02/09/2026
From Retching to Recovery: Jaskier's Great Grass Escape
Recently, lovely Jaskier visited us after his owners noticed he wasn't quite himself. He was gagging, retching, gulping, and had been sick after eating.
Given his symptoms, our Vet team knew we needed to take a closer look. On first inspection at the back of his nose and mouth once sedated there wasn't alot to see but the vet's were still suspicion based on his clinical signs so out came our bronchoscope which is a flexible camera. Using the bronchoscope, we were able to look at the back of his nose above the roof of his mouth and we discovered a long blade of grass lodged in his left nasal cavity, which had folded back on itself meaning it was hiding from view. With some careful manoeuvring and gentle flushing, we were able to safely extract the entire piece.
We're delighted to report that Jaskier has made a full recovery and is back to his happy self. Within 48 hours another cat suffering from the same affliction was seen and treated by out team at Prince Bishop Vets although this one was a little more straightforward for the team.
A Quick Note on Grass Blades & Seeds
With summer in full swing, grass blades and sticky grass seeds (foxtails) are common culprits for curious pets.
The Danger: Grass seeds have sharp ends and tiny barbs, meaning they only travel in one direction - INWARDS. They can easily migrate into ears, paws, eyes, or be inhaled into the nose and lungs. From here over time they have the potential to migrate to anwhere in the body
Blades of grass can also become trapped behind the soft palate, causing persistent irritation or infection.
Signs to Watch For: Frequent sneezing, head shaking, sudden paw licking, gagging, retching, or swelling between the toes.
What to Do: If you suspect your pet has inhaled or picked up a grass seed, contact us right away. Early removal prevents them from traveling deeper and causing further complications!
