Introducing Vetsure Tales! Real stories from Vetsure customers whose pets we’ve helped get better.

In July this year, Spencer, a 6-year-old Yorkshire Terrier became a concern to his owner when he stopped eating and was showing visible signs of discomfort when he was opening his mouth. They noticed he was in pain when yawning, for example.

You know your pet best, seeing them off their food or in pain can be quite distressing, especially if you don’t know what’s causing it.

Spencer’s owner took him to the vet in the hopes of getting to the bottom of his mouth discomfort. Investigation under general anaesthesia discovered he had a grass seed stuck in his gums at the back of his mouth!

A grass seed is, as the name suggests, the seed of a grass plant. They can often be found in long wild areas of grass where dogs can come into contact with them on walks.  

The small, pointy grass seeds sit at the top of the grass and can become a danger to dogs. As they’re very sharp, they can get trapped in dog’s fur and embed itself into their skin. They can also make their way into their paws, ears, eyes and nose causing pain and irritation.

Avoiding letting your dog run through long grass (especially in the summer), checking them for seeds after their walk, and looking out for any signs of pain or irritation will help reduce the risk of a grass seed or help you spot the signs early.

Learn more about the hidden dangers of grass seeds.

Luckily, Spencer’s grass seed was successfully removed and within 2 days, he was back to his happy, healthy self!

Thanks to the pet insurance policy his owners had in place, Spencer was able to get the treatment he needed without them having to worry about paying for it. The claim was paid, and his owner was very happy with the pay out they received, and their experience with the Vetsure claims team – meaning they could put their full focus into Spencer’s recovery!