# Serious Infection Caused By Grass Seed



## monkton (Dec 10, 2007)

I am hoping that someone out there may be able to help by way of some advice concerning a serious infection caused by grass seed that is affecting my best mate Fred, a Kerry Blue Terrier.

We noticed the first signs of this infection some six weeks ago whilst doing Fred's twice-daily grooming during which we discovered one of those grass seed 'darts' partially embedded in between the toes of his back right paw. The infection appeared only mild with some slight weeping from the site. Being a bit parenoid as we are with our dogs, we took him to the vet at the first opportunity the following day. By this time the infection was considerably worse, with the paw severely swollen and continuously discharging the infection.

Our vet confirmed that the grass seed had caused the infection and that this was one of a number of cases he was treating locally. Fred was admitted and subsequently underwent surgery to allow the vet to locate the grass seed tip and to thoroughly flush out the infected area. He was unable to find the grass seed, nor did this show up on xray although this was hardly surprising in the circumstances.

He was discharged back into our care with a drain inserted into the paw, painkillers and strong antibiotics. We are now some six weeks on and despite regular visits to the vet every two days to have the dressings changed and different antibiotics administered, there has been little or no improvement. Our visit to the vet this morning, confirmed this. The vet has asked us to bring Fred back to him on Monday when a decision will be made as to the next possible step, whatever that means!!

Naturally, we are very concerned for Fred and just wondered if anyone out there had suffered a similar experience (although we hope not) and could offer some advice and more particularly some hope for a good outcome. Many thanks.


----------



## Jodi1 (Mar 25, 2010)

Have had several dogs with grass seeds in the paws. Luckily on all occasions I have treated it myself managing to get the seed out and applying boiled salty water to the wound which has healed up. A friend had to take her dog to the vet as it became infected, but luckily it healed up well. It does sound as if there is still something in the wound as antibiotics should have cleared the infection. How old is your dog? An elderly dog is less able to fight infections then a youngster. I do hope the outcome is good. Good luck.


----------



## teifiprt (Oct 2, 2007)

Had a sheep dog years ago that was kicked by cattle, bitten by an Adder, broke her leg but the only thing that laid her low and very nearly killed her was a grass seed in her paw  
She recovered with treatment from the vet and lived a long time, still miss her.

Peter.


----------



## ramblingon (Jul 15, 2009)

This sounds like a wild oat seed they are horrid things and cause all sorts of damage to our pets every year,I never walk near the damned things.

My dog had a weepy eye- took him to the vet and on examination a tiny hair was seen by a sharp eyed nurse right under his eye ball three huge seeds were removed! we considered ourselves lucky! 

Something to boost your dogs immune system is all I can suggest at the moment -I really feel for you and pray things get better soon.


----------



## monkton (Dec 10, 2007)

Hi. Many thanks for your replies and best wishes for Fred. Further research on the internet has revealed just how widespread this problem is and in some cases with a rather unfortunate outcome. Fred is only three years old and healthy (up until this episode) so at least he has that going for him. I now understand that the only way of finding the grass seed, once firmly embedded, is by way of ultrasound or MRI although even this is not foolproof. We shall put this to the vet on Monday, however. Thank goodness for pet insurance is all I can say....................the bills are mounting!! Anyway, thanks again everyone.


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Now there's a coincidence - I'm fetching our Gracie back from the vet in about an hour's time! 8O

Her paw was not too bad, but having had the problem with previous dogs, and knowing the possible outcome, I took her in as soon as it was obvious she was not just cleaning a minor cut in her paw.

The excellent young vet (_looks about 18 - but they all do at my age_!! :roll: ) managed to find the grass seed and remove it, so hopefully the mutt will be OK.

Does anyone know why grass seeds so often set up a really nasty infection?

Dave


----------



## clubman (Sep 3, 2007)

There was a thread on here a while back about non healing wounds, and honey, especially manuka honey, being put on cuts etc.several times a day and giving great results. Try to find it. I would still want to find the seed though, in case it causes further problems.As it is totally natural, I would do this anyway, whatever else the vet has given you. Good luck.


----------



## teifiprt (Oct 2, 2007)

As a Beekeeper I can vouch for the qualities of Honey in all aspects of life   
Search hard for the grass seed.

Peter.


----------



## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

Evening all, 

In todays Daily EXpress there is an article on this subect on page 42, 

The vet states that infection will not go away until grass seed is removed Our terrier has had grass seeds in his ear that had to be removed under general anaesthetic.




norm


----------



## monkton (Dec 10, 2007)

hello again everyone. Thanks for your comments and support. Fred has already had two anaesthetised interventions but the vet has been unable to find the piece of the offending grass seed causing the problem. We are due back at he vet on Monday, when hopefully he will have something far more positive to suggest.
Many thanks again.


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

monkton said:


> . . . the vet has been unable to find the piece of the offending grass seed causing the problem.


Hi Monkton

No consolation I know, but I think there's often an element of luck in finding a grass seed.

Fortunately our vet found it, but she took trouble to warn us that it is often very difficult to find them because they sometimes burrow into the flesh a surprisingly long way.

If it helps anyone else, she said it is _*very *_much easier to find the seed if the animal is taken in as *soon as possible*.

Hope your mutt is soon better.

Dave


----------



## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

As an ex Vet Nurse I can tell you that these ***** seeds are the most awful things to deal with. I have seen cases where they enter at the paw and are found halfway up the leg. As a child we had a Cocker Spaniel and his entered his abdomen!

For the poor vet it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. They open the wound at the site of infection and then have to just keep searching through all the fat layer, muscles and tendons. Imagine being given a leg of pork and being told to find a tiny bit of grass seed in it somewhere but you musn't do any damage while you look!

From memory :roll: I think that the body can form a layer around a foreign body and isolate it from causing any more trouble. After all there are war veterans out there with shrapnel still in them.

I do hope an MRI will find it for you. As you say thank goodness for pet insurance. Gypsy has had a scan at £1200 8O


----------



## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

I really hope that you get this problem with Fred sorted out soon,it is distressing when your best pal is suffering  

I will think twice about taking my Kerry Blue Terrier through a field of grass in future,those grass seeds are extemely nasty and difficult for the vet to find. :roll:


----------



## bulawayolass (Jul 27, 2010)

I am guessing you have solved the problem by now but if l were you l would ask the vet to send a swab off to the labs. It could be that your antib are not the right ones and there is no grass seed left. 

And with regards to Maluka honey brilliant stuff but the commercial in the shops bottles are not very good as they have been heat treated. I understand the fancy numbers for how good they are are pre treatment. 
The medical sort is the best if you can get some at the chemist. Can get dressings or tubes of honey. There is a hospital in New Zealand that l am told only used m. honey on wounds nothing else.


----------



## ramblingon (Jul 15, 2009)

How is Fred doing any news?


----------

