Spring means longer walks, greener parks and warmer sun, but it also means grass seeds. These sharp little hitchhikers are one of the most common (and most preventable) causes of vet visits for dogs this time of year. Here's what every dog owner in Melbourne should know. 🌾
Grass seeds, sometimes called grass awns, are shaped like tiny arrowheads. Their design means they can burrow into your dog's skin, paws, ears and even nose, but they can't work their way back out. Once a seed is in, it keeps travelling further into the body, which can lead to painful abscesses, infections and, in some cases, surgery to remove them.
Spring and early summer in Melbourne are peak season, as grasses dry out and seed heads become brittle enough to detach and cling to fur with the slightest brush against them.
Grass seeds are especially sneaky because they're small, often the same colour as your dog's coat, and the entry point can look like nothing more than a tiny scratch.
Making a quick grass seed check part of your after-walk routine can save a lot of trouble. Focus on the areas grass seeds love most:
Between the toes and paw pads. Inside and around the ears. Under the armpits and groin. Around the eyes and nose. Anywhere the coat is longer or fluffier.
If your dog suddenly starts limping, shaking their head, sneezing repeatedly, or licking and biting at one spot obsessively, a grass seed is one of the first things to suspect, and it's worth a vet check sooner rather than later.
Any dog can pick up a grass seed, but coat type makes a real difference:
Poodles, Cavoodles, Spaniels. Their coats grab and hold onto seeds far more easily than short, smooth fur.
Spaniels, Bassets and similar breeds carry a higher risk of seeds working into the ear canal.
Breeds with fluffy feet and leg feathering pick up seeds between the toes especially easily.
Lower risk, but not immune. Seeds can still work into paw pads and skin folds.
Regular grooming is one of the simplest ways to reduce risk. Keeping the hair around the paws, ears and belly neatly trimmed means there's less coat for a seed to catch onto in the first place, and it makes spotting one that has attached far easier.
A Tidy Feet trim, regular Bath & Brush, or a full groom before the grass seed season ramps up all make a genuine difference. If you walk your dog through long grass or bushland regularly, ask us about keeping paws and ears extra tidy through spring.
After walks through long grass, run your hands over your dog's paws, ears and belly. Catching a seed before it burrows in is far easier (and cheaper) than after.
If you spot a grass seed sitting on top of the skin or caught in fur, it can often be removed carefully with clean tweezers. But if the skin looks red, swollen, or there's already a small wound, or if you suspect one has gone into the ear, eye or between the toes, please see your vet rather than trying to dig it out yourself.
Book a Tidy Feet trim or a full groom with our certified groomers in Altona North, and keep those paws grass-seed-ready.
Or call us on (03) 7057 0538 · Mon–Sat, 9am–5pm