Your dog comes barreling in from the yard, and something is wrong. They’re limping, shaking their head, or pawing at one ear. You look them over, but you can’t find anything.
No cut. No thorn. Nothing obvious.
So what happened?
It could be a foxtail. These barbed grass seed heads can become embedded in a dog’s paws, ears, nose, eyes, or skin. In some cases, they can migrate into deeper tissues, causing inflammation, infection, or an abscess.
What Are Foxtails?
Foxtails are the seed heads of certain grasses and other plants. They get their name from their elongated, bristly appearance, which resembles a fox’s tail.
As these plants mature and dry out, their seed heads can break apart and attach to animals that brush against them. Dogs are particularly susceptible because they frequently explore grassy areas with their noses, paws, and mouths.
What Do Foxtail Plants Look Like?
Foxtail grasses have elongated, fuzzy-looking seed heads that typically become tan or golden as they dry. They may be found in tall grass, along trails, in fields, and in overgrown areas.
Foxtails become particularly concerning once the seed heads have dried and hardened. At this stage, the individual awns can readily detach from the plant and become caught in a dog’s fur or embedded in the skin.
Why Are Foxtails Dangerous for Dogs?
Foxtails have tiny, backward-pointing structures that can make them difficult to remove once they become embedded. Their shape and barbs can allow them to migrate farther into tissue rather than easily working their way back out.
Once inside the body, a foxtail can cause inflammation and tissue damage. A retained foxtail may also become associated with a secondary bacterial infection, abscess, or draining wound.
Foxtails can enter through the skin or through natural openings such as the ear canal, nose, mouth, and eye. In some cases, they can migrate farther into the body, including into deeper tissues or body cavities. Rarely, migration can result in serious or life-threatening disease.
Where Do Foxtails Get Stuck on Dogs?
Foxtails can become lodged in several different parts of a dog’s body. Dogs may step on them, inhale them, or ingest them, allowing the seed to enter through the paws, nose, mouth, or other openings.
In a study of 754 dogs with confirmed foxtail foreign bodies, the most common locations were the ear canal, cutaneous or subcutaneous tissues, and nasal canal.
Foxtail Symptoms in Dogs
Foxtail symptoms vary depending on where the seed becomes lodged. Some dogs develop signs soon after exposure, while others may not show obvious symptoms until inflammation or infection develops.
Foxtail in a Dog’s Paw - Foxtails commonly become embedded between a dog’s toes or in the skin of the paw. A dog may suddenly begin limping or licking and chewing at one foot. Initially, there may be little to see externally. Swelling, a painful lump, or a draining wound may develop later if the foxtail remains embedded.
Foxtail in a Dog’s Ear - A foxtail can enter the ear canal and cause sudden irritation and pain. Dogs may shake their heads repeatedly, scratch at the affected ear, or rub the side of their face against furniture or the floor. Some dogs may also hold their head at an unusual angle. Because a foxtail in the ear can be painful and difficult to visualize or safely grasp, suspected ear foreign bodies should be evaluated by a veterinarian rather than explored at home.
Foxtail in a Dog’s Nose - Dogs can inhale foxtails while sniffing through dry grass. A foxtail lodged in the nasal passage can cause repeated sneezing, pawing at the nose, or discharge from one nostril. Sudden, persistent sneezing after exposure to dry grass is a reason to consider a nasal foreign body such as a foxtail.
Foxtail in a Dog’s Eye - A foxtail can become trapped around the eye or beneath an eyelid. Because the surface of the eye is extremely sensitive, even a small foreign body can cause significant irritation. Signs may include squinting, excessive tearing, redness, or repeated pawing at the eye.
Foxtail in a Dog’s Mouth, Throat, or Chest - Dogs can ingest or inhale foxtails, allowing them to become lodged in the mouth, throat, or respiratory tract. In some cases, plant material can migrate farther into the chest. Depending on its location, a foxtail may cause coughing, gagging, drooling, difficulty swallowing, or difficulty breathing. Deep migration into the chest or other body cavities can cause more serious disease and may require advanced imaging, endoscopy, or surgery.
