Tony Buckwell shares some advice for the season
Q: How do I best protect my pet from grass seeds and their dangers?
Grass awns (the spiky seeds found especially in long grass during the summer months) can easily slide down the ear canal and, because they have long, backward-projecting ‘hairs’ attached to the seed case, aren’t easy to remove.
They are also sharply pointed, which can cause irritation to the skin and even penetrate the eardrum. The grass seeds can cause severe irritation and the dog will start to shake its head. (Read Can Dogs Be Stung By Nettles?)
Without the proper equipment, it is very difficult to remove them once they enter the ear. Untreated ear infections can lead to chronic infections, so it is important to seek veterinary care, especially if the irritation causes your dog distress. Furthermore, grass awns don’t just penetrate dog’s ears. They can just as commonly penetrate between the toes and can also irritate the eyes and become lodged behind the ‘third eyelid’, where they can damage the cornea (the transparent front of the eyeball).
Grass can affect all dogs…
