A VETERINARY practice in Bracknell is warning pet owners of the dangers of grass and seeds after a dog was left with breathing difficulties after a blade of grass ended up in her lung.

One-year-old springer spaniel Willow was taken to Moor Cottage Veterinary Hospital in Binfield after her owner, Donna Toomey, noticed she was struggling to breathe after enjoying a walk in the sun.

Surgeon Alan Hutchinson carried out an examination and found two blades of grass stuck in Willow's airways, one of which had made it to her lung.

He said: "It’s not unusual to see problems with grass seeds in dogs. This is particularly true in young, active dogs which are walked, or work, in rural areas.

“Grass seeds mainly cause problems when the awns get into paws, ears or sometimes eyes, which can make your dog extremely irritable and uncomfortable.

“The risks of getting grass seeds in these areas can be reduced by keeping the hair short around the paws and face and checking your dog carefully after a walk.

“Although these cases are rare, if your dog has a cough, or an odd breathing pattern, they may have grass or another object stuck in their airways, so it’s vital to carry out a thorough examination.”

The blades of grass were removed using a bronchoscope, a long flexible fibreoptic scope equipped with forceps to grasp objects.

Owner Donna said people needed to be made aware of the dangers of grass seeds as they are often difficult to detect and can cause serious damage.

She said: "Willow had trouble breathing and had an awful cough which got progressively worse.

“Following a thorough examination and swift procedure, Willow was running around the garden and splashing about in her paddling pool the day after her operation. The staff at Moor Cottage were brilliant and acted quickly to help Willow."

Moor Cottage recommends checking the fur around feet and ears after a walk and keeping the feathery fur between toes trimmed to help avoid seeds becoming snagged.