Written by Tom Giles (The Margate Dog Barber)
Now I love the excited bounce and swish as my dogs dash through the grass in the park or forge a path through a field of green wheat, in the case of my pack with the smallest yapping behind as the others do the hard work.
It’s idyllic, and we all need to enjoy any and all the connections with nature we can these days - how else will galvanise ourselves to protect it?
The last thing I want you to take away from this today is a flea in your ear about letting your dog roam. However whether you have a wipe clean whippet or a Labradoodle that easily doubles as a bale of hay my gentle concern stands for any and all of our beloved best friends.
After any such walk, please check them over for grass seeds. Lots of the different types of grass are flowering and producing seed at this time of year and as dog owners we can save ourselves a lot of heartache, not to mention vet bills, by checking our pooches over post walk.
The ears (on the flaps and inside) and paws (don’t forget underneath and between the toes) are the main trouble spots, but leg feathering and under the eye lids are places that I have been removing grass seeds from over the last few weeks.
The seeds have evolved to catch in animals coats to disperse but due to the their arrow head shape and needle like tip the can easily work their way through the coat and become embedded in the skin. Causing discomfort, resulting in persistent licking or nibbling at the feet and groin or scratching the neck and ears. In the worst case they can cause abscess’s and infections which can spread to the tendons and blood.
Asking your groomer to clip out under the dogs armpits, groin and paws can really help, and just a quick check as you arrive home can make a big difference to your furry friends enjoyment of the summer.