Vets at Davies Veterinary Specialists (Davies) are reminding dog owners of the potential risks to their dogs of exercising in long grass. The advice comes after staff at the surgery had to perform specialist surgery on Nala, a Tibetan terrier puppy, to remove a grass awn from her eye.
“Grass awns and can be dangerous to dogs in a number of ways,” Davies explain. “With their sharp, pointed ends they can easily penetrate eyes and ears, potentially causing pain and damage. They can also get trapped in the fur or lodged under the skin so it is recommended to check dogs from top to toe for lodged seeds or awns, after every walk.”
Nala, who is just five months old, had a sore right eye the day after enjoying a run through a grassy field. Her owner took her to their veterinary practice, where vets suspected a focal corneal injury and associated infection. They advised referral for ophthalmological investigations at Davies.
“On examination Nala’s right eye was clearly uncomfortable, being held tightly shut,” said Davies Ophthalmologist Rachel Lockhart. “Once the eye was relaxed with topical anaesthetic it was possible to identify a thin, linear foreign body, a suspected grass awn or thorn, running obliquely through the cornea of the right eye with its external tip sitting just proud of the corneal surface.
“The surrounding cornea was cloudy and the inside of the eye inflamed but after careful examination using a hand-held microscope it was suspected that the foreign body had penetrated all the way through the cornea.”
After delicate surgery, a 1.5 cm long piece of grass awn, which lay obliquely through the cornea, was extracted from Nala’s eye. The majority of the grass awn had been lying within the front chamber of the eye but was obscured from view by the surrounding reaction.
With no deeper injuries, the grass awn was removed the resultant corneal defect was repaired. Nala was able to return home the next say and has made a full recovery, with a small corneal scar as the only after-effect.
Davies has given the following tips for the protection and care of dogs’ eyes:
• Try to avoid walking your dog through long, dry seeded grasses or crops.
• Don’t pull anything out of the eye- you will almost certainly do more damage.
• Don’t give your pet any treats or a meal as may require an urgent anaesthetic.
• Do fit a buster collar if you have one or can borrow one, to prevent self-trauma.
• Do get to your vets asap.
• Do save any fragments of whatever went into the eye as it could be helpful to the vet to direct the pet’s treatment.