Stop grass seeds from giving your dog a ‘ruff’ time

Seasoned dog owners will know that injuries caused by grass seeds are extremely common during the Spring and Summer months. Grass seeds can easily find their way into the eyelids, ears or skin (especially between the toes). The seeds themselves resemble tiny, barbed arrow heads, so can easily attach to the fur and then burrow further into your pets’ skin. 

Below are some of the most common signs that your pet may be irritated by a grass seed: 

• Shaking their head 
• Licking at their paws 
• Irritation/Swelling/redness 
• Limping
  
• Discharge or pain from the eyes/nose/ears

It’s important to check and remove any grass seeds from your dog as soon as possible, following a walk.  If ignored they can cause a lot of pain and irritation – some dogs can even require sedation or general anaesthesia to remove them.

• Try to avoid walking in long grass during the warmer months
• Check your dog thoroughly after a walk (particularly if through long grass) and remove any seeds:
  • Run your fingers through their fur
  • Check inside their ears
  • Look at their eyes and in their eyelids
  • Check around the mouth
  • Look in between pads and toes
• Dogs with long hairy ears or hairy feet are more at risk. Keep hair around ears and paws short to minimise the risk of grass seeds sticking

Ocryl® is a gentle eye cleansing solution which can be used straight from the bottle to flush debris directly from the eye (thanks to its specially shaped nozzle). If your dog likes to burrow their head in long grass, it is useful to use this as part of your daily grooming routine. This will ensure that any grass seeds, pollens (if your dog suffers from hay fever or allergies) or debris are flushed out of the eye and won’t go on to do any harm. Ocryl® can also be used long term as a tear stain remover and eye cleanser. 
 
If you think your pet may have a grass seed lodged in their eye, ear or if you think that one may have burrowed into their skin, then please contact your vet.