06/02/2026
Outfoxing the Foxtail 🌾
Spring walks are the best, but don't forget to check those paws! 🐾Foxtails and burrs can easily get lodged between toes, in ears, or up noses, causing nasty infections. Do a quick check after every outdoor adventure!
🔍 What makes foxtails so dangerous?
-Unlike a standard burr that just sticks to fur, a foxtail (a barbed seed head of certain wild grasses) has a sinister design. It is shaped like an arrow. Because of this shape, it can only move one direction: forward.
- Once a foxtail gets stuck in your pet's fur, every movement they make pushes that sharp little seed deeper. They can easily pierce the skin and burrow inside your pet's body, traveling through muscle and tissue, carrying bacteria along with them.
The Danger Zones🚨
🐾 The paws: lodging right between the sensitive webbing of the toes. They will quickly cause a painful, swollen red bump.
🐾 The ears: if your dog starts frantically shaking their head or scratching their ears after being in tall grass, a foxtail may have entered the ear canal. Left untreated, it can rupture the eardrum.
🐾 The nose and eyes: inhaling a seed while sniffing the ground causes sudden, violent sneezing fits. Getting one in the eyes causes squinting, tearing, and rapid swelling.
💜Protect your pets by avoiding tall, golden grass. Stick to clear paths and keep your dog on a leash when walking near overgrown fields. After every walk, run your hands through your pet's fur, check thoroughly between every single toe, under the armpits, inside the groin area and around the face and ears. Keep fur trimmed to give these seeds fewer places to latch onto.
If you notice sudden swelling between your dog's toes, non-stop sneezing, intense head shaking, or an eye that won't open after a walk, give us a call right away. The sooner we can find and remove these sneaky seeds, the better! ☎️
