Grass Seeds

Health & Well Being
Grass Seeds

Every year, many animals are presented to their vet due to problems caused by the humble grass seed.

Warm, wet, spring-time conditions are perfect for grass growing and can soon turn to an increase in grass seed problems when the grasses seed and dry out in summer.

The grass seeds or ‘awns’ come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but one of the most common ones to cause trouble is the seed from Barley Grass, which has a firm, sharp tip, and awns that fan out into a wedge. The sharp tip makes it perfect for piercing through skin, and the fanned awns mean the seed can only move forward, not backwards – similar to the action of the tip of a fish hook.

Where do grass seed problems occur?

Eyes

Grass seeds in your dog’s eyes can sometimes be tricky to see as they can get themselves tucked deep in the ‘pocket’ between the eyelid and the eye itself, or behind the dog’s third eyelid. If you find your greyhound squinting, or rubbing at its eye, it may be that a grass seed is the culprit.  Have a look at the eye in good light, and gently open the eyelids.

If you can see a grass seed, sometimes you can gently grasp it with your fingers or roll it out gently using the dog’s eyelids. If you can’t see anything, but the dog is still bothered by the eye, then have it checked urgently by your vet. The seeds (and other foreign matter) can act like a rasp on the dog’s cornea and can carry bacteria. Ulcers and conjunctivitis can easily develop as a consequence of a grass seed getting lodged and can lead to further damage to the eye, or in severe cases, loss of the eye all together.

Even if you successfully remove a seed from your dog’s eye, your dog’s eye should be checked by a vet to make sure the seed has not caused any damage.

Ears

Grass seeds in the ear usually cause dogs to shake their head or paw at their ear as the sharp bits of the seed tickle and hurt the lining of the ear canal. Occasionally the shaking will be successful in dislodging the seed, but in most cases the seed (or seeds) will have to be removed by your vet with a special instrument that reaches safely into the ear canal.

If untreated, it is possible for an ear infection to develop, or for the seed to pierce through the ear drum and enter the middle ear (which can be very serious, not to mention painful).  As a secondary problem, sometimes the violence of the head shaking can lead to damage to the blood vessels in the soft ear flap, and the dog’s ear flap may swell up into a huge blood blister (called an ‘Aural Haematoma’). This can happen quite quickly and the haematoma may then need to be drained and treated by your vet.

Toes and feet

One of the most common problems vets see is grass seed lodging in a dog’s foot. This is a bigger problem for breeds with a lot of hair between their toes, but can it affect any breed, including greyhounds. It occurs when a dog stands on the seed, and it gets caught on the underside of the foot or in between the toes. If not noticed or removed, the seed can work its way through the skin, and start travelling in the space between the tendons and ligaments (remember the shape of the seed means it can only travel forwards not backwards). The grass seed irritates the body, and often drags soil and bacteria in with it as it enters the body – setting things up for an infection.  Often the first thing the owner notices is a swelling, usually just above where the toes join at the top of the foot, or a ‘weeping’ hole that the dog continually licks and chews.  The dog may be lame, and if the infection is severe, may show all the signs of being unwell or having a fever.

This issue causes a real problem for the vet because the only solution is to remove the seed, which isn’t easy. Sometimes, with a co-operative patient this can be done during the vet visit, but some dogs require sedation so that the vet can probe for the seed. Simply treating the dog with antibiotics will reduce the infection, but the swelling and infection will return again if the seed is still there. The dilemma for the vet is that the seed may have already come out when the abscess burst, but there is no way of telling just by looking. Sometimes the vet will not find a seed despite probing the wound, but if the problem recurs at the exact same site within a few weeks it suggests that the original seed may still be there.

Luckily most grass seeds simply enter from underneath the foot and burst out of the top of the foot, but some seeds have been known to track up the leg over time causing repeated swelling and infection at sites up the leg.

