Foxtail

Kismet here. I want to give all my doggy friends and their people a great big head’s up about something we just found out the hard way!

foxtail seeds

West of the Mississippi, there lives a type of weed that can be downright dangerous, even fatal, if not avoided. It is called foxtail,  and as pretty and fluffy as it looks, this weed packs a wallup of pain!

Mommy’s not sure where I picked it up, but I know when we were in Utah, Chance rolled in some weeds and ended up with little sharp barbs all over him. Diddy and Mommy had to comb them out of his fur and pull them out with tweezers. Well, I musta gotten one in my paw-pad and didn’t tell them, and while I was in boarding for a week with Roxie while the others were sailing, I got an infection and the big sharp barb dug itself through my foot.

after the attack of the killer weeds!When Mommy and Diddy picked me up, my foot was all swollen and painful, so they took me immediately to the closest vet, who diagnosed the problem. She explained that the barbs can enter any opening in a dog-ears, nose, butt, or they can even inhale them. Once the seed enters, it moves through the body and like a fish hohok, is not easily removable because of the barbs. They have been known to enter the brains, lungs and other organs and kill dogs dead.

the Dreaded Cone of Shame

Chance sympathizing. He remembers "the cone", too!

The vet wanted to do surgery, but, hey, I’m no spring chicken, and mommy did not want me to be sedated, so the vet removed the barb and cleaned up my foot, and I had to take icky medicine. But worst of all–i had to wear the Cone Of Shame!!!  Roxie and Chance laughed and laughed, but I reminded them both of when they have had to wear them, too!!

I’m better now, but much more cautious of where I go. So be careful, pups, it’s a jungle out there!