Foxtails in dogs and cats: signs and prevention

Why a foxtail does not come out on its own

UC Davis describes foxtails as seed clusters with small spikes pointing the same way, designed to burrow into soil. They are most dangerous in summer, when they dry out and harden, but in warm climates cases occur all year. Once in the body they cannot reverse direction: they can migrate through tissue and, rarely, reach organs such as the lungs or brain.

Problems are more common in dogs than in cats. A UC Davis veterinary hospital study of 791 confirmed cases over ten years included 754 dogs and 37 cats, mostly young to middle-aged and seen in the summer months.12

Where they lodge and which signs to watch

In the study dogs the most common sites were the ear canal, the skin and subcutaneous tissue, and the nose; in cats it was the eye area, in 30 of 37 cases.

Signs depend on the site. Nose or throat: persistent sneezing, snorting, nasal discharge, head shaking or tilting, pawing at the face, gagging. Paw: limping. Near the eye: uncontrolled blinking and swelling. Licking one particular spot can also be a clue. If the area becomes infected, fever, swelling, lethargy, poor appetite, abscesses or small open sores may follow. These signs can have other causes too: knowing your pet has been in dry grass helps the veterinarian.21

What you can do and what needs a veterinarian

Removal is the only treatment. If you find a foxtail resting on the coat or barely attached and easy to reach, you can take it out with tweezers, checking that the whole seed head has come out: remaining fragments can keep migrating. If you think a piece is left, or the foxtail is embedded in the skin with redness or swelling, stop and take your pet to a veterinarian. Do not try to remove what you cannot see clearly.

To find it, the veterinarian may use examination, blood tests, ultrasound, X-rays, CT, endoscopy and sometimes surgery. Short-term outcome is good in most cases and most can be managed as outpatients; a minority develop serious complications that need further imaging and surgery.12

Prevention in the dry season

The best prevention is avoiding areas where foxtails grow, especially in summer: stick to paved or well-trodden paths and keep your dog on a leash if you must cross long grass. Keep the hair between the toes, on the ears and on the belly trimmed, particularly in long-haired dogs. After every outing, groom your pet and check the toes, ears, armpits and groin. Face nets protect only the head, so they do not replace body checks. In your garden, you can pull out the plants.1