Grass Seeds in Dogs: How to Spot, Remove and Prevent Them
A grass seed is the seed head of a wild grass: once it catches on, it only ever moves forward and never backs out. If it's visible and sitting on the surface, caught in the coat, you can lift it out by hand. In an ear, an eye, the nose, or buried under the skin: it's off to the vet, without digging.
Spotting a grass seed, area by area
Ear
- He shakes his head non-stop, scratches at one ear, rubs his head along the ground.
- Discharge or a smell appears on one side only, often after a walk through long grass.
- Head tilt or loss of balance: this is no longer an early sign but a deeper problem, so see the vet without delay.
Eye
- He blinks hard, keeps the eye half-closed, weeps.
- Redness, a swollen eyelid, he rubs his face with a paw.
- A painful eye gets worse in hours, not days: see the vet the same day.
Nose
- Violent, repeated sneezing, often in bursts, right after the walk.
- Sometimes bleeding from a single nostril, and the dog rubs his muzzle.
- An inhaled grass seed won't come out on its own and can travel down into the airways: see the vet.
Skin and between the toes
- He licks or nibbles constantly at the same spot between two toes.
- A small red swelling appears, sometimes a weeping point: the grass seed has migrated under the skin.
- A limp, or an abscess that keeps coming back in the same place.
Breathing
- Coughing or laboured breathing after an outing in long grass.
- A possible sign of a grass seed that has travelled down into the lungs: get him checked.
Removing a surface grass seed, safely
Only if the grass seed is clearly visible, sitting on the skin or caught in the coat, and it's not in the ear, the eye or the nose.
Settle your dog calmly
On the floor, on a stable surface, with a few treats. A relaxed dog lets you inspect him without having to hold him down.
Inspect the area
Part the coat, look between the toes, under the armpits, around the ears. You're looking for the golden seed head, shaped like a little brush.
Remove it gently
If it's on the surface, grip it by hand or with fine tweezers and pull with a slow, steady motion, without breaking the seed head.
Check it's whole
A broken grass seed can leave a fragment behind that keeps moving forward. If in doubt, assume some is still there.
Watch the area over the next few days
Redness, swelling, weeping or persistent licking that appears = book a vet appointment.
STOP threshold: the moment it's deep, in the ear, the eye or the nose, or it bleeds, swells, hurts, or the grass seed is out of reach, stop everything and call the vet. In a sensitive area, removal happens at the clinic, often under sedation.
When to see the vet, and when to rush
From a simple early sign to a true red flag.
Keep an eye on it
- Shakes his head, scratches at one ear
- Licks a spot between the toes
- Sneezes or coughs a little after the walk
See the vet soon
- Red, weeping swelling, abscess
- Eye closed, weeping, painful
- Sneezing in bursts with a trace of blood
- A clear limp
Emergency
- Head tilt, loss of balance, the dog circling
- Difficulty breathing
- Lethargy with a fever
Head tilt and loss of balance, laboured breathing, or feverish lethargy after an outing in long grass: don't try anything yourself any more.
Do this right now
- Keep the dog calm, without trying to remove the grass seed
- Call the vet or emergency clinic and let them know you're on your way
The assistant never replaces a vet. When in doubt, call.
Prevention: the after-walk routine
After every walk in grass, from May to September, run through:
0 / 5To go further
- AVMA — Pet first aid: foreign bodies and wound care
- Grass seeds in dogs: risks, areas and prevention, AniCura France
- Grass seeds: a summer danger for dogs, Fregis
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if my dog has a grass seed?
Watch for new behaviour right after a walk through long grass: he shakes his head, scratches at one ear, sneezes in bursts, licks non-stop at a spot between his toes, or closes one eye. Then inspect the paws, the ears, the muzzle and the coat.
How do I remove a grass seed from my dog?
Only if it's clearly visible and on the surface, in the coat or sitting on the skin: grip it by hand or with fine tweezers and pull gently, with a steady motion. If it's in an ear, an eye, the nose, or buried under the skin, don't touch it: it's a job for the vet.
How do I get a grass seed out of my dog's paw?
Spread the toes calmly and reward with a "yes!": if the seed is visible between the pads, remove it carefully with tweezers. But a small weeping swelling, a limp, or a grass seed already buried mean it has migrated under the skin, and there only the vet can go and retrieve it.
My dog is shaking his head after the walk, is it a grass seed in the ear?
It's one of the most typical causes, especially in summer and on one side only. The grass seed works its way down the canal and never comes out on its own. Don't go fishing for it deep in the ear: it's off to the vet quickly, before an abscess or damage to the eardrum.
My dog has been sneezing a lot since the walk, what should I do?
Violent sneezing in bursts, sometimes from a single nostril or with a trace of blood, points to a grass seed inhaled through the nose. It won't go on its own and can travel down into the airways: call the vet without delay.
What time of year should I watch out for grass seeds?
From May to September, when grasses go to seed. Avoid long grass, favour open areas, trim the hair between the toes and around the ears, and inspect your dog after every outing. It's the routine that saves the vet visit.
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