What Every Dog And Cat Parent Needs To Know — Elite Veterinary Care

• Sneezing and snorting

• Coughing or gagging

• Difficulty breathing

• Nose bleeds

• Excessive licking in the area the foxtail is embedded

• Swelling

• Draining tracts and abscesses

• Shaking head

• Pawing at the ear, eye, or mouth

• Head tilt

• Pain when the affected area is touched

• Redness and discharge from the affected area

• Squinting

• Limping

Which Areas Of The Body Are Most Affected By Foxtails?

Feet

Since dogs happily trample through grass and weeds with little thought to the hazards within, their feet and lower legs often pick up foxtails. When checking your pet for foxtails after a walk or outing, be sure to separate and look between their toes. Swelling, limping, and paw licking could be signs that your dog or cat has an embedded foxtail somewhere in their foot.

Ears

Floppy ears are especially good at hiding foxtails, and the signs of foxtails in the ears are very similar to the symptoms of an ear infection. Keep an eye out for head shaking, ear scratching, or tilting of the head to one side. Just because you don’t see a foxtail in your dog’s ear, doesn’t mean it’s not there. Barbs can make their way deep into the ear canal, requiring your vet to use a special scope and medical tools to locate and remove them.

Eyes

Your pet’s eyes are very delicate. If you notice redness, discharge, or swelling, or your dog or cat is squinting or pawing at their eyes, a foxtail could be the culprit. Do not try to remove it yourself. Call your vet right away.

Nose

An inhaled foxtail in your pet’s nose will likely cause intense bouts of sneezing, discharge, and pawing at the muzzle. Since foxtails can migrate from the nasal passage into the brain or lung, it is important to seek veterinary attention right away if your pet shows these symptoms.

Urogenital Area

If a foxtail enters your dog’s urogenital area it can be especially painful. Licking this area of the body often indicates a UTI, but if you live in a state affected by foxtails, they could also be the problem. 

What If Your Pet Eats A Foxtail?

A swallowed foxtail is a veterinary emergency. The barbs can become lodged in the mouth or throat, causing retching, coughing, gagging, and drooling. If the foxtail makes its way through the esophagus into the digestive tract, it could perforate the intestine, leading to a serious infection or abscess. 

This situation can be life-threatening. So if you notice your dog or cat displaying the above symptoms or stretching its neck to swallow, contact your vet immediately.

How To Check Your Dog Or Cat For Foxtails

After a summer walk or outing, give your dog or cat a thorough once-over. Looking for foxtails is similar to how you would check your pet for ticks. You want to run your hands or a brush all through their coat and along their limbs. Examine their face, ears, and inside their mouth, as well as under the tail, between the toes, and in the area where their legs meet their body. 

In addition to this outer check, watch your pet for signs that a foxtail has been swallowed, inhaled, or entered the body through the skin or other orifice. These may include physical symptoms like discharge, swelling, or redness. Or behavioral symptoms like limping, head-shaking, licking, sneezing, or pawing at the head/face.

How To Remove Foxtails

If you find any foxtails in your pet’s coat or on the surface of the skin, carefully remove them with tweezers. However, if a foxtail is embedded, or if the area is red or swollen, leave it and call your veterinarian. 

“If the foxtail has penetrated the skin or in the eye, ear, nose, or mouth, then it’s best to let your local veterinarian remove it because if it’s not removed completely then it can migrate to other areas of the body and cause further discomfort,” says Dr. Michelle Diener, DVM of BetterPet.com.

Attempting to remove an embedded foxtail yourself could lead to further pain or injury for your pet. Remember, foxtails do not break down in the body, so if you fail to remove the entire seed, it could cause an infection or migrate to a more dangerous area of the body. 

Many foxtails require anesthesia and professional technique to remove. Dr. Kent and her staff at Elite Veterinary Care are skilled in removing most of these pesky seeds during house call visits for your convenience and your pet’s comfort.