A WARNING has been issued by a professional dog walker over a type of grass that could cause havoc for your furry friend.
Gracie Buttery, who runs Gracie’s Dog Walking Service in Norwich, explained that the grass should be “avoided at all costs” if pet owners want to avoid a potentially costly trip to the vets.
She took to TikTok with to share her knowledge and let fellow dog enthusiasts know exactly what they should do if they come across the grass on a walk.
According to Gracie, there’s a spikey seed that can be a “real problem” for dogs when it dries out – and it should be steered clear of.
“Avoid these at all costs. If you go to a field and that’s all they have – leave,” she said.
The problem is that the spicey parts of the grass can easily become embedded in your dog’s skin.
Because of the shape of the grass seeds, once they’re in they can be tricky to remove.
The problem is even worse for dog’s with long or curly hair, since it might not be immediately obvious they’ve got one, or several, stuck in them.
She also recommends those who find such grass seeds near their homes to “chop them because these ones are really nasty”.
After sharing her advice on social media pet owners were quick to chime in, and many said they already avoid the grass.
“My pup got one in his paw last year and had to be sedated to get it out, poor guy,” one commented.
“They gave me the seed after and it cost me that much it lives on the fridge and is now considered a family heirloom.”
And another had a similar experience: “My dog has had these stuck in her ears twice over the last two years
“First time I had no clue what it was. Both times cost £380 for a single grass seed to be removed. Thankful for insurance.”
Another wrote: “Omg these are everywhere, they give me so much anxiety.”
“My puppy was scratching his ear today and there was one in his ear hole,” someone else said.
A vet also recently revealed that pet owners should also be cautious when walking their dogs on the beach.
Large holes can be hidden amongst the sand, which can cause injury if your dog trips or falls into it.
Dr Rebecca MacMillan said that it’s important dog parents are well prepped to ensure a safe trip away with their dog.
There could be hidden holes in the sand for starters, the vet explained.
If you are playing fetch with them, your dog might not be “expecting a hole” as they are running, which can cause them to fall and injure themselves.
Talking to the Femail, Dr Rebecca also wanted to be mindful of other beach-going pets if you and your dog choose to dig a hole and to fill it back up before heading off.
You should also steer your pup away from drinking the water from the sea, your pets may view it as a large bowl of water for them and it is extremely dangerous for your dogs, according to Dr Rebecca.
Drinking saltwater can disrupt the “balance of electrolyte in the body and cause dehydration,” according to the pro.
In general, there are six groups of dogs who struggle most in hot weather...
Firstly, those with underlying health problems. Dogs can’t sweat like we can, so rely largely on panting to cool down. However, if they have airway or lung impairments, or suffer from fluid balance or hydration issues, then this is more difficult, and their ability to lose heat is reduced, meaning they are at a higher risk of heat-stroke.
Overweight animals find it harder to ventilate, and their core temperature rises faster than you’d expect for a lean dog.
Very young dogs or very old dogs are also at increased risk of heatstroke, and these owners should be even more cautious in hot weather.
Dogs with very thick coats, who are adapted to a colder climate. Dogs such as the Husky or Malamute – and even the Chow Chow – have been bred to keep heat in. However, this comes at the price of being less well able to cope in hot weather. Their thick double coats effectively trap heat, making it the equivalent of us going out in the July heat wearing a fur coat and thermal underwear: they get very hot, very quickly. This problem can be alleviated by clipping (NOT shaving), however, the coat can take a long time to grow back. In a heatwave, though, if you’re struggling to keep your dog cool, I’d personally rather have a dog with a thinner coat who’s alive than a luxuriously coated dog in the morgue.
Short-nosed, or brachycephalic, breeds such as Pugs, Bulldogs, and French Bulldogs. These dogs have been bred to look “cute”, with big eyes and flat faces. Unfortunately, the result of this has been a narrowing of the airways and a profusion of soft tissue in the nasal chambers and pharynx – we call this Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome, and it profoundly affects their ability to pant and lose heat. Like a dog with any other respiratory disease, most members of these breeds are highly prone to heatstroke, and as they are often overweight as well, are at very high risk in hot weather.
