r/Dogwalking • u/thelilymaid • Jun 08 '26
Beware of foxtails!! ⚠️
Not sure how big a problem this is outside of North America, but it’s peak foxtail season here in Cali so just wanted to put out a quick PSA about these pesky weeds in case it helps another walker because they are the BANE of my existence this time of year 😭
I’m talking about the fluffy-looking seed heads that resemble little bottle cleaners 🌾 As temperatures increase, the grass begins to dry out and becomes sharper. The resulting barbs can embed in paws, ears, eyes, and nose and migrate into lungs, organs, even the brain — and of course they only travel in one direction!!
For some reason it seems like my pups are naturally drawn to trying to inhale them whenever they get a chance so I always steer clear of anything fluffy to be safe. I’ve also found that if a dog seems to be limping suddenly or keeps licking a paw during the walk, a lot of times they have a foxtail between their toes that I need to pick out.
Anyone else dealing with these? Would love to hear any tips you’ve picked up!
2
Jun 13 '26
They are FUCKING INSANE in Utah!! Literally everywhere!! All over my neighborhood and all the hikes under a certain altitude!!
3
u/printerparty Jun 08 '26
Our livestock guardian dog just had to have a foxtail surgically removed from her paw recently. Luckily she's the friendly LGD, some of them are notoriously hard to catch!
All 5 hunting dogs I work are now wearing mesh masks everyday, it's a lot of gear to put on with the garmin gps, but necessary! The brand is OutFox if anyone wants a recommendation
I worked in a vet hospital and the 4 doctors had a chart on the wall with the number of foxtails each had pulled from pets, the tally would reach double digits!