Bad Seeds: grasses that can kill your dog!

Spring, summer, and fall can be dangerous for your dogs; and it is because of wild grasses! I know some of you know of the typical "foxtail" but actually it is not ONE type of grass seed. (An "AWN" to be precise.) Many types of grasses produce awns that can burrow into your dog and cause serious issues or even death. Here in Colorado we have many types of these grasses. The one we just spent a day pulling from our yard was cheatgrass, a fast growing weed type grass. To get rid of these dangerous grasses, DO NOT MOW the grass, as it can spread the seeds everywhere! Pull by hand and dispose of the grass and seeds in a trash bag, you do not want to compost these! (OR if you really want to kill them, burn the pulled grass in a safe and controlled manner.) After the grass has been pulled and disposed of, use a pet safe herbicide to keep them gone, or weed wack to the ground. Please check your dog daily for any signs of awns caught in their coat. If you happen to find seeds that are embedded in any way in the skin, DO NOT try to remove yourself. Go to your vet immediately for removal. If any part of the awn is left it will continue to burrow into your pet. Also look for the signs of licking or scratching from your dog as signs that they may have a awn problem.

Please check out the MEAN SEEDS webpage for a great list of the grasses you need to be on the lookout for.

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cheatgrass

cheatgrass