Beware of the dangers of Infections caused by Grass Seeds in our Pets
Dangers of Grass seeds
As a responsible pet owner, we need to be vigilant and aware of the dangers of infections caused by grass seeds to our pets during late autumn and summer. As the grass dries out and dogs run or roll in the drying grass the seeds stick into their fur or paws and work their way into their ears or nostrils.
The wind may be enough to blow the seeds into your yard and may not be visible unless you are looking for them. The barb on the seed allows it to work its way deeper into the fur and will embed itself into the skin causing disastrous results if left unattended. I have learned from personal experience and cannot stress enough the dangers of infections that a simple grass seed can cause to your unsuspecting dog.
Seeds cause problems to both dogs and cats although cats continually groom their coat, which lessens the risk of infection to them.
Checking your dog for grass seeds
Everyone needs to check their dogs for grass seeds every week, especially when your dog has access to areas with grass seeds. Removal of grass seeds could prevent expensive and serious problems later. To do this you need to run your fingers very slowly all over your dog’s body looking for any small abnormalities. Pay special attention to their ears, paws, eyes and mouth, virtually anywhere on their body. Dogs with the longer fur can make them even harder to find.
Failure to find them could mean they work their way deep into their body tissues and get into their abdomen or even their lungs. Do not underestimate how dangerous an undetected seed can be to your dogs’ health.
The barbs on the seed make it harder to pull out when you do find them. It will often be easier if two people do it together, as when and if you do find a seed partially embedded into the dog he may not like the pain caused while extracting the seed. The dog may bite if it is in pain.
We have found the best way to remove the seed is with tweezers. Once you find a seed, get a firm grip on it making sure you do not have any dog hairs caught in the tweezers then pull using a steady pressure.
Signs of grass seed infections
- Watery eyes
- Swelling or lumps
- Shaking of the head
- Holding head on side
- Sneezing
- Drooling
How to help prevent these problems with your pet
- Keep your dog out of long grass
- Keep lawns cut to prevent seeding
- Check your dog daily if possible for signs of seeds
- Keep all long haired dogs clipped short in summer
- Continual licking of paw or other parts of body
Personal experience this week
We checked our dog and were amazed in one night we found all these grass seeds in picture on and embedded in our dogs’ skin and fur. The one next to the match was virtually right inside and was hard to remove. We were just lucky to find it in time. Two more partially embedded under the skin.
Past personal experience
My dog Titan had a large lump come up on his neck and I took him to the vet. Blood tests revealed that it was not cancerous. They decided to operate and after a long time they removed as much as possible but had to leave a small amount as it was right on his jugular vein. We were very lucky to save him. If we had checked him regularly for grass seeds, we may have saved him from this near death operation.
Conclusion
If you love your pet, please check your dog for grass seeds. By the way, it will take more than five minutes to do a thorough search too, which is time well spent if you love your dog.
It is terrific to have your own lovable dog as they make wonderful friends and pets. Although you need to keep in mind that a dog is not a toy. A dog owner needs to be a responsible pet owner and take care of their mate just the same as they would their own child. After all in many cases owners virtually treat their mate as one of the family.
Dogs cannot tell us if they have a pain, or are sick and suffering from something they have eaten or if they have been bitten. We as responsible pet owners need to look for the obvious symptoms. Signs of a dog limping, a wet nose, unusually quiet are all signs to take notice of.
So be responsible, if you don't have the time to look after a dog then rethink - and don't buy a dog on the spur of a whim decision.
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Comments
Wow! I had no idea that grass seed could pose a health hazard for dogs. When we "dog sit" for our daughter, her dog loves to roll in the grass. We'll have to check her over the next time we are taking care of her. Thanks for the tip!
Gosh Diane you were quick to reply I only just put this one up. Yes grass seeds can cause a lot of dangerous problems
Wow! I had no idea. Thanks!!
thanks oxfordian, hope it prepares you for this if you have a dog or cat
Eileen, I had no idea grass seeds were harmful to pet! This is really an eyeopening article that any pet owner should read.
Thanks Cosmopinkice, yes thats why I decided to write this to try and make people aware of the dangers. They are life threatening thats for sure. We were lucky to save our dogs life
So glad you were able to save your dog! Are the grasses you are talking about the same thing as foxtails?
E Green, sorry, but to be honest I am not sure. These seeds have bits on side like little barbs that work their way into the fur and then the flesh. I dont know what a foxtail is like.
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