How to keep your dog safe from foxtails
Summer in Marin is prime time for hiking and otherwise enjoying the great outdoors. You’re probably on high alert for ticks after venturing outside with your dog, but what about foxtails? For an inanimate object, a foxtail can inflict a lot of damage on your poor pooch, and can even result in an emergency visit to your veterinarian.
Foxtail plants got their name because of their fox-like tails created by the bristly awns of the plant. These awns dry out in the springtime, leaving them sharp and stiff by the time summer rolls around. All those spikes mean they can easily become entangled in pet fur, but the danger doesn’t stop there.
Once they’re embedded, foxtails can only move forward because of their barbed shape. This means they can migrate deeper and deeper into your dog’s skin if they aren’t found right away. A foxtail lodged in the nose can migrate as far as your dog’s brain and an inhaled foxtail can even reach your dog’s lungs. Even if they don’t go far, foxtails don’t break down in the body so they can lead to abscesses and infections if lodged in the skin or in a paw.
Staying away from grassy areas where foxtails are in abundance is the first step you can take in keeping your dog safe this summer. If you find foxtail plants in your own yard, be sure to pull them right away. But since we know foxtails can be unavoidable if you’re enjoying the bounty of trails and other outdoor space on offer in Marin, there are other things you can do to keep your dog foxtail-free.
When you come home from a hike, do a thorough check of your dog’s body, taking special care to check its nose, eyes, ears and paws. There are some telltale warning signs that your pup’s being bothered by an errant foxtail, so keep an eye out for these:
• Licking or chewing its paw. This can mean a foxtail is lodged between their toes or in a pad.
• Pawing at its ears, eyes or nose. Foxtails can get stuck in all of these sensitive spots.
• Frequent or intense sneezing, or discharge from the nose. Foxtails are easily inhaled when your dog goes about their usual sniffing.
• Discharge and swelling around the eye. Even if you can’t see a foxtail upon first glance, it may have migrated into the eye.
• A head tilt or head shaking. This can be a sign of a foxtail stuck in an ear.
More tolerant dogs can benefit from a mesh hood, such as the Outfox Field Guard. While the hood may look a bit unusual, it keeps your dog’s eyes, nose and ears safely foxtail-free while still allowing them to breathe, sniff, play and even drink like they normally would.
If your dog does end up with an embedded foxtail, a trip to your veterinarian is in order. Waiting will only allow the foxtail to move deeper into the skin, so don’t delay. Your veterinarian will be able to safely remove the pesky awn while also treating any possible infection.
With a little diligence and care, you and your pooch can have a fun summer while staying safe from the dangers of foxtails.
Julia Lamont is the social media and marketing coordinator at Marin Humane which contributes Tails of Marin and welcomes animal-related questions and stories about the people and animals in our community.
Go to marinhumane. org, Twitter.com/ marinhumane, or email lbloch@marinhumane. org.