Grass Awn Dog Ear

Foxtail seeds can also separate from the pod and become embedded.

Grass awn dog ear.

Further motion enables the grass awn to migrate. The barbed seed heads of the foxtail plant can work their way into any part of your dog or cat from the nose to between the toes and inside the ears eyes and mouth they can even simply dig themselves directly into a patch of skin. The problem with grass awns is that they are difficult to be located. The most common presentation is a draining tract between the toes.

Whether you call them awns mean seeds timothy foxtails cheat grass june grass downy brome or any other number of colloquial names to dogs they generally mean one thing and that s trouble. If the seeds are just tangled in the fur only matting of the hair coat may be seen. They may also become embedded in the body. Grass awns can be inhaled swallowed and even penetrate the dog s skin.

But if the seeds have penetrated the skin or have been inhaled or ingested usually pain inflammation and swelling will result. The signs associated with grass seeds and awns depend upon the location of the grass seed. These seeds or grass awns can become lodged in pet ears between toes and under the skin. Movement from the dog allows the grass awn to pierce the dog s skin becoming embedded due to the barbs.

Foxtail plants can be risky for your dog. If grass awns are not removed in a timely fashion they will lead to the formation of painful abscesses which need regular drainage of fluids. Grass awns are deadly dangerous for your dog. An awn is a hairy or bristle like appendage growing from the ear or flower of barley rye and many types of widely growing grasses.