24/11/2025
⚠️ WARNING TO ALL DOG OWNERS: GRASS SEED DANGER AHEAD! ⚠️
Summer is here, and so is grass seed season. These tiny, sharp seeds may look harmless, but they pose a significant, even life-threatening, risk to your beloved pets. At Hole Diggers Dog Spa, we urge you to be vigilant to protect your furry friends.
The Hidden Threat
Grass seeds have a unique, barbed shape that allows them to cling to fur and move in only one direction: deeper into your dog's body. Once embedded, they can migrate to major organs, causing painful abscesses, severe infections, and extensive internal damage that often requires difficult surgery to locate and remove. They are invisible on X-rays, making them extremely difficult for vets to find once they have traveled under the skin.
Common Danger Zones and Warning Signs
Check these susceptible areas carefully after every walk and look for the following symptoms:
Paws: Persistent licking, limping, swelling, or redness between the toes or in the pads.
Ears: Excessive head shaking, pawing at the ear, head tilting, or discharge.
Eyes: Redness, swelling, excessive tearing, squinting, or pawing at the face.
Nose: Sudden, violent, and repeated sneezing fits, or clear/bloody nasal discharge.
Skin/Coat: Constant licking/chewing at a specific spot, a small lump, matted hair, or a non-healing wound anywhere on the body.
Prevention and Action
Early detection is critical to preventing a minor irritation from becoming a serious veterinary issue.
Avoid Long Grass: Keep your dog on a lead and away from areas with tall, dry grass and weeds when possible.
Perform Thorough Checks: Inspect your dog's entire body after every walk, paying special attention to the paws (especially between the toes), ears, armpits, and belly.
Remove Seeds Safely: If a seed is in the fur or only superficially caught in the skin, you can carefully remove it with tweezers.
Seek Grooming Advice: Regular grooming and keeping the hair around high-risk areas (paws, ears, tummy) clipped short can help reduce the chance of seeds catching.
Contact Your Vet Immediately: Do not attempt to remove a seed that is embedded deep within the skin or any or***ce (ear, nose, eye). Contact your veterinarian as soon as you notice any warning signs or suspect a deeply lodged seed, as the problem will not resolve with antibiotics alone and often requires professional removal.
Stay safe this season, and happy walking! The team at Hole Diggers Dog Spa is here to help keep your pet's coat in top condition.
Generated using Google AI...
