12/08/2026
🌾 GRASS SEEDS 🌾
🌱 How do grass seeds cause problems?
When pets walk through long grass, seeds can become caught between their toes, in their ears, around the eyes, or in their coat. Once lodged, they can continue to travel further into the skin or body rather than coming back out.
👂 Ears and toes are particularly common areas.
Seeds can enter the ear canal and cause irritation, pain, head shaking and scratching. Between the toes, they can cause swelling, licking, lameness and painful abscesses.
In some cases, the seed cannot be safely removed while your pet is awake. Sedation or anaesthesia may be needed to allow us to examine the area properly and remove the grass seed safely and completely.
🔎 How can you help prevent problems?
• Avoid areas of long, dry grass where possible.
• Check your pet thoroughly after walks, particularly their ears, paws, between their toes, armpits and coat.
• Remove visible grass seeds from the coat before they have a chance to work their way into the skin.
• Keeping the fur around the feet and ears clipped short can also help reduce the chance of seeds becoming trapped.
⚠️ Please contact your vet if you notice:
• Persistent head shaking or ear scratching
• Licking or chewing at the paws
• Swelling between the toes
• Sudden lameness
• A painful or swollen area of skin
• A grass seed that appears to have become embedded
