Awnings don’t really matter in our lives until a dog comes into our lives. Maybe you already found out before your four-legged friend moved in what dangers could be lurking for your dog. Maybe you had to suffer it on your own body and got to know the mean awns. Dog awns are a really serious problem. Therefore, we deal intensively with this topic in this article. You will find out how you should react if your dog has awns, how you can even recognize them, and how you can remove them and, ideally, avoid them. Here you can also read why you should not underestimate the seemingly harmless awns in dogs and what they can do.
Dog awns – What is it and why are they so dangerous?
The awns are grain bristles that are barbed. Some types of wheat, barley, and rye in particular can become very unpleasant here. You may have noticed the barbs before when attacking an ear of corn. Perhaps an awn has gotten stuck on your clothing during a walk in late summer. You just plucked it off. It may have scratched or pricked your fingers. However, awns usually have no negative effects on humans. But it is quite different with dogs.
Awns are a biological necessity. Every plant must have a way to reproduce. The grain multiplies via the awns since the seeds are attached to them. They attach themselves to one support and fall off in another place. This is the natural way of grain propagation. As a result, the danger of awns usually only arises in late summer and autumn. At this time the grain is ripening. The ears of corn glow golden when it is time to harvest. The grain is now also very dry and the tips break off quickly. In this way, the awns can quickly attach themselves to everything that comes their way. In most cases, these are animals, including our dogs.
Awns can be really dangerous if not removed. Due to the barbs, they cannot simply be shaken off by the four-legged friends. They usually penetrate even deeper into the fur by shaking and can bump into the skin. There they are not only painful, but can also cause inflammation. If the awn gets stuck between the toes of the paws, it can also cause huge damage there. The paw becomes inflamed and the awn often has to be cut out by the vet.
If the dog tries to remove the awn from the fur with its mouth or nose, it can get stuck in the mouth and cause inflammation there. The dog can also inhale the awns and these get into the lungs. The disgusting spikes can also reach other organs via the body. There they cause a lot of trouble, pain and in the worst case the dog can even die from it. Awns in the eyes can cause painful conjunctivitis. If the dog is not recognized, it can even go blind. If awns get into the ear, they could injure the eardrum there and the dog gets hearing problems.
Are awns dangerous for dogs?
Yes, especially if they penetrate the skin. Awnings can also cause great damage to the body, nose, mouth and ears.
Dog has awns – an overview of typical symptoms
If the awns get caught in the fur, you can see them well and remove them immediately. The dog will also indicate to you that there is an uncomfortable foreign object on its body. The four-legged friend shakes and scratches himself, licks and nibbles his paw or paws and coughs or sneezes if he gets the awns in his nose or mouth.
Typical symptoms are also red and squinting eyes, inflamed areas on the skin, red ears, increased shaking of the head and swelling. Even if your dog is limping, you should check whether there is an awn in its paws.
Where do awns settle most often?
Awns are not picky, the grain just wants to multiply. Awns get caught on the fur and attach themselves to the head. There they can be quickly inhaled, swallowed, or lodge in the ear canal. Awns like to hide between the toes, in the armpits of the dog, in the genital area, behind the ears, in the skin folds of the eyes or in the tail.
However, it is particularly dangerous if the awns get stuck in the internal organs. In the lungs and other organs, for example, the awn could even sprout. So part of that organ is destroyed. If you are lucky, part of the lung can be removed in this case. This can regenerate again. Things are worse for other organs. Here awns can actually lead to death. It is therefore important that you always check your four-legged friend closely after a walk. Look closely at these prominent spots. You could also discover other parasites like ticks at the same time.
How do you recognize awns in dogs?
If dogs scratch themselves a lot, shake their heads a lot, sneeze more often, cough or try to bite something out of their fur, you should see what the dog is trying to tell you. Inflammation, swollen, red or purulent areas, but also red, squinting eyes can be an indication of awns.
My dog has awns – what to do?
If the awns are in the fur, you can easily remove them yourself. Use your fingers or tweezers to help. However, you have to be careful with the tweezers so that the brittle awns don’t break off. Small parts of the barbs could remain in the fur, migrate to the skin and cause eczema or fistulas there.
If you spot a awn on your ear or eye, you need to be extra careful. If it’s really easy, you can remove them yourself. But be careful that a small part, for example, does not penetrate the ear canal. If you’re concerned that your dog has inhaled or ingested awns, the quickest route should be to the vet.
Diagnosis and detection of awns in dogs
If the awns were not discovered immediately, an infection may have already developed. Purulent, swollen or very red pustules on the skin can indicate this. If your dog keeps sneezing, you should let the vet know you’re worried about awns. He shines a light into the nose, checks the mouth and throat and also the ears.
Granules can also be localized using ultrasound and X-rays. As soon as the awn is found, the first step is done. Now it has to be removed. Most of the time, this can only be done operationally. The tissue must be removed even if the awn has become lodged in an organ. The dog must also take antibiotics against the inflammation. The veterinarian will also prescribe medication for your four-legged friend against the pain.
What do you do about awns in dogs?
If you can remove the awn from the fur yourself, do it quickly. However, if the awns are deep in the ear or in the eye, you will need to leave this to a veterinarian. If there are awns in the body, they usually have to be surgically removed by the veterinarian.
Prophylaxis and prevention – What does awn protection for dogs look like?
You cannot protect your dog from awns 100 percent. The only option would be not to leave the house. However, this is an impossibility for a dog. If you go for a walk or hike with your dog, you should definitely avoid grain fields from summer onwards. This reduces the risk somewhat. However, since grain reproduces very effectively, it also grows spontaneously in meadows, green verges, and can even be found in a city park or small green space. In your own garden, you should also regularly check whether grain or potentially dangerous weeds have sown there. Remove it immediately.
Only let your dog run on a short leash when there is a risk of awns. Never let him run into grain fields and also be careful in meadows with very tall grass. Above all, look at pictures of awns on the Internet so that you can recognize them all immediately.
Comb and brush the dog regularly and immediately after the walk. You may also be able to trim or clip the fur. When checking, don’t forget the spaces between the dog’s toes, look in the skin folds, the armpits, in and behind the ears and also feel the tail well.
How do I protect my dog from awns?
You cannot completely protect dogs. However, you should avoid grain fields and high meadows in midsummer and autumn. So that the dog does not sprint into the cornfield when walking, it is best to keep it on a short leash in these places. Trimmed fur can also help. Above all, you should keep the fur between the toes under the pads nice and short.
