Help Needed! Grass seeds stuck in Charley’s paws

[Sharon Mitchel]

Friday evening Charley’s paw hurt. In looking carefully we found these little grass seeds (not foxtails) sticking in the pads of his two front feet. I got the ones not fully embedded out, but I can see lots more little black dots, so they are in too deep to pull with tweezers. The vet had me soak his feet in Epson salt solution, but I don’t see that helping at all. The vet did put him on antibiotics. I’m beside myself with fear!

Any ideas?

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[sisters3]

Friday evening Charley’s paw hurt. In looking carefully we found these little grass seeds (not foxtails) sticking in the pads of his two front feet. I got the ones not fully embedded out, but I can see lots more little black dots, so they are in too deep to pull with tweezers. The vet had me soak his feet in Epson salt solution, but I don’t see that helping at all. The vet did put him on antibiotics. I’m beside myself with fear!

Any ideas?

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I am so sorry for Charley !! I wish that I had some suggestions, but unfortunately I don't have experience with this. There are MANY MANY more experienced bully owners here and they WILL come along soon. Hang in there.....

 

[2BullyMama]

OUCH!! I was also thinking Epsom salt soaks
[MENTION=8741]Manydogs[/MENTION] and suggestions


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[oscarmayer]

Follow Vets orders and in the future, be sure to walk Charlie in an area that is well maintained, where the grass is kept short and not allowed to go to seed.
You say not Foxtail, but that's exactly what it looks like to me...or some sort of similar grass. Either way, be mindful of it's existence and check paws regularly.

 

[Sharon Mitchel]

Follow Vets orders and in the future, be sure to walk Charlie in an area that is well maintained, where the grass is kept short and not allowed to go to seed.
You say not Foxtail, but that's exactly what it looks like to me...or some sort of similar grass. Either way, be mindful of it's existence and check paws regularly.

It is a grass for sure, though not foxtail. We live in a rural area with grassy ditches, many grassy fields and tall grasses adjacent walking paths through our forested green belts. Even in our housing development there are no sidewalks. My error is not inspecting his paws. In our 33 years of bulldog ownership, we’ve never had an issue! An occasional tick but never a grass issue! What a shock!


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[Manydogs]

[MENTION=9825]Sharon Mitchel[/MENTION] I would continue soaking in Epsom salts, once you are done with soaking,dry paw well, and apply a drawing salve (icthamol-messy,black) and wrap his paw.
Soak at least twice a day,and repeat. This is what I used to do for horses,when having hoof abcess. Worth a try.

 

[Sharon Mitchel]

[MENTION=9825]Sharon Mitchel[/MENTION] I would continue soaking in Epsom salts, once you are done with soaking,dry paw well, and apply a drawing salve (icthamol-messy,black) and wrap his paw.
Soak at least twice a day,and repeat. This is what I used to do for horses,when having hoof abcess. Worth a try.

I ran across this last night. Are there drawing salves that aren’t black and tar like? How do I wrap his paws in a way he won’t be able to get the bandages off? Sorry if this is a dumb question. We’ve just never had paw issues like this before.

I also thought about using a pore cleaner like biore strips or adore cleaning mask?


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[Manydogs]

A pore cleaner may not be strong enough, as it is for face. Icthamol is soft, not tar like. If the "stickers" are not at the surface at all,and you don't want to use the salve, you might ask your pharmacist if there is any better soak. As for wrapping, you could soak once a day,use salve, use vet wrap,and put a piece of duck tape over it,leave it over night. It needs a chance to work. If it softens the paw, you might be able to get the sticker with a tweezer,or they might come to the surface. [MENTION=9825]Sharon Mitchel[/MENTION]

 

[Sharon Mitchel]

A pore cleaner may not be strong enough, as it is for face. Icthamol is soft, not tar like. If the "stickers" are not at the surface at all,and you don't want to use the salve, you might ask your pharmacist if there is any better soak. As for wrapping, you could soak once a day,use salve, use vet wrap,and put a piece of duck tape over it,leave it over night. It needs a chance to work. If it softens the paw, you might be able to get the sticker with a tweezer,or they might come to the surface. [MENTION=9825]Sharon Mitchel[/MENTION]

Thanks so much! The vet really wasn’t very helpful!


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[Manydogs]

[MENTION=9825]Sharon Mitchel[/MENTION] If you don't want to use the black salve, you could do the same-but make a poltice with a little epsom salt crystals and a little water. Apply that to his paw, and wrap the same way.

 

[sisters3]

[MENTION=9825]Sharon Mitchel[/MENTION] I knew our more knowledgeable members would be by....you've received info from "the best of the best" here.....

After reading what happened to Charley I will be inspecting Joey's paws more often and more closely as we are surrounded (our development) by wide open fields, etc. Thanks for posting!! Hope Charley's paws are better soon....

 

[Sharon Mitchel]

[MENTION=9825]Sharon Mitchel[/MENTION] If you don't want to use the black salve, you could do the same-but make a poltice with a little epsom salt crystals and a little water. Apply that to his paw, and wrap the same way.

That’s a good idea! Not sure if pet store in our rural area will have icthamol, but another store that sells large animal feed might. I’ll call around at 9. I’m concerned about the Black getting on carpet. Charley is no longer used to crate for confinement.


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[Manydogs]

Pharmacy has icthamol If you are worried about carpet-try the epsom poultice. [MENTION=9825]Sharon Mitchel[/MENTION]

 

[Sharon Mitchel]

[MENTION=9825]Sharon Mitchel[/MENTION] I knew our more knowledgeable members would be by....you've received info from "the best of the best" here.....

After reading what happened to Charley I will be inspecting Joey's paws more often and more closely as we are surrounded (our development) by wide open fields, etc. Thanks for posting!! Hope Charley's paws are better soon....

Thanks so much! Yes, I will always be inspecting
Charley’s paws now and encourage others to do so too! Like I said, this is a first for us in our many years of Bulldogs!

I check him for the rare tick and do check his paws periodically for yeast, interdigital cysts, etc. Never a problem! But obviously I didn’t check often enough!


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[Manydogs]

Sh*t happens in the blink of an eye!!!(does to me,anyway!)