Dogs Grass Awn

The dog shakes the head scratches or rubs the ears holds his head at a slightly tilted angle between the eye eyelid.

Dogs grass awn.

English springer spaniel field bred dob. Not only can these burrow into the skin but these seeds have the. Pieces of plant material typically the awn seed penetrate the skin or are inhaled or ingested as the dog runs through cover. Grass awns are grass seeds which are sharp sometimes barbed and have the capability to burrow into the skin of our dogs.

If you re a dog owner who takes pride in a beautiful lawn it can be frustrating to look at your yard and see dead grass where your dog has peed. Pinecroft taylor s big boy xl breed. Grass seeds and awns are very stiff plant fibers that usually have a barb on one end. No infections or abscesses matted hair only ear canal.

It is when they are not quickly removed by the owner or expelled by the animal that they become problematic. These seeds or grass awns can become lodged in pet ears between toes and under the skin. February 5 2013 by the grass awn project 5 comments name. Grass awns can be inhaled become lodged in the ears swallowed or even just imbedded in the coat or skin.

Pretty much any contact a dog has with grass awns is potentially hazardous. Diagnosis can be difficult if the grass seed has already penetrated the skin and begun to migrate into the. Dog urine can create unsightly brown or yellow spots of dead grass. The most common presentation is a draining tract between the toes.

Grass seeds and awns in dogs symptoms signs. Compared with the total hospital population there was an increased prevalence of grass awn problems in the springer spaniel golden retriever brittany spaniel and airedale terrier but a decreased prevalence in german shepherd dogs miniature poodles and dachshunds. How do grass awns injure dogs. Some dog owners believe that it s just part of living with dogs but this doesn t have to be the case.

The awns of the most problematic grasses are barbed which allows the awn to ratchet itself along through the tissue. Signs of foxtail or cheatgrass problems in dogs lethargy loss of appetite swelling or lump puncture hole discharge or bleeding licking chewing or pawing at the affected area limping if legs paws affected shaking head if ears affected. We had a very unseasonably warm day for wisconsin with very cold weather to follow shortly so i took my dogs for a. However grass awns can also cause much more serious health problems when they enter through the mouth or nose of a dog and migrate through the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract.