{"id":546,"date":"2025-05-15T09:00:17","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T16:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sfspca.org\/protect-your-pet-from-the-dangers-of-foxtails\/"},"modified":"2025-07-09T09:41:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T16:41:13","slug":"protect-your-pet-from-the-dangers-of-foxtails","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sfspca.org\/blog\/protect-your-pet-from-the-dangers-of-foxtails\/","title":{"rendered":"Protecting Your Pet From Foxtails"},"content":{"rendered":"

Foxtails, a common weed, tend to grow during the spring and summer. This plant may look harmless, but it can cause serious harm to your pet. Foxtails have a sharp, barbed tip that can hook into an animal\u2019s skin and cause severe damage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our veterinary team sees many pets (especially dogs) with painful foxtail injuries. The most common thing our team sees is when the barbed portion of the plant works its way between toes or into ears and noses.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What makes foxtails so dangerous?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The barbed tip of a foxtail can easily get stuck in your pet\u2019s body. Once inside, it can continue to move deeper and cause infections or other serious problems. <\/span>The most dangerous exposure to foxtails happens if a dog inhales a foxtail, such as when\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0running through a field with\u00a0an open mouth. If this happens, the foxtail can travel into the lungs and become life-threatening. This case is uncommon, but\u00a0very\u00a0dangerous.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The most common places for foxtails to get stuck are:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n