Inhalation & Ingestion

It is also possible for dogs to either inhale a grass seed – especially when running through long grass – or to ingest it accidentally whilst chewing or licking their coats, or when eating food directly off the ground. Grass seeds that get into the lung or airways pose a particularly sinister risk as they are impossible to detect, and signs develop late in the course of the infection. The dog may be fine, then suddenly develop signs of a chest infection, pneumonia or collapsed lung with no history of any other upper respiratory problems. All the vet can see is the infection and damage to the lungs, and it is possible for the dog to die before the real cause of the problem is detected.

Grass seeds that end up in the stomach are generally digested by the body, but it is possible for seed to pierce through the digestive tract into the surrounding tissues and organs before digestion occurs. These seeds can end up anywhere, and signs and symptoms will depend on where they cause damage or infection.

What can I do?

The best way to protect your dog from grass seeds is to be particularly vigilant during the months when they pose the greatest risk – usually from late spring to the end of summer.  Keeping grass and weeds under control at home with a combination of mowing and removal can reduce the number of seeds that the dog is exposed to.

Avoid long grass when out walking your greyhound, which shouldn’t be hard to do given they have to be on a leash in public anyway.  If you visit a private ‘off-leash’ area with your greyhounds, make sure there’s no long grass in the area.

Finally, when you get home from a walk, check your greyhound all over for seeds and remove them so they don’t become a problem.  You need to check in between the toes, under the feet, and in all the ‘crevices’ – under the tail, under the collar and so on – where a grass seed might get trapped.

If your dog is shaking its head more than once or twice, or if they are chewing, licking or rubbing at a particular area, do a thorough inspection straight away.  If you are not sure, contact your vet for advice – often a quick visit to the vet at the start of a problem can save you a lot of money in the long run.

Meet our dogs ready for adoption

All greyhounds adopted from GAP are de-sexed, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and health checked.

Available

Name

0 Years Old

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.

Learn more
Available

Name

0 Years Old

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.

Learn more
Available

Name

0 Years Old

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.

Learn more
Available

Name

0 Years Old

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.

Learn more
Available

Name

0 Years Old

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.

Learn more
Available

Name

0 Years Old

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.

Learn more
Available

Wolf

3 years old

Meet Wolf! He is a young boy who can be a bit unsure of new environments and situations. Once he is comfortable, he allows his true colours to shine through and is puppyish, playful and affectionate. Wolf appears to have some issues with his vision, so he will need a special home who can manage this over the course of his life. Wolf may suit living with or without a canine pal of similar size and older children aged in their teens. Wolf has low vision, which isn't expected to get any worse. He doesn't require medication for this. He will be adopted out with a approval for a follow up appointment with an eye specialist, paid for by GAP.
Learn more
Available

Jett

4 years old

This boy is ready to Jett his way into your heart and onto your couch! Sweet Jett is an incredibly friendly and outgoing boy with a puppy like nature and loves nothing more than a cuddle and play! Due to his excitement towards life Jett would be best in a home with a family who is experienced with large breed dogs! He may suit a home with another medium or large canine companion who likes to play as much as he does. He may be best suited to a home with children 10+ who can also keep up with him!
Learn more
Available

Angus

4 years old

If you're looking for an enthusiastic young boy to be part of the family then look no further than Angus! Angus is an awesome outgoing and lovable goofbag that would love to be your new best friend. He absolutely loves toys and treats and would benefit from an adoptive home who will include him in all the day to day activities. He would be best suited to a home with a backyard as he loves to stretch his legs! He may suit a home with full time workers and children in their teens Angus is very special needs, he has retinal atrophy, he is looking for a special person, he has significant loss of sight now and complete vision loss over time is expected, he can learn to navigate in a stable environment and live a wonderful life with the right owners who are mindful of this. Talk to our adoption team to learn more about him.
Learn more
Available

