stick eating lab

Question
Our 5 year old black lab is eating sticks from our willow tree. He chews on most any stick, but actually eats the willow sticks. Is this a concern? Thank you!

Answer
If it is old, dead stuff or young tender pieces that don't splinter, I wouldn't worry about it.  I have several trees in my back yard, and my Labs are forever eating sticks.  Wood that splinters is a problem.  

I only remember one bad incident from eating sticks.  I was keeping Joey, a yellow Lab, for a friend.  He had a soft trachea.  I let him and my dog play in the backyard all afternoon.  That evening, I took him to hear Ollie North speak.  As I walked into the auditorium, they had chairs set up in the aisles.  Remembering my friend said he moans if you make him lay on a hard surface, I grabbed one right in front where he could see down the aisle.  I think Ollie could see him because he was very emphatic in his one story out having a yellow Lab.  When Ollie started talking about Hollywood and Apocalypse Now, joey throw up.  Then I remembered, she said he throws up if he eats sticks.