Foxtail Under the Skin - A foxtail can enter through a small puncture in the skin and become lodged beneath the surface. Once there, it may cause inflammation and can potentially migrate through surrounding tissues. A painful lump, swelling, abscess, or draining wound may develop. Because the foxtail itself may no longer be visible, identifying the underlying foreign body can sometimes be challenging.
What to Do If You Find a Foxtail on Your Dog
If you find a foxtail on your dog, what you should do depends on whether it is simply caught in the coat or has become embedded.
When You Can Remove a Foxtail at Home
If a foxtail is clearly visible and loosely caught in your dog’s hair coat, you can gently remove it.
Afterward, inspect your dog carefully for additional foxtails, paying particular attention to the paws, between the toes, ears, armpits, groin, and other areas where foxtails can become trapped.
If you are not certain that the entire foxtail has been removed, contact your veterinarian. Retained plant material can continue to cause problems.
When Not to Remove a Foxtail Yourself
Do not dig into your dog’s skin or attempt to remove a foxtail from the ear, nose, eye, or mouth yourself.
If the foxtail has broken off, become partially embedded, or disappeared beneath the skin, attempting to retrieve it can cause additional tissue trauma or push the foreign material deeper.
Foreign bodies in sensitive areas such as the eye, ear canal, or respiratory tract may also require specialized equipment or sedation for safe removal.
When to Call Your Veterinarian
Contact your veterinarian if you cannot easily remove the entire foxtail or if you suspect that it has entered your dog’s skin, ear, nose, eye, or mouth.
You should also make an appointment if your dog continues to have any symptoms after a loose foxtail has been removed.
For eye problems, contact your veterinarian promptly if your dog is squinting, keeping an eye closed, or repeatedly pawing at their face.
If your dog has difficulty breathing, severe difficulty swallowing, or other signs of a respiratory emergency, seek immediate veterinary care.
How Veterinarians Diagnose and Treat Foxtails in Dogs
Diagnosing a foxtail is not always straightforward. If the foxtail is visible and accessible, a veterinarian may be able to identify and remove it during a physical examination. Once it has entered beneath the skin or migrated into deeper tissue, however, there may be no visible evidence of the foreign body.
Your veterinarian will consider your dog’s symptoms, physical examination findings, and history of exposure. Depending on where the foxtail is suspected to be located, diagnostic tools such as an otoscope, ultrasound, X-rays, computed tomography (CT), endoscopy, or other imaging may be used to help identify the foreign body or the changes it has caused. In some cases, surgical exploration may be necessary.
Once a foxtail is located, your veterinarian can remove it using appropriate instruments. Depending on its location and how deeply it has migrated, sedation or anesthesia may be necessary to allow the veterinarian to safely locate and remove the foreign material while minimizing discomfort.
If the foxtail has caused an abscess or secondary infection, the affected area may also need to be cleaned, drained, or treated with appropriate medication.
Because foxtails can migrate and may be difficult to locate once they move deeper into the body, early diagnosis and removal are important. Retained plant material can allow inflammation or infection to persist or recur.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Foxtail Removal in Dogs?
Foxtail treatment may be covered by pet insurance when the condition meets the terms of the individual policy.
With Embrace dog insurance, foxtail removal is generally considered treatment for an accident and may be covered under an accident plan, subject to the policy’s terms, conditions, exclusions, deductible, and reimbursement limits.
A foxtail can be surprisingly expensive if it requires more than a simple removal. Depending on where the foxtail is located, your dog may need sedation or anesthesia, diagnostic imaging such as X-rays or ultrasound, or treatment for an infection or abscess.
How to Prevent Foxtails in Dogs
You cannot always avoid foxtails, but a few simple habits can reduce your dog’s risk.
Check Your Dog After Time Outdoors
After walks or playtime in tall, dry grass, run your hands over your dog’s coat and check their paws, between their toes, ears, armpits, groin, and other areas where foxtails can become trapped.
Remove any loose foxtails before they have an opportunity to become embedded.
For dogs with longer hair, keeping the hair around the feet and between the toes trimmed can also make foxtails easier to spot.
Keep Foxtails Out of Your Yard
For pet-friendly lawn care, keep grass and weeds trimmed and remove foxtail plants before the seed heads dry and harden.
When possible, avoid allowing your dog to roam through areas containing tall, dry grass, particularly during periods when foxtails are prevalent.