Foxtails Potentially Lethal To Pets

Most dogs love going on walks with their humans, or running around outside in the grass. When a dog has the freedom to sniff anything they want and frolic around in nature to their heart’s content, they seem to be at their happiest.

But if your pooch is in an unfamiliar area with tall grass or grass that looks like what’s in the images below, please be careful. All pet parents needs to be aware of this dangerous and common grass: foxtail.

It’s a tall grass with sharp, pointy tips that’s primarily found in the western parts of the U.S. For curious puppers, it can cause injury or even death.

Dogs with upright ears or long coats have a higher chance of getting nabbed by the vicious grass.

Foxtails have bristly appendages sometimes refereed to as grass awns that can lodge into a pet’s skin. If a dog goes running through an area with this type of grass, these bristly awns can swiftly stick to them and burrow into the soft tissues of their body, causing an incredible amount of pain.

Because they can be hidden by long fur or quickly dig into a dog’s ears or nose, this grass can be easily missed by pet owners.

Dogs who’ve been exposed to foxtail may show symptoms like pawing at their eyes and shaking their head violently. Be on the lookout for infections or abscesses that seem to crop up out of nowhere.

It’s important for all pet owners to be vigilant when taking their dogs to new and unfamiliar areas; this includes hiking trails, mountainous areas, vacant lots, open fields, landfills, and even along roadsides.

This grass is no joke, and the effect it can have on our fur babies can be devastating.

If you’re going to be in an unfamiliar area with your pet, take notice of your surroundings, and check your pupper’s fur, ears, paws, and nose after you leave the area.

Please pass along this info to the pet owners you know. You could save an animal’s life by spreading awareness about this lethal grass.

To learn more about foxtail, take a look at this clip.

This story originally appeared at Goodfullness.