Grass Seeds

[wisdomis4thoseseek]

First of all Please don't jude ME for this as this is my parents dog, therefore I cannot do anything, If he was our dog he would have been at the vet a the first sign....

My parents have a almost 3 year old Pyrenian Mountain dog who has a grass seed in between his toes, it IS infected and very sore, my parents wont take him to the vet becasue the last time he had this it cost them over $400 to have removed and they just don't have this amount of money. My fiance and I have been bathing it it betadine antaseptic and covering it with bandage but it is REALLY hurting him

I guess what I'm asking is WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO HELP HIM :D Believe me it's not as easy as just taking him to the vet (far to much to go into here) otherwise I obvaously would have done it already. PLEASE IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANYTHING PLEASE TELL ME

[Miranda]

If you don't do anything chances are that it will find its way out on its own, the dog usually keeps licking it and this helps keep it open. Personally I wouldn't bandage it, bandaging will put pressure on it and simply cause the dog additional discomfort. Bathe it in hot, salty water and give it a squeeze, if you're lucky it will simply pop out at some stage. You'll know when the seed has come out because it leaves quite a large hole behind.

With grass seeds prevention is better than cure, cut back the hair between between his toes and under his pads and check his feet on a daily basis and try keep him out of the badly seeded areas on the property.

[wisdomis4thoseseek]

Thank you, so should I keep using the betadine or just change to salty water?

[Miranda]

I've only ever used hot, salty water, but I suppose you could do both, bathe it and then put a smear of Betadine on it. When I lived near Wagga, we had terrible grass seeds in late spring so all my experience is based on this. I used to check their feet everyday and on occasion I'd find three or four, but it didn't matter how carefully I looked they always got at least one every year. It's also a good idea to check under the elbows, I always found a couple there too and be careful he doesn't get one in his eye or ear.

If the grass seed is in the foot they're not usually a huge problem and normally don't move very far, although they do cause the dog some discomfort they nearly always find their way out. However if you get a grass seed anywhere else be very careful as grass seeds can travel through tissue and I know of one dog that died when a grass seed entered its ear and travelled to the brain.

Grass seeds are a real pain in the a**e, I sympathise :D

[wisdomis4thoseseek]

I've only ever used hot, salty water, but I suppose you could do both, bathe it and then put a smear of Betadine on it. When I lived near Wagga, we had terrible grass seeds in late spring so all my experience is based on this. I used to check their feet everyday and on occasion I'd find three or four, but it didn't matter how carefully I looked they always got at least one every year. It's also a good idea to check under the elbows, I always found a couple there too and be careful he doesn't get one in his eye or ear.

If the grass seed is in the foot they're not usually a huge problem and normally don't move very far, although they do cause the dog some discomfort they nearly always find their way out. However if you get a grass seed anywhere else be very careful as grass seeds can travel through tissue and I know of one dog that died when a grass seed entered its ear and travelled to the brain.

Grass seeds are a real pain in the a**e, I sympathise

I had second taughts about putting it on DOL but then I thaught well, who else would know better then people on DOL :D The only thing that is wrong is they wont take him to the vet But at least if I look after it, it may not need it anyway

[schnauzer]

Hi Samadii,

Of course I say VET......

But, when my dog had a grass seed between his toes, it was very swollen etc. The vet told me to put a poultice on the wound each day to see if it would draw the seed out. We did this for a couple of weeks and he was also on antibiotics.

The antibiotics took away the infection, but the grass seed travelled up his leg and he needed surgery. It ended up costing a lot, with all the x-rays, etc etc. When I was there, I was talking to the neurologist, and she said I was very lucky and that grass seeds can travel to the spine :D

Edited October 26, 2006 by schnauzer

[Muttaburra]

Bathe it in hot, salty water and give it a squeeze, if you're lucky it will simply pop out at some stage.

That could work, but don't make the water too hot, it could damage already inflamed tissue.

There are some grass seeds that don't work their way out, I think it is the wild oats and similar. Structurally there is a barb on the very end, then all the way along the seeds more tiny barbs, movenment caused this seed to spiral inwards, these seeds can travel into the body and could lodge elsewhere.

Is there some way you could raise funds, sell something, borrow money to have this removed properly by a vet. The reason it is expensive is because it has to be cut out, surgically removed, because of the barbs, it just won't necessarily pull or slip out like a splinter. At this stage, you are all the dog has got in terms of getting help, so it is down to you to solve this.

You might also be able to help the dog in the future (once the seed has been treated) by trimming all the fur away from the paws, so they are less likely to catch seeds. Do you know anyone else who might be prepared to give the dog a loving forever home?

That vet sounds a bit expensive, an initial consultation of around $50 then $250 for the op, then $35 for antibiotics is a lot less than what they paid last time, and this would be what mid-priced vet would charge.

Edited October 26, 2006 by InDogWeTrust

[persephone]

Yep....clip hair on feet...check ears as well!

Some grass seeds do pop out eventually, after an abscess type reaction which IS very painful, and can last for a couple of weeks :D The seeds DO travel, as someone said..and this means surgery to locate and remove them .Messy and expensive!

