Grass seeds in Dog Paws
Grass seeds are common foreign bodies that can penetrate between a dog's toes & sometimes anywhere on the body. Occurring mostly in summer, owners need to be checking vigilantly, especially on dogs with long hair coats.
The sharp seeds or awls are often spiral-shaped, so once they penetrate the skin, they can spiral their way up through the tissues, often travelling a long distance up the leg.
The site of penetration will have a hole, surrounded by red, swollen, and painful inflamed tissue. The dog, or cat, may be licking the paw constantly and may be reluctant to allow examination of the paw.
So - what can you do? In many cases, especially if the seed has been there for a while or has travelled up the leg, surgery will be required to remove the debris (seeds often break down), flush wounds, provide pain relief, and antibiotics.
However, if you have noticed the problem early, you may be able to poultice the paw for 24-48 hours, changing every 12 hours, to draw the seed to the surface for removal.
Go to our HoneyPro Vet website for instructions on how to apply a poultice.
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