Vet Victoria Collingwood used the otoscope to spot the seed.
A leading Warwickshire vet has described the grass seed she removed from a Labrador retriever’s nose as the biggest she has ever found in her career!
The large grass seed was removed from six-year-old Inka by Victoria Collingwood at Avonvale Veterinary Centres’ Stratford branch.
Inka had been out for a walk, in and out of hedgerows, when her owners noticed she was sneezing a lot and rubbing her face on the ground, so took her to Avonvale.
Despite nothing immediately visible up her nostril, her owners told Victoria they believed a grass seed was the problem as they had only recently experienced a seed issue with their other pet dog.
Inka was given a local anaesthetic up her nose and Victoria used an otoscope – which is more commonly used to check in the ear – to look further up the nostril.
The large grass seed which was removed from Inka’s nostril.
A large seed was discovered wedged about four to five centimetres up her nose.
Victoria said: “It really was quite far up, but once it had been located, we had little difficulty removing it with forceps.
Inka was a little star throughout the whole procedure.
She is a model patient.
“This was certainly the biggest seed I have ever found up a nose in my career so far!
“This case was unusual due to the size of the seed involved but, for dogs, problems associated with grass seeds are incredibly common at this time of year.
“Due to the seed’s shape they travel easily into the body and can get stuck.
Inka was described as a “model patient”.
“It’s important for owners to check their dogs after a walk and remove any seeds they find caught in the fur, paying particular attention to the feet and between the toes. Keeping the fur short around the feet can also help.
“If you believe your dog may have a grass seed caught somewhere, of they develop a swelling, or are unusually irritated or upset, then contact your vet as soon as possible.”
Inka’s owner Toni Senior, from Ullington, near Bidford on Avon, said: “The idea that it was a grass seed immediately sprung to our minds as our other Lab recently got one stuck in their eye.
“Luckily Inka was not too upset about having the seed removed.
“She is a dog that loves attention and cuddles and because of the wonderful way Avonvale have always treated her, she is willing to do anything they ask of her.
She behaves beautifully when there.”
