Vets and welfare experts are urging caution to pet owners this summer as they reveal what the top five hazards are to pets over the sunny months.

Vet care provider inspiring vet care and the world’s oldest welfare charity, the RSPCA, have joined forces to raise awareness of the main hazards facing pets this summer*, as part of their partnership which aims to improve animal welfare.

New figures – released today (Tuesday 11 August) by inspiring vet care, the UK’s largest veterinary group operating over 900 practices – show that ticks are the most commonly seen hazard for pets this summer* – with vets treating 160 cases a day – but that grass seeds pose the most risk and require more serious veterinary intervention due to the way in which they can quickly embed themselves in the skin and move deep inside eyes, ear canals, nostrils and even migrate into internal organs, causing serious damage.

Top summer hazards (based on figures from 2025)

Ticks – 58,510 cases
Grass seeds – 23,727 cases
Bites/stings – 17,859 cases
Barbecues – 2,309 cases
Burns (including sunburn) – 632 cases

Richard Hooker, Country Medical Director at inspiring vet care, said: “The figures clearly show that ticks are the number one hazard owners should be aware of this summer. Last year, our vets dealt with 160 cases a day; or six every hour.

“Ticks are relatively easy to remove at home but they can cause local inflammation and infection, especially if they’re not removed effectively. They can also carry and transmit diseases like Lyme disease; a bacterial infection that can make pets poorly, causing lameness, swollen joints, high temperature, and leaving them lethargic.

“The best way to reduce the risk is to check for ticks after every walk as ticks usually need to be attached for 24 hours for a disease to be transmitted. A tick removal tool or tweezers can be used to remove the tick, but we’d urge anyone who is concerned they’ve not managed to remove the tick fully or that their pet has seemed unwell in the days or weeks following a tick removal to speak to their vet for further advice.”

While ticks are the most common hazard to pets, with inspiring vet care clinics treating more than 58,000 cases last year (2025), there are major concerns over grass seeds, which came in second place.

RSPCA Head Vet Rebecca Ashman said: “Grass seeds may seem fairly harmless but they can be extremely hazardous for our pets.

“The way dogs run through the long grass over the summer months means grass seeds can get stuck in their eyes and ears but, due to the shape of the seed, can very quickly burrow deeper into the animal’s skin and rarely they can even migrate into the chest or abdomen.

“If you suspect your pet may have a grass seed stuck somewhere then we’d urge you to speak to your vet as soon as possible so it can be removed more easily. If the seed migrates then surgery may be required.

“Signs to look out for in your pet include sudden head shaking, scratching at their mouth, eyes or ears, general discomfort, and discharge.”

While not exclusive to the summer months, the risk these hazards pose spikes over the summer months due to the weather and climate, as well as the activities families are more likely to expose pets to, such as barbecues and garden parties.

Ticks

The number of pets being brought in for vet appointments due to ticks is huge – with more than 58,000 seen at inspiring vet care practices during 2025.
Ticks are most commonly found from March through to October but inspiring vet care reported the highest number of admissions were during July.
Ticks have eight legs and are reddish-brown, grey or black in colour. Their size depends on how filled they are with blood.
If you find a tick on your pet you should remove quickly but carefully, without squeezing the body or leaving the head behind.
Owners can remove ticks at home themselves using a special tick remover: slide the tool underneath the tick as close to your pet’s skin as possible, twist but try not to pull up. (Video guide available here)
If your pet has irritated skin or is unwell afterwards, then get them checked by a vet as soon as possible.
Use preventative tick treatment to stop them from getting another tick; you should speak to your vet to find the best treatment for your individual pet.

RSPCA rescue dog Finley owned by Shannon McCall, from Manchester, had a tick this summer which was successfully removed. The RSPCA vet spotted some swelling around where the tick had been embedded so got Finley some medication to treat the sore spot.

Grass seeds
Grass seeds may seem fairly harmless, but they can cause serious damage due to the way in which the seed, shaped like an arrow, can burrow into the skin and in some cases can even migrate quickly through the body.
Of the admissions to inspiring vet care practices, 80% related to dogs.
They can be removed quickly and easily if spotted early but may require surgical intervention if they go into the ear canal, eye, nostril or burrow under the skin.
Vets said they see more spaniels needing treatment for grass seeds than any other breed of dog, partly due to the way in which they sniff, search and seek, bounding through the long grass and undergrowth, but also because of their long, floppy ears.
Most grass seed admissions are between June and September, so vets and the RSPCA are encouraging dog owners to keep their pets out of long grass during these months, to prevent any unwanted problems.
Vets encourage owners to check around their dog’s eyes and ears and between their toes after walks to physically remove any grass seeds that may have become caught in their fur and prevent them migrating under the skin.
If you suspect your pet has a grass seed stuck then you should speak to a vet as soon as possible. Signs can include discharge from the eye, sudden head shaking, scratching, swelling or a new lump that has come up suddenly.

Two-year-old cocker spaniel Millie was playing outside when she accidentally inhaled a sharp grass seed, promoting a cough. She was checked by vets and referred to inspiring vet care’s Taverham Vets where experts found and removed the seed.

Millie’s owners, Chris and Ed, from Norwich, Norfolk, said: “When we first took Millie in we didn’t realise the enormity of the situation. We were very fortunate they found the grass awn. It could have been more serious if it wasn’t spotted and removed, which took quite some effort. We’ll definitely be extra careful in the future.”

Bites and stings

Almost 18,000 pets needed treatment at inspiring vet care clinics last year having been bitten or stung.
The most common bites and stings tend to come from bees and wasps.
Pets, like people, can have an allergic reaction so if you spot any swelling then we’d urge getting them to a vet as soon as possible. Rapid swelling, laboured or difficulty breathing, and vomiting or diarrhoea can be signs of a reaction so will need an urgent response.
In the UK we only have one venomous snake (the Adder) and bites on pets are extremely rare but can be very dangerous. Any pet with a suspected adder bite should be examined urgently by a vet.

RSPCA rescue cats six-year-old Froggy and Tuna (pictured) were playing in the garden in May (2025) when Tuna, two, swatted a bee with her paw and got stung.

Her owner – student vet nurse Alex Howard, who works at the charity’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital – took her to the vet where she needed an anti-inflammatory injection to bring down the swelling.