Taking your dog outdoors is a great opportunity to provide them with exercise and mental enrichment, but it is important to be aware of the hazards they can encounter while enjoying some fresh air. One of these outdoor hazards are foxtails. While the name may sound disarming, they can be extremely painful — and even dangerous — to dogs.

Understanding what foxtails look like, where they are located, and what to do if your dog encounters them can help protect your pet from unnecessary discomfort and the problems foxtails can cause.

What Are Foxtails and Where Can You Find Them?

The scientific name for foxtails is Alopecurus, which means ‘fox tail.’ The common name ‘foxtail’ was derived because the shape of the seed head resembles the bushy tails of foxes.

The seed grows at the top of different plants and emerges from late spring throughout the summer. However, in some western states, such as California, they can exist all year long.

Foxtail ranges in height from one to three feet and grow as a loose clump. They can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions. These plants are often located along hiking trails, roadsides, backyards, open fields, gardens, and any areas humans disturb. They also grow well along the edges of salt marshes.

Foxtails are most common in the West but can be found everywhere throughout North America, some areas of Mexico, and throughout Canada.

Why Are Foxtails Dangerous to Dogs?

Foxtails are most dangerous when they dry and harden, because their bristles and shape allow them to easily penetrate and burrow into your dog’s body. This can lead to significant pain, open wounds, and even infection.

Each bristle has an infinite number of microscopic barbs, allowing them to work their way into any part of a dog’s body. Common areas on a dog a foxtail enters through include the:

• Nose
• Mouth/Throat
• Ears
• Eyes
• Paws, between toes

The shape of the foxtail is designed to burrow in the ground and not come out. This design has the same effect on your dog. Once it’s in your dog’s body, it cannot simply reverse direction and come out on its own. This can cause the foxtail to burrow under your dog’s skin so you can’t physically see it. You may just see a wound or hole under your dog’s fur or see no signs at all.

Foxtails that are embedded can work through the tissue over time. They can sometimes migrate into the brain, lungs, or other organs.

When a foxtail enters the body, the dangers go beyond just irritation. Within the body, the tough seeds do not break down. This can lead to wounds, abscesses, or even death if not treated.

While any dog can be affected by foxtails, dogs that can be particularly affected have characteristics like:

• Curly or long hair
• Long ears
• Long fur between the toes

Signs Your Dog May Have a Foxtail

Knowing what clinical symptoms can be associated with a foxtail foreign body is important so you can catch and treat them right away.

Foxtails generally cause discomfort in the area where they’re located and show signs related to that area.

• Nose. Persistent sneezing, nasal discharge, snorting, shaking the head, pawing or rubbing the head or nose, and possible bleeding from the nose.
• Mouth/Throat. Repeatedly swallowing, drooling, coughing, stretching the neck, and gagging.
• Paw. Limping on the affected leg, excessively licking of the paw, swelling, redness, open wound, and pus drainage.
• Eye. Swelling around the eye, pawing at the eye, uncontrolled or excessive blinking, redness, and discharge.
• Ear. Head shaking, head tilt, digging or scratching at the ear, avoidance of having ears touched, and pain when the ears are touched.
• Skin. Swelling, skin area that is painful to the touch, open wound, and abscess.
• Genitals. Excessive licking or rubbing of the area.

Dogs can also exhibit typical signs associated with infection, such as:

• Lethargy
• Depression
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Weakness
• Vomiting

What To Do if Your Dog Comes Into Contact with Foxtails?

If you know your dog has come into contact with a foxtail or suspect a foxtail is the cause of any signs or distress, they should be immediately taken to a veterinarian for examination. The ideal situation is early diagnosis and removal because foxtails can cause serious infections and even could be fatal, in rare cases, if not treated.

How Will Your Veterinarian Diagnose Your Dog’s Foxtail?

To diagnose if your dog has a foxtail foreign body, your veterinarian will need to perform a physical examination. Foxtails can be challenging to diagnose, so your veterinarian may need to conduct testing to determine if a foxtail is the problem. The tests may include diagnostic tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC) and blood chemistry, and diagnostic imaging, such as x-rays, computed tomography (CT), or endoscopy. Surgical exploration, in some cases, is necessary. This all depends on where the suspected foxtail is.

Complete removal is the only treatment option for foxtails. Any remnants not removed can migrate through your dog’s body, causing infection or possibly death.

How Can You Prevent Foxtails for Your Dog?

There are some steps that you can take to lessen the likelihood your dog will develop problems from foxtails.

• Be aware of the areas your dog is playing in and walking through.
• During the summer months, avoid areas where foxtails grow or, at a minimum, keep your dog leashed in those areas.
• For dogs with long hair, keep the hair trimmed between the toes and around the ears and belly.
• During foxtail season (generally May through December), always examine your pet’s coat, especially if they walked through open fields or other common areas for foxtail.
• When checking their coat, brush or comb it to be sure the foxtail is not caught in the hair.
• Be sure to thoroughly examine their head, including in and around their eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, including under their tongue.
• Check the top and bottom of their paws and between their toes.

Any foxtails that are easy to grab can be removed with tweezers. However, if the foxtail breaks the skin, seek veterinary care immediately. Do not attempt to remove embedded foxtails.