at least.

“If [pet owners] are suspicious their pets have eaten a fish hook, get them seen immediately and don’t pull on the line,” she told Yahoo. Pulling on the line in an attempt to remove the hook puts it at risk of becoming stuck, making things “a lot more complicated”.

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Dr Dani said this is the first time she’s seen a case as problematic as Max’s. “It has gone through the esophageal wall and damaged the major blood vessels in the chest,” she said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever seen that and I really hope the last.”

Signs your dog might have swallowed a fishing hook:

• Fishing line hanging out of their mouth

• Obvious signs of discomfort

• They’ll stretch their neck out (a sign of esophageal discomfort)

• They might have their head hanging low

• Drooling

• Change in their appetite or reluctance to eat

Calls for change to fix ‘increasing problem’

The dumping of fishing material is an ongoing issue plaguing the environment, particularly in coastal areas. Taronga Wildlife Hospital Rescue and Rehabilitation Coordinator, Libby Hall, told Yahoo they now see more animals impacted by fishing hooks and fishing lines than they used to. “It’s an increasing problem,” she said.

Last month, a 50kg green sea turtle was rescued by a local resident in Lake Macquarie, north of Sydney, who found the animal “weak and floating in the water” before taking it to Taronga Wildlife Hospital. There they found she had swallowed seven fishing hooks and had its “intestines pierced by fishing line”.

But discarded fishing material can be harmful to humans too, shark scientist Dr Leonardo Guida previously warned after discovering a bunch of discarded fishing lines and hooks on a pier in the affluent Sydney harborside suburb of Mosman.

“Sadly it’s not uncommon to see discarded fishing lines or hooks on and near piers,” he told Yahoo. “Many fishermen are responsible and I also enjoy fishing, but to be frank, it’s the lazy few who put a kid’s foot at risk of being punctured by a rusting hook.”

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