When I worked at a vet..often people would bring a dog in fairly soon...a squirt of "local" in the hole..a fish around with forceps, and "bingo!" )

DO KEEP HAIR SHAVED on feet.

[cavNrott]

.

Edited May 29, 2009 by cavNrott

[wisdomis4thoseseek]

This dog is already in pain and the poor thing needs to be taken to the vet.

Your parents could well be paying a lot more than $400 if this grass seed travels.

Dogs cost money to keep and we all know that. When a dog needs vet attention it is neglectful not to provide it.

If a human had the same problem I bet they wouldn't waste any time in getting themselves treatment.

cavNrott ~I agree with you whole heartedly believe me :D

persephone ~ I think that is what he has an absess

InDogWeTrust ~ Unfortunatly I think I will have to again step in and take over this situation, the problem here is a very long and horrible situation which I don't think is very wise to openly discuss here.

To everyone else thank you for your sugestions ~ I will take a couple of pictures soon and add them so you can see what I am talking about.

[rugerfly]

it does sound frightfully expensive....ruger had one in his throat i was told to give him asprin to reduce the swelling so it could be localised and Im sure it didnt cost too much. probably half that. which i guess is still a lot

[Nellie]

It is amazing how quickly they can burrow in. We check our girls daily when they get back from their walk but our baby just had one. Thankfully it popped out quickly before it became infected and we are keeping a close eye on it. I couldn't believe the size of the hole it left! Poor sweetie.

[curlyking]

I have had terrific success in removing grass seeds after a vet told me to mix up a very strong sugar solution (make it quite syurpy) soak some cottonwool or gauze in it then place that over the point the seed went in - or where the sore is and cover it with glad wrap and a plastic bag. Leave up to 24 hours if possible. We have found this has dragged the grass seed out between the toes from as high up as the hock. Since using this method we have never had to have one surgically remover BUT I must say we have got onto them before there is too much damage done or infection caused.

[Nellie]

How long are they likely to have been in the paw once it swells up? Obviously we didn't find the one that went in, but in between her toes she had a red, swollen lump for about 2-3 days and then it burst.

Do they swell up immediately?

I will try the sugar solution if we ever get any more.

[Sheridan]

I've only ever used hot, salty water, but I suppose you could do both, bathe it and then put a smear of Betadine on it. When I lived near Wagga, we had terrible grass seeds in late spring so all my experience is based on this. I used to check their feet everyday and on occasion I'd find three or four, but it didn't matter how carefully I looked they always got at least one every year. It's also a good idea to check under the elbows, I always found a couple there too and be careful he doesn't get one in his eye or ear.

If the grass seed is in the foot they're not usually a huge problem and normally don't move very far, although they do cause the dog some discomfort they nearly always find their way out. However if you get a grass seed anywhere else be very careful as grass seeds can travel through tissue and I know of one dog that died when a grass seed entered its ear and travelled to the brain.

Grass seeds are a real pain in the a**e, I sympathise

My last dog had a grass seen go through his foot in between the pads. The vet put a poultice on and his foot swelled up, thing burst, no problem we thought. Except that the grass seed had only travelled through there. Three operations and a month later, it was found halfway up his leg. I framed the damned thing.

Edited October 30, 2006 by Sheridan

[Muttaburra]

I have had terrific success in removing grass seeds after a vet told me to mix up a very strong sugar solution (make it quite syurpy) soak some cottonwool or gauze in it then place that over the point the seed went in - or where the sore is and cover it with glad wrap and a plastic bag. Leave up to 24 hours if possible. We have found this has dragged the grass seed out between the toes from as high up as the hock. Since using this method we have never had to have one surgically remover BUT I must say we have got onto them before there is too much damage done or infection caused.

That sounds good.

Samadii, what a difficult situation that sounds like, people can be so stubborn. I remember recommending my parents to take their cat straight to the vet when they told me the problem she had, they waited two days and it was nearly too late leaving the cat with a chronic condition. Hope they can see the light.

[Whateverr]

i feel your pain...

my sisters dog fi-fi had/has a grass seed in her inner back leg and there is quite a large swelling there which is obviously very painfull for her.. i took her to the vet (despite my low bank account ) and the vet verified that it was a grass seed and gave me antibotics...

my sister doesnt even care whether or not her dog gets the medication shes needs... ;)

i agree with whoever mentioned the size of the hole it left... i think that the seed has come out because there is a huge hole on the absyss..

hope your parents dog feels better and you find that seed quick

[PAX]

Years ago I minded my brothers GSP on a farm in Bathurst. He would get heaps of grass seeds lodged into the skin between his toes and some would travel up his legs. I used to put magnaplasm(sp?) on them every night and bandage and by the morning the grass seed would be drawn out enough to remove with tweesers.

Apart form Magnaplasm there was another blackish drawing oitment that we used to use sometimes but I can't think of the name of it.

[Nellie]

Where do you get the drawing ointments from?

[caffiend42]

Ichthamol (sp?). Black and steenky, from the chemist. Great for getting out splinters if tweezers haven't worked. :D