My dog Keeps eating stickers

[AshleyM2003]

I have a yorky/ malteese mix and I live on 30 acres of land. I went to the vet and he found 10 sand stickers stuck along the gum lines of my dog. They were so far back they were impossible to see. Since that visit I have been back 3 more time in the last 3 weeks to get them removed. I am desperate for adice on Anything from ways to get rid of the stickers, to ways from keeping him from eating the stickers. Or even just a way that i might be able to remove them myself, becuase the vet bills are getting out of hand! Thanks, Desperate in Kansas

[gelda]

What are sand stickers and why can't you keep your dog way from them ?

[Mr Veritas]

I'd like to know what they are TOO,gelda! LOL

[Mr Veritas]

I wonder if they are like the (UK) sand hoppers?

[carmalee]

maybe ticks?

[gelda]

Answer please Ashley, we're all dying to know.

[bigmamma]

Hi Ashley , unless you're actually heading off to the vet again now .....what are sand stickers ? I'd like to know too .
x

[carmalee]

had another thought - maybe little leech type things?

[Emz26]

Is it a type of plant maybe?

[gelda]

I googled it but found nothing in the images that looked as if could get stuck inside a dogs mouth.

[fredpuli47]

These are the seeds, also called 'sand burrs' of a plant , sometimes called 'goat head' ( Cerchus incertus and spp.).It's found in sandy soils in grassland .The seeds have sharp pointed burrs which penetrate the skin.

How to deal with them or the dog? The dog training is for others on this site but it sounds as though you'll have to keep him or her on a leash and treat him as you would for any other case of the dog going to something you don't want it to touch e.g. a firm sharp tug on the leash, with a very sharp NO ! followed by distracting the dog and praise when it moves away.

As to removing them, ask you vet how best to do it. Can't think that it needs a visit to the vet each time. If it did, I imagine, half the dogs in Kansas would be in the vet's every week. Failing that ask an experienced local person, with long experience of dogs, who'll have experienced this, how to do it.