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Protect Your Dog From Cheatgrass & Foxtails
Protect Your Dog From Cheatgrass & Foxtails
Seeds from this plant can cause terrible irritation for
dogs and cats
by Mike Chumrau, DVM
June 27, 2005
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| Click photo to enlarge |
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| Click photo to enlarge |
The western states had a record spring for moisture and the
high desert was in full bloom. The wild flowers were beautiful
and the desert mountains were green. The down side of this
picture is that the weeds are really taking advantage of the
ideal conditions, too.
One of the weeds in particular is very troublesome to your
pets. This weed is the Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum)
and some of its cousins which produce those things called
"foxtails". These are nothing more than the seed
but they can cause all sorts of problems. As the days get
warmer and the afternoon winds pick up, the foxtails dry up,
turn a beautiful golden brown, and become the stickers that
love your socks and pant legs. They also raise havoc with
your pets. The characteristic of the foxtail is that it mimics
a porcupine quill, and will migrate in only one direction
after it attaches to the fur or finds its way into an opening.
At Sierra Veterinary Hospital in Carson City, we see several
pets a week that are limping and licking their feet (foxtails
in the paws), shaking their head (foxtails in the ear), gagging
or coughing (foxtails in the throat and tonsils), pawing at
their eye (foxtail under the eyelid), sneezing (foxtails in
the nose), in male dogs foxtails will work into the prepuce
(skin around the penis) and in females foxtails will work
their way into the vulva. There are cases where foxtails have
gotten under the skin and migrated to the lungs, into the
heart, and into the spinal cord.
What can you do to help protect your pet? First rid your
own yard of the foxtails. Be particular where you walk your
dog. If you spot foxtails, go to a different area, though
difficult to do in our environment. When the wind blows, the
stickers will settle into your yard and you need to be on
constant foxtail patrol and pick up. Make it a habit to check
your pet at the end of the day and brush the fur for foxtails
(good time to inspect for ticks, too). It is a good idea to
clip the hair between the toes and on the paws, similar to
a poodle cut, but just the feet, to help keep foxtails out
and make it easier to spot stickers before they enter the
skin.
Once a foxtail has penetrated the skin or passed through
an opening such as an ear, it needs to be removed. If it cannot
be removed with your pet awake, sedation or anesthesia may
be necessary to allow for deep probing. Although it seems
hard to believe, these can and are life threatening problems
if the foxtail gets into the wrong place.
Cats can get into foxtails, too. They seem to be better than
dogs at grooming and taking care of themselves and the foxtails
don’t seem to cling to their hair in the same fashion.
- Mike Chumrau, DVM
Dr. Mike Chumrau of Sierra Veterinary Hospital, Carson
City, Nevada, graduated from Colorado State University
in 1979, and received a Doctorate Degree in Veterinary
Medicine and Surgery. Dr. Chumrau has practiced veterinary
medicine in Nevada for 26 years.
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