Comments on: I hate foxtails

By: hybridlvr

hybridlvr — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 01:24:03 +0000

Just wanted to share something that has worked for us. After 5 trips to the vet—general anestehsia each time—for foxtails in the ears and nose, we discovered that there is a solution:

http://outfoxfieldguard.com/Home.html

Our puppy may not be winning any beauty contests in the open space, but he’s not getting ^%$# foxtails up the nose anymore.

By: Chritine

Chritine — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 16:17:12 +0000

Maybe this site is not operative but I am making some comments. I live in chicago have 2 dogs one a cocker and one a min pin. there are some parks we like to go to just for a long walk. I read an article in Bark magazine, Summer 2010. The story about Foxails sent a chill through me. I am a gardener and have several grasses growing one in the front yard seems to be a fuzzy tail like type. The “head or Tail” has seeds but are not as densely pacted as the Hordeum murinum/fox tail I have seen pictured in an online source of wikipedia.org. Scarey to me now as I know that garden shops will sell plants that can be very invasive and toxic to dogs and cats. I had plants before the dogs. before the dogs had a chance to really get into the plants I did some research using the various names each plant seems to have and dug up or relocated ones that I could identify. I am hopeful that good health has retured to your dogs.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:50:55 +0000

One more thing (for Barb): Ask for a payment plan with the vet. It’s not going to resolve itself without intervention. What I’ve learned is tha the bacteria associated with the foxtail will pretty much destroy the poor gal’s insides and cause suffering you can’t see from just the snorting, etc. I’m sorry.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:44:53 +0000

Thanks for a well-written piece that describes the anguish of dog-lovers. We just got Samson back from the UC Davis Vet Med Teaching Hospital. He went through Hell (and emegency surgery & six days of hospitalization); we are grateful for good vets and that we noticed early on, “Something’s not right.” His insides were ravaged by the bacteria and the surgical team never did find the nasty little barb causing it all—only the bacteria. We have become experts on spotting the deadly weed, but I agree the genetic engineers of the world need to wipe this out, the mosquito of the dog world. By the way, You-Know-Who, when you have muscular, beautiful field & water dogs, it’s cruel to make ‘em live on a sofa. As the surgeon said, “You can’t make ‘em live in a bubble.” Thanks to all for interesting letters.

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:17:03 +0000

I spent in the range of $3K, with three surgeries to dig a foxtail out of McKenzie. And a piece of it is still there, thankfully walled off in a permanent lump.

Sorry to say, foxtails do NOT wash out. The are designed to go in a forward direction only. I do not know what to say about your dog, Barb, but a physical intervention by a veterinarian will likely be necessary to resolve this issue.

Foxtails are Teh Evil.

By: Snoopys Friend

Snoopys Friend — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:12:08 +0000

I only train in Urban areas because I hate foxtails and simply cannot afford the risk inherent in fields. When I look at a field I shudder knowing it equates to “Foxtails.” So my Coonhounds are good Urban trackers because I learned from the bad experience of others not to let my dogs out and about where the Foxtails grow. And I keep my dogs away from the river for the same reason.

Of course this is just my personal preference.

By: Barb Webb

Barb Webb — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:01:04 +0000

Hi,
My 15 yr old Annie we are sure has foxtail in her nose from a trip we made fishing in Eastern Washington. She loves to go ferreting out patridges in the bushes and I was not aware of foxtail and its dangers. We have taken her to the vet twice and he has tried antibiotics and prednisone (which makes her crazy but at least stopped the bleeding) but our vet doesn’t have a endoscope to do a rhinoscopy and not many places I have come to find out do and we were told it would be $1200 just to do the procedure with out any guarantees. Unfortunately our financial situation is such that we can not afford to do that right now, and it is very hard to see our girl not be able to breath and be snorting, snarfing and uncomfortable. Is there ever a possibility that this thing will work itself out or go away on it’s own. If it has been in there for a long time, is it possible to flush it out?

At this point, I don’t know what we will do.

Thanks for your help, after reading this sight, I’m even more depressed.

By: Dennis the Vizsla

Dennis the Vizsla — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:21:39 +0000

Oh, yeah. Foxtails are 100%. Pure. Evil.

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:09:24 +0000

More than two years later … and we STILL HATE FOXTAILS!!!

By: K. B.

K. B. — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:01:51 +0000

“If the problem is on your own lot, I’d suggest going out with a sprayer loaded with Roundup once a month until you fight it to a draw.”

Comment by Don — May 21, 2007 @ 3:32 pm

Foxtails (and there is more than one species) are one of the most common weeds in North America. A study done by some co-workers showed that green foxtail (Setaria viridis) was present in almost every farm field they surveyed in Western Canada over a 10-year period.

Wanna tell me how the hell you Round-up that?

You can effectively control foxtail in your own yard (mowing is the easiest, since it prevents the seed heads, and thus the awns from forming). However, we cannot prevent foxtail from growing in the first place, and we cannot prevent it from setting seed in any un-mowed area - along train tracks, ditches, field edges, etc. The best way to prevent foxtail injury is to check the dog after exposure in an area with foxtails, and to keep in mind the possibility of foxtail injury if the dog starts sneezing, scratching at an ear, etc.