Vets have reported an increase in dogs being treated for grass seed infections that is blamed on local councils failing to mow verges and parks.
The problem happens when pets explore grassy areas and sharp seeds, also known as foxtail seeds ,penetrate the dogs skin or ears. The seeds carry bacteria which can cause an infection.
If left untreated a vet’s trip and maybe even surgery is often required to find and remove the grass seed.
Grass in some public areas likes verges next to pavements have been let to grown knee-high during the summer months coupled with the bone-dry conditions caused by the heatwave loose seeds are falling off their stalks and becoming embedded into pet dogs as they brush past them while being walked.
Former police officer Jo Keeling racked up a £400 bill after her Cockapoo Teddy had just two grass seeds lodged in his ear after a walk around her neighbourhood in Bournemouth, Dorset.
She said the grass verges hadn’t been cut all year.
Her local council, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP), has declared a climate emergency and pledged to go carbon neutral by 2040.
But Jo believes the Lib Dem-run local authority are using the green agenda to save costs.
She said: “Last year No Mow May went on well into the summer and this year it feels like it has been even longer.
“A lot of local residents don’t want their roads looking scruffy and unkempt.
“I took my dog out for a walk and when we came back home he started shaking his head like a deranged dog.
“It carried on so I phoned the vet who told me to bring him in and they told me he had two grass sees in his ear.
“He was sedated so the seeds could be taken out. It cost £400 but I have pet insurance and so just had to pay the excess.
“The vet told me that they couldn’t believe the number of these cases they were seeing this summer and said it was ridiculous.
“They said this year has been the worse because of the heat making the seeds fall off the stalks really easily because it is so dry.
“I am calling it out as cost cutting.
“BCP Council have declared a climate emergency and bang on about biodiversity but I think that is just a good excuse not to spend money on basic things like cutting the grass.
“When I took Teddy out the grass was well over 30cm tall and clearly hadn’t been cut for ages.”
Grass seed infection symptoms
Look out for swelling, matting and irritation. Other signs n include scratching, head shaking or discharge from the eyes or nose.
Pet owner Ian Farmer had to take his dog to the vets to have 28 grass seeds removed from various parts of his body.
He blamed the local council for failing to cut the grass.
He said: “Every year since the council have stopped cutting the grass we are having grass seeds removed.
“The vet told me they had a dog in last week and they removed 52 grass seeds.
“I would like to get up a petition to take to the BCP Council to try and get them to start cutting the grass again in public areas.”
Nicki Lucas, who lives in neighbouring Hampshire, said she had spent over £1,500 on vets bills in the past few weeks because overgrown grass either side of public paths.
In Rainham, Kent, several dog owners have complained of astronomical vet bills due to a surge in grass seeds cases.
In Brighton, East Sussex, resident Ian Carter was left with a bill of almost £500 after his cockapoo fell victim to a foxtail seed and had tp have emergency surgery.
Dr Elizabeth Mullineaux, of the British Veterinary Association said: “Grass seeds or foxtails are sharp parts of certain grasses and cereal crops that can penetrate a dog’s skin or enter body cavities, where they act as a foreign body and cause tissue damage and infection.
“Vets see cases in dogs more in the summer, when the awns are ripe, and they are usually associated with the types of grasses or plants grown on farmland.
“Our advice to pet owners is to avoid walking or letting dogs run through fields of ripe long grass or cereal crops and to check their paws, ears and fur after a walk to remove any stuck awns.”
BCP Council said they were ‘sorry’ to hear of dogs being injured but they were attempting to ‘strike a balanced approach that benefits both residents and nature’.
Cllr Andy Hadley, BCP Council Cabinet Member for Climate Response, Environment and Energy, said: “I am sorry to hear that dogs have been injured while being walked, and wish them a full and speedy recovery.
“Grass verges across the BCP area, including Fern Barrow in Talbot Village, are cut three times a year, with scheduled cuts taking place between April and June, July and September, and October and December.
“We declared a climate and ecological emergency in 2019 and, as part of our response, introduced changes to the management of some green spaces and verges across BCP, as many other Councils have.
“The longer grass, and seed is really beneficial to some wild birds.
“If areas are left longer between mowing, wild flowers also get a chance to set seed and spread.
“Allowing selected areas to grow to maturity helps support wildlife and increase biodiversity, while we continue to maintain spaces that are safe and accessible for leisure and dog walking.
“We aim to strike a balanced approach that benefits both residents and nature, while making the best use of available resources.”
