How to protect your animals from foxtail spikelets

June in the West means foxtail season has arrived and veterinarians all over are prepared for emergency calls day and night. Foxtail grasses, once limited to California, are now in all states west of the Mississippi and are a growing problem as plants naturalize farther east.

Foxtail is the common name for grasses that produce a certain kind of structure that enhances seed distribution. The seed matures on a densely packed spike that resembles that of wheat without the big kernels.

Each seed is enclosed by a spikelet shaped like an arrowhead with one hard pointed end and a soft flare of fibrous sheath on the other. The sheath is covered with invisible teeth aimed away from the point like fish hook barbs, so once embedded in the hair of an animal it won’t back out but continues to penetrate ever deeper. When mature, the cluster of spikelets is released to spread seed far and wide by wind, and hitchhiking on animals, and they become a problem.

Spikelets soon drop out of shorthair coats, but longer fur traps them for the long haul. If not immediately removed, the sharp tip reaches the skin and may even penetrate the body cavity with little evidence it’s there except occasional scratching.

More common though is the foxtail penetrating body orifices of dogs. It’s because dogs root through weeds and grasses running after a ball or chasing a scent trail, accidentally snorting up a foxtail in the process. Foxtails in the nasal passages cause sneezing, facial distortion and discharge. If not promptly removed, a foxtail can migrate down into the throat or lung. They can also travel up the sinuses and into the brain.

Foxtails in the ears are just as common. Evidence includes flapping ears or head shaking, which often leads to a hematoma of the ear flap itself. The flapping and snorting actually helps the foxtail to work its way deeper into these canals, causing pain, discomfort and infection.

It’s vital to get ear or nose foxtails removed by the vet the moment you discover there’s a problem. If left even for a day, the foxtail can migrate out of reach. Foxtails cannot be seen on X-ray or ultrasound, so once it’s out of sight, the risk of entering sinuses, brain or lung becomes a real threat.

Sometimes dogs step on the foxtail, the sharp point penetrating the soft skin between the dog’s toes where it’s not visually apparent. Dogs will lick the foot incessantly as the sharp tip works its way deeper into the foot. If in a vertical position it may pop out the top of the foot, where it can be easily removed with needle-nose pliers because here the barbs are facing the right way.

But don’t wait for the tip to come through because smaller foxtails can migrate at odd angles, causing severe infection. They’ve been known to enter the bloodstream this way and eventually reach the heart. If you suspect there’s a foxtail in there, see a vet immediately.

As the wild grasses or backyard weeds turn brown with summer heat, foxtail risk rises. Where cats and dogs use that backyard, avoid the vet by removing all weedy grasses and foxtails.

When out and about, be careful about letting dogs run in dry grasslands and open spaces. Once you get home, brush the dog thoroughly, inspecting the ears, under the collar, between the toes and in the armpits where foxtails cling. Nooks and crannies of genitals are also problem spots.

Those who grew up in foxtail country know what it feels like to get them caught in your socks. You probably heard unsavory words from Mom as she worked them out of the material in the laundry room. But though foxtails present mere discomfort to us, when it comes to dogs in rural areas or unkempt backyards, they’re a life and death issue.

Maureen Gilmer is an author, horticulturist and landscape designer. Learn more at www.MoPlants.com.