What are awns and why are they dangerous for dogs and cats?

Most often, dogs and cats injure their paws, and sometimes this happens completely unnoticed by the animal and its guardian. This is the case with awns. These are bristly antennae that make up the spikelets of cereal plants, including some weeds. They grow in the park, in the countryside, even in the yard of your house, so a normal walk in the warm season can have unfortunate consequences.

How do awns injure paw pads?

Stepping on an awn, the animal puts its entire body weight on it, and the foreign body digs into the skin. The particle of the ear is small, so at first the pet may not even feel anything.

The problem manifests itself later. As long as a piece of the plant is in the paw pad or between the fingers, an inflammatory process occurs, which can lead to the development of pustules and abscesses.

What are the signs of awns in the paws?

The animal's body perceives the awn as a foreign body, so it reacts with inflammation. The injury can be suspected by the following symptoms:

• Frequent licking of the affected area.
• Limping.
• Redness and swelling of the paw.

If you ignore these symptoms and don't take your pet to the vet, an abscess may develop over time, and new germs and bacteria will enter the wound. Unfortunately, it's often at this stage that pet owners recognize that there is a problem. If you can't spot the plant part and it doesn't come out with purulent discharge, don't waste time - contact an Animal Clinic specialist, otherwise the festering will continue while the thorn is under the skin.

Treatment and preventive measures

Only a veterinarian can prescribe the correct treatment. He examines the patient, removes the awn if it is present, and performs hygienic treatment. Sometimes this is enough for the pet to start recovering. However, more often it is necessary to resort to antibiotic treatment.

What should I do to prevent skin injuries? Examine your pet as often as possible, looking at the paw pads and the space between the fingers. If you see an awn, you can remove it with sterilized tweezers. If you can't do it yourself, contact a qualified veterinarian to prevent an abscess.