What happens if your dog eats a foxtail?
Foxtails embedded in the dog’s or cat’s mouth and throat will cause a retching cough, gagging, salivation and possibly compulsive grass eating. If your pet stretches his neck to swallow, get immediate medical advice.
The roughness of the foxtail can cause significant damage to the cornea in a short amount of time. Your pet may paw at their eye, but you may not be able to see the foxtail if it has lodged beneath their eyelid. 3. Your dog may even swallow a foxtail, causing him to gag, retch, cough, eat grass, stretch his neck and swallow repeatedly.
What to do if your cat gets a foxtail?
The most common place foxtails cause problems in cats is eyes, most likely because this is one area they cannot groom. In the event that your pet comes into contact with a foxtail-infested area, be sure to examine their entire body, especially the undersides of the paws between the toes, the armpits, stomach and inside the ears.
When is the best time to get rid of Foxtails?
The greatest foxtail problem occurs in California. Foxtails are most troublesome to dog and cat owners in the late spring and summer in drier climates because this is when they come loose from the plant and “look for” a place to bury themselves.
What kind of grass is a fox tail?
At first glance foxtails, referred to in some regions as cheat grass, seem innocent enough. But beyond that innocent exterior lurks a menace that can easily wreak havoc with your dog or cat’s health. Foxtails are simply fox-tail shaped clusters of seeds on the stalks of certain types of grasses.
What happens if a cat eats a foxtail?
Foxtails sometimes become lodged in the eyes, as mentioned above; this is the most susceptible area in cats. This will cause tearing, squinting, and mucous discharge and can present pink eye or conjunctivitis symptoms. The roughness of the foxtail can cause significant damage to the cornea in a short amount of time.
Where does a foxtail get into a dog?
The result can be a very sick dog. The degree of illness depends on the area of the body where the foxtail entered and the amount of damage it has caused. Foxtails can enter the nasal passages, eyes, ears and mouth, and can work their way into the dog’s lungs, along the backbone and into many other locations throughout the body.
Is the foxtail plant harmful to your dog?
But outdoors in that serene environment may lurk a seemingly harmless weed that can literally wreak havoc on your dog’s health: the foxtail plant. What Is A Foxtail? Foxtail plant is a grass-like weed that’s prevalent throughout much of the Western United States.
What happens if a foxtail gets in your throat?
Throat: If a foxtail becomes lodged in the throat, it will usually stick behind the tonsils and cause a dry, hacking cough, gagging, and/or frequent hard swallowing. The pet may also continuously stretch his neck forward as he gags.
