Grass Seeds

[rugerfly]

One of my dogs has already had a grass seed removed from his throat after a nasty absys blew up. A costly removal at the vet with stitches and drains. He went running again the other day and I hate to say it but he sounds like he has another caught in his throat, he keeps gagging and afterwoods looks miserable.

He runs with his dam mouth open and seems to attract the seeds.

Does anyone else have this problem? Is it common? I hate to think he is going to get another absys. Short of not letting him go anywhere there isnt much i can do.

[lilypily]

I'd go to your vet now, it will be cheaper and less pain for your dog, than if you wait for another abcess to appear.

It's a bit hard with the grass seeds being in his throat, I mean you can check your dog's body over on a daily basis, but you can't really stick your fingers down his throat

[schnauzer]

Gosh, they are so lethal!! One of my dogs got a grass seed in his foot last year and it ended up moving up his leg. We tried poulticing the foot and leg to remove it but he ended up having surgery to remove it.

Edited April 14, 2005 by schnauzer

[Rusky]

might not be a grass seed at all, could be a touch of kennel cough or something else, really best take to the vet especially considering your previous problems.

good luck

[Lablover]

Grass seeds can be terrible. Recently a couple of friends dogs have suffered the same. Both in their dogs throats, and one was only run on short grass, so obviously length is not a factor.

When was the last grass seed removed? I often hear of tales that not all are found initially. One friends dog recently passed away as the grass seed, despite endless veterinary consultations continued to the dogs lungs and secondary complications resulted.

Another has had a dreadful time with her GSP where multiple grass seeds are "somewhere" in the dogs jaw and under the eyes.

Has your dog been continued on antibiotics BTW?

[rugerfly]

Last time was about a month ago. The vet was very lucky to pull it out via throat. Had a few small incisions. She gave it to me so Im sure she got it. He was on clavulox, finishedthem. Very lucky to have found it I think.

He gagged a few times this morning, but now seems to have stopped. I am monitoring his eating and behaviour as he was quite off last time,which mostly went unnoticed until he was better andI realised just how rowdy he was. ( I musdt have forgotton)

Im just hoping, it was something else and is gone.

My other GSP had her twenty stitches removed today much to her and my relief!

[Lablover]

Other GSP??? So the one in question is a GSP?

Third GSP I personally know in the last 2 months with moderate to severe grass seed problems.

[sidoney]

Geez, what kinds of grass seeds are these?

[rugerfly]

you know, I dont even know, I think they come out of that long spindly grass but they is everywhere, like bushy reserves etc.

They really are spiky at the tip with a tail. They have miniscule claws that stick on and only go one way. They really get into a coat, even a short one, where they stick into the actual skin.

Dam GSP's are prone to them as they run through thick bush being crazy stupid.

And boy are mine crazy stupid....lol

Still no gagging few hours later....

[KJ]

My poor little yellow lab has spent the last 3 months dealing with the results of a grass seed in the eye. Last year I spent a fortune having them removed from the dogs ears and noses but this year there has only been the one in the eye. Grass seeds are very expensive things

Luckily my labs have never had them in their throats but we did lose a kelpie a few years ago due to grass seeds problems.

[rugerfly]

Thats not good to hear! Funny, he is only gagging in the mornings. Yes they are terrible things, dont know how I can train during the times with grass seeds with retrieving etc.

Ruger seems happy within himself though - currently in loungroom creating a terrible smell...

[Aellyssa]

Grass seeds are so ubiquitous and insidious aren't they? I check my dogs daily for them as with wool they tend to attract them. I am sure that you have been just as diligent. An abscess can form pretty quickly as you know and being aware of the early signs & symptoms may help.

Inhaled ones are very difficult. My best advice is to take your dog to the vet, and have a loooooong chat with them. Find out if there is any way to detect them, even if it means getting your dogs used to you opening their mouths after they have been running around. I would also ask if there is anyway that they can be encouraged to move if they get stuck there. (sort of like eating bread to get rid of a fish bone - tho that doesn't always work)

I'm sure that this has all occurred to you, and I don't mean to teach you to suck eggs but it really is all I can think of. Good Luck

What's the update on Ruger?

Aili

[Guest seadog]

I've just taken my dog to the vet with a suspected grass seed absess. Stumbled onto this web site in my efforts to find out more about the problem.

Suprised to see it is so common. Tried to lance and drain the absess myself but could not immobilise the dog suffciently to get a needle into the absess.

I have to take my dog back to the vet tomorrow to have him attended to.

Their charge rates really frighten me. I'd still like to be able to fix the problem my self.

[Toohey]

Seadog, try a raw potato poultice as mentioned in this thread

Raw potato poultice

Should mention that my dog was found to have no foreign body on either occasion.

Edited April 18, 2005 by Toohey

[rugerfly]

Update on Roogie, no more strange coughing. I gave him some bread rolls two mornings in a row, as I know he hardly chews anything and thoiught it might take the grass seed down the hatch with it. Fingers crossed. Yes my first grass seed was close to $200 to remove they are expensive.

When he got his first in the throat, it swelled up in one day, after having swallowed the suspected seed about two weeks earlier. it was a fluidy swelling and I was advised to give him half an asprin twice daily. This made him probably feel a bit better and bought the lump to harden near the surface, easier to locate seed I guess.

Good luck anyone else who gets them...

[Guest seadog]

Rugerfly,

Who's your vet - just paid $235 to get my dog's grass seed removed.

[rugerfly]

North Richmond, Karen Hedberg. They dont charge too bad at all. Thats NSW by the way.

Fly's twenty stitches to mend torn flap of skin wasnt too bad either, same with her snake bite treatments (both...lol)