Foxtails are tall grasses with a cluster of seeds at the end. The seeds are grouped together and have a bushy, spiked look that resembles a fox’s tail.
While they’re pretty to look at swaying in fields across North America, foxtails and dogs don’t mix. The spiked seeds can attach to their paws, skin, eyes, and ears and even be inhaled into their nose or lungs.
Key Takeaways
- Foxtails are spiked, tall grasses in North America that are dangerous to dogs.
- Brome, barley, and millet are all examples of common foxtail grasses.
- If you find a foxtail seed on your dog and it’s not in too deep, remove it immediately. The seeds are always easiest to remove if they are first found before they’re under the skin.
What Are Foxtails?
The term “foxtail” does not apply to just one plant. It refers to several weed-type grasses that are commonly found throughout the United States.
Brome, barley, and millet are all examples of common foxtail grasses.
If you find a foxtail on your dog and it’s not in too deep, try to remove it right away.
The seed pods of these types of tall grass are what is meant by foxtail. Foxtails are made up of hard seeds called grass awns.
Foxtails are found across the country. They are most prevalent in drier regions, like the western United States.
What Do Foxtail Plants Look Like?
Foxtail plants look like tall grass with a bushy top. The end of the grass looks like a fox’s tail and is made up of several hard, oblong seeds when you look closely. Each seed is barbed on the end and has long awns coming off the back of it.
Foxtails are often green and softer early in the season. They get more golden brown and become more rigid as they mature. When they are dry and harder near the end of the season, they are even more dangerous to dogs.
Why Are Foxtails Dangerous to Dogs?
The barbed foxtail seeds have a sharp bur on one end that allows them to move forward in one direction. This is helpful for the seed to stick into the ground, but not so great for dogs who touch or inhale the spiky seeds. Because the burs on the seeds don’t let them travel backward, when they get stuck in a dog’s paws, eyes, ears, nose, and skin, they don’t easily fall out.
The grass awns carry bacteria with them wherever they are moved. If an awn is in a dog’s paws, it can be stuck deep between the soft webbing of their toes, leading to swollen, painful bumps between their digits.
Foxtails can get stuck in a dog’s eyes, which is quite painful. This leads to lots of drainage from the eyes, squinting, and face rubbing. They can also get them in their ears, resulting in head shaking and discomfort.
The foxtail awns can even be inhaled up the nose, leading to chronic sneezing and nasal drainage. Occasionally, these awns can even make their way into a dog’s lungs. When this happens, it can cause dangerous cases of pneumonia.
What You Should Do if You Find a Foxtail on Your Dog
If you find a foxtail on your dog and it’s not in too deep, try to remove it right away. Foxtails are always easiest to remove if they are first found before they’re not too deep.
You can use a pair of tweezers to grasp the awn and pull it off their skin or hair coat.
If the foxtail is already too deep in the skin or not in an area that is safely accessible—like the eye, nose, or ear— immediately bring your dog in to see their veterinarian to get the grass awn removed.
Sometimes antibiotics are needed if your dog gets a secondary infection from bacteria on the foxtail.
Avoid using any pointed objects near your dog’s face or eyes, to keep from accidentally injuring them.
If you have been in an area with foxtails and your dog has any swellings between their toes, is sneezing, or has lots of drainage from an eye, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Be sure to let them know that your dog was around foxtails so that they know to thoroughly search for any embedded awns.
Treatment for foxtails on dogs is always to remove them. Sometimes antibiotics, like Clavamox or cefpodoxime, are prescribed when foxtail awns have led to secondary bacterial infections.
How To Prevent Foxtails From Harming Your Dog
The best way to keep your dog safe from foxtails is to avoid exposure.
Avoid letting your dog run through fields where there are many foxtails. If exposure is necessary or planned, consider putting them in protective dog shoes or boots, like these Ruffwear Hi & Light shoes.
Be sure to check your dog over thoroughly after walking through tall grass to remove any grass awns before they can lead to trouble.
Look for any hard, barbed grass awns caught in their fur, around their face or ears, and between their toes. Use your fingers or tweezers, like these Tweezerman pet tweezers, to remove them right away before they get stuck in the sensitive tissue.
To minimize foxtails on your property, mow or brush grass regularly to reduce seed production. Apply pet-safe herbicides in early spring or talk to your local lawn-care professionals about weed prevention. Keep grass healthy to outcompete foxtail growth.
Foxtails FAQs
Are foxtails poisonous to dogs?
Foxtails are not considered poisonous to dogs; however, they can lead to big problems if they are inhaled or become embedded in their eyes, ears, or skin.
In what states does foxtail grow?
Foxtails grow in nearly all 50 US states, but they are less prevalent in Hawaii, Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Virginia, and the Carolinas. They don’t grow well in areas where it is swampy or there is high humidity.
How do you know if a dog has a foxtail?
If you notice any swelling or bump between your dog’s toes or if they are chronically sneezing, rubbing their face, or shaking their head, they may have a foxtail. Signs of foxtails vary with where on the body the grass awn has gotten stuck.
How do you treat foxtails in dogs?
Foxtails are treated by having them removed. Sometimes antibiotics are needed if your dog gets a secondary infection from bacteria on the foxtail.
