Copyright dailystar
Pets are part of the family and many of us feel sick at the thought of something happening to them. So when a woman realised something was wrong with her dog after a walk, her heart dropped. Ellie rushed her one-year-old Springer Spaniel, Ralph, to hospital after he became unwell. The puppy bravely fought for his life in intensive care, but tragically died. Following the traumatic experience, his owner took to TikTok to warn others about the situation. Even though grass seeds are tiny, they can do serious damage to our pets . Ellie recalled: "Cannot even believe I’m writing this and my heart is broken. This weekend after weeks of our boy seeming withdrawn/sad which we thought was down to stomach upset, Ralph started to struggle to breathe." Ellie subsequently rushed Ralph to the emergency vets, who carried out a chest X-ray, showing his little body was full of bacterial fluid surrounding his heart. "They believe this is due to a foreign body, most likely a grass seed," Ellie warned, before encouraging other dog owners to "check" their furry friends over after periods outdoors. "This post is to spread awareness to check your dogs after walks, especially in the summer time," she continued. "These little seeds from grass/wheat fields can get into the body via ears, nose and mouth causing serious internal damage. We learnt this the hard way and our puppy dog is in intensive care right down being pumped with antibiotics." As Ralph continued to fight in intensive care, Ellie launched a fundraised to help her pay off the vet bills. But heartbreakingly, she later returned to social media to say Ralph had passed away. Grass seeds can be dangerous to dogs because of their shape, size, and the way they can easily attach to a dog’s fur and penetrate the skin or enter body orifices. Once attached, the seed can pierce the skin and burrow deeper due to the dog’s movement. They can travel through tissue, causing pain, infection, and sometimes serious complications if they reach vital organs. Grass seeds are not sterile. When they penetrate the skin, they can introduce bacteria and lead to infections, abscesses and chronic wounds. The RSPCA states: "Grass seeds are pointed seeds that can cause problems for our pets by getting stuck in paws, ears or anywhere else on the pet’s body. "There have been some cases where the grass seeds can migrate through the body and even end up in the chest cavity causing serious complications... "Depending on where the grass seed is on the body your pet may react in different ways. "Commonly we see small fluid filled bumps appearing between the toes which can often be the infection and inflammation around a grass seed or it’s tract. With ear foreign bodies we will normally see head shaking or a head tilt. "Sometimes if the animal has shook their head a lot you may notice a swelling in the ear flap which is known as an aural haematoma. For foreign bodies in eyes the first sign is normally blinking, some discharge or holding the eye closed. "The best course of action is to check your pet thoroughly daily or after every walk for dogs. "Check between paws and monitor for any abnormal signs. There is more potential for damage the longer a grass seed is left. If you notice anything abnormal then call your vet for an appointment."
