Think it's a dreaded grass seed....

[Danni and Freya]

@Danni -  the webbing between their paws goes back a loooong way - that cyst is actually still between his paws.  There's no entry site in that cyst which is really frustrating so if it is a seed who knows where it is.  Have a cuddle with Freya and stretch her toes out and check right back on the top of her paws, you'll be surprised how far back they go!   

I think they're more likely to get caught there than in the bottom of their feet 

The seeds are designed to bury themselves in the ground so once in the dog they scarily travel around their bodies and can be really dangerous - they really are a true menace.  My friends working cocker had a seed go up his nose and make a re-appearance in an abscess on the left hand side of his rib cage

Blimey, thanks for elaborating Helen, I will be extra vigilant now. Really hope Jarvs gets better soon  

[SkyeandOllie]

Oh poor jarv  looks nasty. Sounds like, hopefully, you've managed to get it moving to the surface without a trip to the vet

[8 Hairy Feet]

Crikey ignorance is bliss!
Thanks for all that info as having only had short haired dogs before it's not something i was
really aware of, so that's a good heads up for me.
It's  still an upward learning curve for me in lots of ways.
xxx   

[JeffandAnnie]

having only had short haired dogs before it's not something i was
really aware of

I'm not sure if length of hair has any bearing? I had proper long haired doggies before cockers (rough collies - i.e. lassies) and never encountered grass seeds. I would have thought longer hair would actually help to act as a barrier to grass seeds?

[Poppypuppy09]

Poor Jarv  How is he this morning?

Poppy and Tessa send big  for a speedy recovery

[Helen]

errm it's still there but looking more fluid and angry no hopefully it's going to decide to do something today 

Jarv sends to Poppy and Tessa 

[Magic Star]

Ouch that looks very sore, hope it finds its way out soon, poor boy

[Helen]

Ouch that looks very sore, hope it finds its way out soon, poor boy

that's the bizarre thing - he hasn't licked it, chewed at it or even noticed it's there at all   However, I did extract a massive grass seed from his sisters paw today which left a nasty hole.  They're so evil 

[Poppypuppy09]

Jarv, its Tessa....Mum had to get a grass seed out from my eye today, cor it hurt, luckily they are doing that grass chopping thing in the fields by us today...hope you can get rid of yours soon 

[MacTavish Boys]

Any news of Jarvis's grass seed yet Helen? i hope the silica has worked its magic, give Jarvis a gentle squidge from me 

Stephanie, George and Hamish xxx

[Helen]

Morning Stephanie, George and Hamish 

The news so far is that whatever is in there is trying to come out - it's starting to weep and has come to a head.  As it's still not bothering him and he's absolutely fine I'm leaving it today and will re-assess tonight.  He was on Hepar Sulph and Silica over the weekend (H. Sulph helps bring abscesses to a head) and now it's weepy he's back on just Silica.  Bathing in warm salty water as my local chemist has run out of Epsom salts as someone bought the entire lot for their tomatoes?!  Getting some more today.

I'm not really that much of a 'believer' in Hom remedies but am giving it a go! I'd like to believe it works but the 'logical' side of me doesn't understand  If it does then I'm not going to argue 

 I spoke to the vet yesterday and they said to keep on bathing it and that if it doesn't naturally burst in the next day or so to bring him in.  Vet said it sounded 'promising'.

Jarv, its Tessa....Mum had to get a grass seed out from my eye today, cor it hurt, luckily they are doing that grass chopping thing in the fields by us today...hope you can get rid of yours soon 

Hey Tessa - it's Jarv here - hope your eye is ok today    I don't know why I have to stand with my paw in weird tasting water for hours on end.  I'll never understand humans 

[8 Hairy Feet]

Please can somebody tell me how silica tablets work, I've looked through the threads and can't see
Should they be given as a preventative measure or just when you are sure a grass seed has entered the skin.
Thanks

[*Theresa*]

Usually I love pictures of Jarv...not liking those ones so much 

[MacTavish Boys]

Morning Helen  well it sounds  like the silica is starting to do the trick, like you i am not always a believer in the hom remedies, but if it saves a trip to the dreaded Vets  George is not too keen  i would go down the silica route first, if they do have a grass seed, it has definitely worked a couple of times, when George had them in his paw. Jarvis is a very good boy for not interfering with his paw

Stephanie, George and Hamish xxx

[Helen]

Please can somebody tell me how silica tablets work, I've looked through the threads and can't see
Should they be given as a preventative measure or just when you are sure a grass seed has entered the skin.
Thanks

they're not a preventative measure - Homeopathic Silicea is used as it promotes the expulsion of foreign bodies so if there's a grass seed, splinter, piece of glass etc it's meant to help the body bring it to the surface.

It's also meant to be quite good as a treatment for anal gland infections as well.

If you suspect your dog has a grass seed you can use silica  - 30c is recommended.

If your dog has a cyst or abscess like Jarvis has we went down a slightly different route (luckily I have a good friend who is a Homeopath) and yesterday I was treating alternately Hepar Sulphur and Silicea every 20 minutes for 4 hours which seemed to have bought all the gunk to the surface.  I don't know if this is the homeopathy or his natural body defences but if it works I really don't care which it is