Grass Seeds – Stay Safe Playing Out in the Grass

Grass seed season has begun – but what are grass seeds? Grass seeds are small seeds that are shap...

Grass seed season has begun – but what are grass seeds?

Grass seeds are small seeds that are shaped like a pointy grain of rice that have an ability to burrow into your dog’s skin. This can often result in painful swellings, irritation, painful ears, and infections. Spring and early summer brings lovely long grass to play in, but make sure you know what to look out for if your dog gets a pesky grass seed. 

Where should I check my dog for grass seeds? 

The grass seeds can burrow between the toes or under the paws into the webs, into ears, or even in the eye! 

How can I check if my dog has a grass seed?

After walks, make sure you have a look at all your dog’s paws, particularly if you have a dog with thick or curly fur. They can be lodged right up between the toes so make sure you catch them before they burrow into the skin. If they’ve already burrowed, you might find that your dog has a painful swelling around the toes that they are constantly nibbling. If your dog is prone to collecting grass seeds, make sure you get the groomer to cut the fur short between and under the toes to make checking easier for you. If your dog suddenly starts shaking their head, scratching an ear, chewing a paw, or seems distressed after a walk, get them to your vet. The seeds are great at getting caught in ear fur, burrowing their way deep into the canal, or causing painful red swellings on the paws. These will need to be removed carefully by your vet. If your dog is distressed, a sedation will be recommended to ensure minimal stress for your pet, and to successfully remove the seeds safely. 

Big hugs to all our OMNI pups, wishing you all a safe, and grass seed free summer.

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FAQs

But aren’t dog’s carnivores?

Dogs are in fact nutritional omnivores as demonstrated by a robust scientific study published in the reputable journal Nature (1,2) in which it was shown that they have 30 copies of the AMY2B gene responsible for digesting plant-based foods.

They have also evolved relatively long intestines (21) (almost as long as humans) and relatively flat surfaces on their molars (31, 22) which they use for digesting and chewing a whole range of foods.

The common misconception that dogs are carnivores probably arises from the fact that they are classified in the order Carnivora but so are plenty of other species like bears, skunks, racoons who are omnivores and even the giant panda who thrives on a plant-based diet (20).

Is plant protein digestible to dogs?

Absolutely yes, studies which have looked at how much protein dogs can absorb from plant-based and fungi-based foods like soya and yeast demonstrated over 75% digestibility which is on par with meat-based foods (23, 24, 34, 35 & 25).

Both these protein sources also contain all 10 essential amino acids (36, 37) that dogs need to thrive.

Isn't there too much fibre in plant-based food?

The average amount of fibre in a commercial dog food diet is between 2-4%. omni’s plant-powered recipe has a fibre content of 3% which is on par with meat- based diets.

In our survey with over 200 dog owners, 100% reported that their dog’s stool consistency was either ‘normal’ or ‘perfect’ and there were no reports of any digestive upsets (data on file).

Can I mix omni with other meat-based diets?

We are proud that our recipes are nutritionally complete and so include everything your dog needs to thrive. This means omni can be fed as a sole ration. We also fully support a 'flexitarian approach' like meat free lunches or using omni as a mixer.

Every little helps to bring some of the health and environmental benefits of plant-power to meal times. Mixing omni with meat/fish will help to add variety into your dog’s diet whilst adding in healthy ingredients with a relatively low carbon footprint.

Can plant-based food provide the essential fatty acids dogs need?

All the essential fats and oils that dogs need, including omegas 3 and 6 are found in a variety of both meat and plant-based foods (31, 28).

omni’s recipe is rich in plant-based sources of these nutrients so your dog will get all the essentials they need.

I hear a lot about feeding raw meat, isn’t that better?

Feeding raw meat to dogs has become a very popular trend in recent years, but most vets will warn against this practise. This is because the cooking process is vital to help kill off dangerous bacteria like E coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter (9) that have necessitated several food recalls from the market and caused serious illness and even death in both dogs and their owners (40, 41, & 42).

There are also several worms and parasites that are only killed off when raw meat is cooked. Dogs are dogs, not wolves and thanks to their domestication over thousands of years, thankfully don’t need to hunt to get their grub nor do they need to eat raw meat, it's just not worth the risk.

References

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