foxtails

Your Pet: Beware of the Foxtails California has been invaded by foreigners. Yes, that’s right; our state is full of non- native animals and plants. Our streams and lakes are full of non-native game fish in fact, there are more non-native than native. Bullfrogs fill environments once teaming with native frogs. Possums run through neighborhoods throughout the state. Evidence of invasion can be found everywhere and nowhere is it more evident than the plant population. And amongst these plants lives a group of grasses that are the scourge for our canine and sometimes feline companions. They are the foxtail grasses. Foxtails are a group of several different species of non-native grasses that have invaded California. In fact, there are very few areas of California where native grasses can be found at all. There are many reasons for this phenomenon none of which need be discussed here but realize that foxtails are the enemy. Most of these grasses come from Africa and were brought over for landscaping purposes only to escape into the natural environment and take over. They seem to be everywhere and this year they are especially prolific owing to the amount of late rain we have been having. We must beware! As our environment begins to dry out or should I say “if” our environment dries out, these foxtail grasses dry out too becoming golden tan in color. At this stage they easily release their seed products which are bullet shaped and covered with sharp tiny barbs. These are the actual foxtails. They can stick to our companions and find every orifice available to enter. They can even drill through the skin and penetrate into the body. In my experience I have taken them out of ears, noses, throats, feet, legs, chest walls, vaginas, rectums and the list goes on. Bailey was one of my latest case and spawned my reason for writing on this subject today. Bailey is a seven year old Golden retriever that lives with her family indoors at night and in the backyard during the daytime. She had developed a cough and a fever by the time I saw her. Radiographs revealed a consolidated area in one of her lung lobes and a needle sample from the area showed evidence of a bacterial infection. On discussion with Bailey’s caretakers, it was revealed that there were foxtails growing in the backyard and we became strongly suspicious that she inhaled a foxtail into her lungs. She did improve clinically with antibiotic therapy but her symptoms returned when therapy was stopped. Rather than go onto long term antibiotic therapy, we elected to go into Bailey’s chest surgically and remove the portion of the lung that was consolidated. It indeed contained a single foxtail. I am happy to say that Bailey has completely recovered. This case serves to illustrate one of the potential problems associated with foxtails. Be aware as you take your companions out for walks or travels anywhere these vicious grasses might be lurking. And by all means make sure you eliminate them from your yards. This is not as simple as mowing them down by they way. You must pick them up and dispose of them otherwise your dog could go along the freshly mowed foxtails and suck one up his nose or….into his lungs.