Stevie

4 years old

Our wonderful Stevie boy is ready to win hearts. Stevie is a lovely and friendly boy who can charm anyone with his outgoing and affectionate personality. He loves his toys and may be best suited to a home with children 10+ and would enjoy having another dog to be his buddy. We could all use a bit of Stevie love in our lives! Stevie would also love a backyard to run and play in. Stevie has spent some time in foster care and his foster carer said that he is a "...happy, big goofball, eager to please, cuddler and leaner. sleeps all night. plays with every toy likes soft toys and chew toys, favourite is the snorting pig and chasing ball. loves digging them all out of the basket. would be great with another large dog or by himself as long as he has things he can play with." Stevie has some osteo arthritis from an old injury, but this doesn't stop him from being his bright, bubbly self.
Learn more
Available

Esmae ARP

2 years old

Esmae is everyone’s friend! She is sweet, funny, personable and puppyish. She loves being around other dogs and people and would love to find a home with another dog bestie to spend her days hanging out with. She loves to lean on anyone that wants to give her pats and attention. We think Esmae will best suit living as an only dog as she does not want to share the love, she would also suit children 5 and over. Esmae may even suit living with fulltime workers.
Learn more
Available

Poppy

9 years old

Meet Poppy, the lovely and endearing greyhound lady who's ready to bloom in her forever home! This gentle soul is as sweet as can be, with a heart of gold and a desire to please. Poppy loves people and enjoys human interaction, making her a fantastic companion for families and individuals alike. Poppy has been through behavioural rehabilitation, which has helped her become a confident and well-adjusted greyhound. She's perfect for families with kids aged 10+, who will adore her calm and gentle nature. Poppy would most likely love to live as the only furry friend or alongside respectful medium to large male dog. She is a perfect lady on the lead and walks quietly by your side. Poppy has Inflammatory bowel disease, but this doesn't stop her happy go lucky attitude.
Learn more
Available

Dwight

4 years old

Dorky Dwight is in the search for his forever family! This boy is incredibly affectionate and has nothing higher on his wish list than someone who can provide bum scratches. When he isn't requesting affection, he is showing off his goofy and puppy-like side that is sure to make you laugh! Due to his playful ways, he may suit a home with children 10+ who can play with him! He may enjoy a medium or large canine sibling but may also like being the star of the show as a solo pooch! His playful nature means he wouldn't do best in a home with small dogs or cats, and will need some space to run, therefore wouldn't suit apartment life.
Learn more
Available

Mia

7 years old

Meet Mia, a friendly and affectionate greyhound who's bursting with enthusiasm! This extroverted girl loves people and can't get enough attention - she's always eager to please and shower her humans with affection. With her bubbly personality, Mia's sure to bring joy and excitement to her forever home. Mia's looking for a household where she can be the only dog, and she's suitable for families with or without kids aged 10+. While she's a wonderful companion, Mia's still working on her manners, so she'll need a patient and understanding owner to help her learn and grow. If you're ready to provide Mia with love, guidance, and a forever home, she'll reward you with loyalty, affection, and plenty of personality!

Learn more
Available

Meeko

3 years old

Meet Meeko, the charming and playful greyhound gentleman who's ready to capture your heart! This friendly boy has a delightful puppyish streak, loving nothing more than seeking attention and playtime from his favourite humans. Meeko's unique trait is his love of seeking eye contact, often gazing adoringly at his people to connect and show affection. Meeko is perfect for families with kids aged 5+, who will adore his energetic and loving personality. With his outgoing and affectionate nature, Meeko promises to bring joy and companionship to his new family. If you're looking for a loving and playful buddy, Meeko is ready to be your new best friend! Meeko has an old hock fracture which has healed well, without any hardware present. Meeko needs a home with another dog for company, and can also be a bit anxious in new situations.
Learn more
Available

Shelby

6 years old

Meet adorable Shelby, who has the best ears going around. Sweet Shelby is a fun and confident girl who loves water and cuddles; she is incredibly affectionate and outgoing and is sure to become your best buddy! Shelby may enjoy having a medium or large canine sibling but may also enjoy being the centre of attention as an only dog! Due to her energetic ways Shelby may do best with a home with children 10+ who can keep up with her and wouldn't suit a home with a small dog or cats.
Learn more