Foxtail - A grass which sting !

"We will forget the sun in his jealous sky as we lie in the field of gold" - Sting.

Do you enjoy the summer and outdoor activities like walking or playing with your fur-kids in the field of lustrous green grass or wild grasses shining like gold in the sun? If, yes then the fields of wild barley (foxtail grass) might also have mesmerized you and successfully deceived you with its innocuous look but once you become a pet owner you could see the macabre side of the same grass which gives you an obnoxious feeling linked with pain and injury.

During the summer, we enjoy most of our time in outdoor activities like walking or playing with our fur-kids in lustrous green grass or field of wild grasses shining like gold in the sun. Till we do not have pets the wild barley fields (foxtail grass) always mesmerize us in the summer and it successfully deceives us with its innocuous look but once we become a pet owner we could see the macabre side of the same grass which gives us an obnoxious feeling linked with pain and injury.

What is foxtail grass and its distribution?

Foxtail grass is a weed that is widely distributed in parts of South East Asia, Europe and North America. In India, it is popular as Kangni. It pops up its head proudly during summers. Generally, it consists of a bunch of seeds with their spikes facing upward and resembles to the foxtail. Most of the time we ignore it even if it is excessively present around us. We could spot it in the parks, lawns, trails, fields or any open area.

Why should we be petrified of the foxtail grass?

Not all foxtail grasses are perilous in fact some of them are even popularly cultivated. Most of the menacing foxtail grasses fall under the genus Hordeum e.g., Hordeum jubatum.

Seedhead of this grass also known as awns has quirky barbs which get lodged irreversibly and progress forward into tissues and internal organs after entering through nostrils, eyes, ears, mouth, paws, toes, vagina, or anus. Due to its penetration and migration, it causes painful, infectious wounds on the skin and abscesses in vital organs. In a spine, the spinal abscess can cause paralysis while abscesses in the lungs and brain can even result into a life-threatening situation. It is difficult to cure the infection as long as the foxtail is embedded inside a body therefore it is needed to be removed as soon as possible. 

Clinical signs and symptoms according to the route of entry of the foxtail :

1. Ears - Sniveling and trying to move away when you try pat on a dog's head, pawing, head shaking and tilting, inflammation, or any sort of discharge from ears.
2. Paws - Limping, swelling on paws or in between toes, licking paws continuously
3. Nose - Sneezing, coughing or there is discharge from a nose, difficult expiration, and inhalation.
4. Eyes - Swelling, inflamed, irritation in eyes, pawing
5. Genitalia - licking of genitalia and blood-tinged discharge

Treatment :

As soon as you suspect that your pet got a foxtail sting that is not easily removable and embedded deep inside the tissue, you should rush to the nearest veterinary clinic for proper removal of it. If it is ignored or removed inefficiently, it may cause more discomfort and complication to your pet. Your veterinarian will plan the removal of it after taking an X-ray to accurately trace the path of the foxtail awn and the damage it induced inside. Sometimes, it requires surgery or multiple surgeries to find and remove the foxtail, migrated and embedded deep into internal organs. Supportive treatment is given to check the infection and inflammation caused by the foxtail awn.

Prevention :

* Check your yard or lawn for the presence of the foxtail by trimming it or using herbicide to prevent its growth and regrowth.

* Avoid your pets to walk or play in areas where the foxtail grass is present.

* Protect your pet's paws with booties.

* Check pet's coat for the presence of any foxtail awn on it.

* Trim pets hair during the summer to easily spot the foxtail awn or any injury caused by it.

* Examine, groom, and brush your pet regularly especially after returning from a walk

Enjoy your summer with your furry friends without getting stung by the foxtail!