08/20/2024
Late summer/early fall is a fantastic time to spend outside with your furry friend. Beware of Foxtail, also known as grass awns! These pesky pieces of a common w**d are the seed of the Foxtail grass and easily get stuck in long hair and crevices. Foxtails are common in grassy areas, as the w**d sheds its seeds and attach with tinny barbs and a sharp point to anyone passing by.
These seeds are commonly found lodged between toes, in the ears, the eyes and up the nose. The barbs and sharp point, allow the seed to burrow under the skin, causing painful abscesses, draining wounds, and they can even cause lung or brain damage. Denver Animal Protection’s veterinary clinic has removed several grass awns this summer, most of them lodged in skin of long coated dogs, but also from a cat and even from a dogs tonsils, which caused a giant abscess on the dogs neck. That’s a tiny seed that causes a big problem!
After walks, check your animal's eyes, ears and feet for any grass awns. Watch for symptoms such as:
• Squinting, eye discharge and redness of the eye
• Shaking or pawing at the ears
• Limping, redness, swelling between toes and licking at feet
If you find a grass awn, remove it right away and contact your vet if you notice any of the above symptoms.
