Grass awn? What is that? These are the stubborn, nasty little spikes that grow around the seeds and grains of grasses or cereals. These bristly plant particles, which are found on the ears of cereal types, have small barbs that attach themselves to dog or cat fur, as well as to clothing, upon contact. During ripening or harvesting, awns often detach and end up on paths, where they can become dangerous for animals.

Because of their barbs, these plant parts can get stuck in various parts of an animal's body or even enter the animal as foreign objects. They can cause inflammation and damage. Awns can get caught not only in the ears, but also burrow under the skin where it is thinner. They can lodge between the toes on paws, in the nose, and under the armpits and groin areas.

Awns penetrate very quickly and are no longer visible from the outside. Awns that are inhaled are quickly no longer visible to the naked eye and often form purulent abscesses. Is your pet suddenly sneezing frequently, limping, or licking its paw? Is the animal scratching its eye or ear intensively? Is your four-legged friend shaking its head constantly or scratching its ear? Grass awns could be responsible!

You should have them removed by a veterinarian immediately; otherwise, they can migrate further into the tissue and cause significant damage through inflammation. From March to October, watch for the above-mentioned behavior after walks and outings and regularly check the mentioned areas to spare your loved ones a lot of suffering!

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