During late spring and summer grass seeds and burrs are the bain of the dog owner’s life. Many a dog undergoes an operation necessary to try to remove these damaging beasts which sometimes isn’t successful the first time round and a second or even third operation is necessary. This can lead to very expensive veterinary bills and several weeks of healing for the dog.
What Are The Grass Seeds I Should Look Out For?
The worst offending grass seeds look like spikey arrows and are generally found on the long dry grasses. These have fibres which allow them to attach to various surfaces and by their very nature can get caught up in any type of dog coat whether it be long or short. The following photographs are a few of the types of grass seeds to watch out for. Other types of grasses have prickles or burrs and they don’t enter the dog’s body but they can get caught up in a long coated dog and result in the coat matting up. If not checked regularly they become a nuisance and may result in the coat needing to be clipped off.
Thorny type prickles can dig into the dog’s paw if he/she steps on them and can cause the dog pain. Generally these can be removed quite easily if they are large.
Get rid of grass seeds and burrs easier with a self cleaning slicker brush!
Where Can These Grass Seeds Lodge?
The arrow-like grass seeds can lodge virtually anywhere on your dog’s body. We need to check the dog all over regularly. Some of the signs are:-
Ears - If you notice your dog shaking his head, scratching his ear or holding his head to one side and there is no sign of an real ear infection then a grass seed could be the cause. If a grass seed moves into the ear canal it can cause a range of problems if not treated early. See your veterinarian urgently.
Nose – Sneezing, a dog pawing at its nose and some nasal discharge can be a sign of a grass seed caught up in the nasal passage.
Eyes - If your dog shows redness and inflammation in the eye area and a discharge appears then get your vet to check whether a grass seed is lodged in that area. If left untreated this can cause blindness in the dog.
Mouth - If the dog inhales a grass seed it can then travel into the throat and internally further into the stomach area. Sometimes it may lodge on the way down causing abscesses or damage to the internal organs or even the spinal area. Your dog could show symptoms of illness and attempting to vomit, refusal to eat, coughing, fever or breathing difficulties.
Skin - Grass seeds will first lodge in the dog’s coat. If these are not located and removed early on they will start to enter the skin with their spikey fibres. The dog will start to scratch and bite in the area affected. The grass seed will keep penetrating and eventually work its way right inside into the body. Once inside the body the seed then gradually travels along causing swelling and infection or abscesses along the way. If the seed enters via the paw then it will start to travel up the leg. If it enters via the chest then the lungs and breathing could be affected.
How Do I Know If My Dog Has a Grass Seed In His Paw Or Other Parts of His Body?
The most likely place for your dog to get a grass seed is in his paw, although they can enter from anywhere on the dog’s body. It will generally not difficult to tell if your dog does have a grass seed in his paw. Generally they will lick around the entry site which will look swollen and red and with the skin exposed. Depending upon how deep the seed has gone into the paw you will notice a swelling around the area if it is near the surface. You will also see a hole where the seed has entered. If the seed has already travelled a little deeper into the leg then you may not notice anything else other than redness and swelling at the entry point. If you notice redness, swelling and a hole then you can pretty much bet that it is a grass seed that has gone in. The best thing to do is to rush your dog straight to the vet for them to examine the paw. The longer you leave it the further the seed can travel and the more difficult it will be to find.
Removing a grass seed would only be attempted if you can still see the grass seed protruding from the entry point. If it is not too deeply entered it is possible to pull it out with your fingers otherwise if it has gone a little further in you may be able to pull it out using a pair of tweezers. Be careful that you don’t leave any bits of the grass inside. If you do manage to pull one out before it has gone too far in the wound should heal fairly quickly. If you have pulled the seed out but it is not healing then there may be some still left in there. You would need to get the dog to the vet for this also.
A grass seed that lodges in any other part of the dog’s body whether it be the face, neck, throat, ears, tail or body will show the same symptoms. There will be redness and swelling and a hole which will look infected. If it lodges into these other parts you may not see any other evidence and it is urgent that you get your dog to the vet immediately. This is because you won’t know how far it has travelled and it will keep travelling causing infection along the way.
If your dog does need surgery to remove the seed additional immune system health supplements will enhance and boost the recovery process. Check out the products at the Only Natural Dog Store specifically designed to help the dog’s recovery pre and post surgery.
What Do I Need To Do To Prevent This?
There are several preventative measures for the detection of grass seeds.
- Avoid walking your dog in long grassy areas unless absolutely necessary. Walk your dog on short green grass or on pavement.
- After each walk check your dog’s coat and especially in between the pads on the paws for any bits of debris which might do some damage. Also check inside the ears and mouth.
- Brush your dog’s coat regularly. This will clear your dog of any seeds or burrs which might catch up in the coat. This will also prevent matting.
- If your dog’s coat is long around the paws trim them back with the scissors to reduce the chance of picking up seeds or prickles. Also trim around the groin area and under the armpits as well as around the ears.
- Don’t allow your dog to chew grasses which have the seed heads on them.
Related Topics:
Matted dog