BOISE, Idaho (KTVB) -- Cheatgrass is causing problems throughout Idaho and the West. It's an invasive weed species choking out native vegetation. It acts as big fuel for wildfires. And, it's also really bad for your pets.

Furthermore, as Hannah Parpart with the Idaho Humane Society puts it, "it's everywhere." she goes on to say "it can very easily stick in pets' skin and some of the most common places we see it are in dogs' paws. But also in their ears and their eyes, and sometimes in their nose."

The Humane Society is seeing a lot of pets come in daily with cheatgrass infections. Often, the grass has to be surgically removed. What's worse, once it gets under the skin, it can actually travel to other parts of the body. In fact, veterinarians say finding it before it works its way under the skin is the key.

They say always check your dogs after walks, and check your cats after they come in from outside, whether they were in the hills or not. Because this stuff is everywhere and catching it early can help your pet avoid big health problems.

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