28/09/2026
SPRING IS HERE… AND SO ARE GRASS SEEDS! 🌱🌱🌱
As the weather warms up, grass seeds start popping up everywhere...and while they might look harmless, they can cause some very painful problems for our pets.
Grass seeds are small, sharp and designed to burrow into things. Once they attach to your pet’s fur, they can work their way into the ears, eyes, paws, skin and even the nose, where they can become embedded and cause infection, inflammation and significant discomfort.
Signs your pet may have a grass seed include:
• Persistent licking or chewing at their paws
• Swelling, redness or a lump between the toes
• Sudden head shaking or scratching at an ear
• A red, watery or painful eye
• Sneezing, nasal discharge or repeated pawing at the nose
• A small wound or draining lump on the skin
• Sudden discomfort after being outside in long grass
PREVENTION IS KEY!!! A few simple habits can help reduce the risk:
✔️ Avoid areas with long, dry grass and lots of seed heads where possible
✔️ Keep the grass in your own yard short and regularly maintained
✔️ Check your pet thoroughly after walks... especially their paws, between their toes, ears, eyes, armpits and groin
✔️ Brush or comb through their coat after outdoor adventures
✔️ Pay particular attention to long-haired and fluffy pets, where seeds can easily become hidden
✔️ If your pet has particularly hairy feet, keeping the hair around their paw pads and between their toes neatly trimmed can make seeds easier to spot
Don’t ignore the signs. Once a grass seed becomes embedded, it can continue travelling further into the body and may require veterinary treatment to locate and remove it.
If you think your pet may have a grass seed stuck somewhere, contact our veterinary team as soon as possible for assistance. 🩺
The earlier we can assess the problem, the better... and the more comfortable we can help your pet become. 💚
