Whenever warmer weather rolls around, pet parents have to deal with the bogeyman of the outdoors: foxtails.
These anxiety-inducing plants are the portion of a weedy grass that contains the grass seed. These weeds grow mostly in the west, southwest and central areas of the country in all kinds of environments, including in our yards and cracks in the sidewalk.
“Because they are pointed on the end, they can pierce skin with the pointed end and the barbs on the outside of the seed pod make them very sticky. They will not fall out and will advance forward through the skin and travel through tissues, bringing bacteria with them and causing pain and infection,” says Dr. Ilana Halperin, chief of service for Community Medicine at UC Davis Veterinary Medicine. “They can also enter any body opening — eyes, nose, ears, prepuce, vagina and mouth. They are painful and will cause tissue damage and infection. They can travel deep into tissues, even entering the lungs and other internal organs.”
What you should know
There are multiple species of grass that form what we call foxtails, so they don’t all look exactly the same. Look for arrow-shaped grass awns.
Foxtails are most dangerous when the plant matures and the seeds begin to fall off the plant — generally the grass is yellow at this time and partially or completely dried out, says Halperin. Green foxtails (before the plant dries out) are also dangerous, but are more flexible and less likely to pierce skin.
Dogs seem to be more susceptible to foxtails than humans or cats. Halperin says most humans will feel the “prick” of a foxtail and pull it off, and generally we aren’t at risk of getting them in our noses, eyes or ears since we generally don’t have our heads in the grass the way dogs and cats do.
“Cats are pretty good at grooming off foxtails that land on their fur, so we see far fewer foxtails penetrating the skin of cats, but they can get in the nose, eyes and ears,” she notes.
Dealing with foxtails
Dr. Jacqueline Brister, a veterinarian and consultant for Embrace Pet Insurance, says that while summer seems to be the most common time that pets have issues with foxtails, it can happen at any time of the year that is warm.
Brister says medical treatment with anti-inflammatories and antibiotics is generally ineffective until the foxtail is found and removed. This can be difficult in some cases, requiring endoscopy, ultrasonography and possibly even CT scans to find the seed cluster. Surgery is sometimes needed to remove foxtails that are inside body cavities or under the skin.
To help keep pets safe at home, experts recommend keeping lawns mowed and yards maintained. While on walks, avoid areas with foxtails when possible — especially during the summer months. Keep your pet’s fur trimmed and check your pet over carefully after going outside. Check the fur, between the toes, inside the webbing of the paw, under the chin, near and in the ears.
“If it’s ‘foxtail season’ and your dog or cat develops a swollen, oozing lump under the skin, a swollen, oozing sore between the toes, swelling around one eye, or they start shaking their head and scratching at one of their ears, take them in for a checkup,” Brister says. “Foxtails are much easier to deal with when they are caught before they migrate.”
