05/21/2025
ITโS HERE โฆ FOXTAIL SEASONโผ๏ธ ๐
๐๐ค๐ญ๐ฉ๐๐๐ก๐จ are spiked seed clusters found on some w**d plants + wild grassesโฆ
and a serious danger to dogs; their barbed awns can easily pe*****te the skin, leading to infections, abscesses, and other complications.
Thanks to its shape, which is intended to burrow seeds into the soil, once the foxtail is in the body it cannot reverse direction and come out on its own. Over time, embedded foxtails can work their way through tissues, sometimes even migrating into the brain, lungs, and other vital organs. ๐ฅด
๐๐๐ซ๐โ๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ค ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฌ:
๐คฒ ๐ฆ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Foxtails can embed themselves in the skin, causing pain, swelling, and infection. They can also migrate under the skin, leading to abscesses.
๐๐๐ป๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Inhaled foxtails can travel through the respiratory system, causing sneezing, coughing, and even pneumonia.
๐๏ธ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ: Foxtails can enter the eye, causing pain, swelling, and discharge.
๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐: If you notice your dog shaking his head, tilting it to the side, or scratching nonstop at their ear, it could be a sign of an embedded foxtail. The seed can move deep inside your dogโs ear canal making it impossible to detect without your vetโs help.
๐พ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐: Foxtail seeds fall to the ground, and your dog can easily step on them. Once that happens, the seeds can embed themselves between your dogโs toes. Check for foxtails if you notice swelling or limping or if your dog is constantly licking their feet.
๐ซ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐: In severe cases, foxtails can migrate to vital organs like the lungs or even the brain, leading to life-threatening complications.
๐ฆ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Once embedded, foxtails can carry bacteria and cause serious infections.
If you notice a foxtail seed on your dog, remove it using tweezers in the same manner as removing a tick, before it burrows in. If you donโt know how to do this or if you suspect the foxtail is already embedded inside your dogโs body, take them to the veterinarian.
