Kelley’s Foxtail Adventure

Tuesday morning, we met our walking friend out by the Sandy River. The grass and weeds along the trail are tall, dry, and golden. The tops of the grasses are turning to seed – sticky, pokey seeds that grab onto clothes and penetrate socks and shoes.

As I tossed a ball along the trail that leads to the river, Kelley bounced the ball into the grass. Diving to retrieve it, she came up sneezing … and sneezing … and sneezing. Violent sneezes that slammed her head from side to side spraying saliva all over her face. My friend and I exchanged glances. Soon Kelley pawed the side of her face and sneezed intensely again. "Oh my," I said, worry tripping into my voice. I imagined one of those poking seed heads that harass my socks slipping up her nose and lodging there.

For ten minutes, Kelley sneezed continuously and then she seemed better. We hoped she expelled whatever bothered her and we continued to the river where she swam for balls with her usual gusto, only sneezing occasionally.

Thursday morning more furious head-whipping sneezes along with a reddening area around the right nostril made it obvious that something was still amiss. By 10 am, Miss Kelley was at the vet's office. In short order, they informed us she'd need to spend the day and be put under, so the doctor could explore her sinus and remove any foreign object. $350 dollars, full anesthesia, and six hours later, we had our information. The culprit was foxtail.

A non-native invasive plant brought to North America from Europe; foxtail is a tufted upright grass with bristled seed-heads. Microscopic barbules along the surface cause the seed head to be propelled forward – usually by the movement of the carrier, in this case Kelley. Like in socks, they lodge within tissues and slowly drive inward, the barbs preventing exit. These invaders can penetrate skin and have been found in the eyes, ears, throats, lungs and other interior tissues of pets and farm animals.

We'll be avoiding that trail to the river till mid-fall. There are plenty of adventure venues we can find that won't involve another trip to the vet – I hope.

If you hike with your dog in dry weedy areas, if you find yourself pulling grassy barbs out of your shoes, pants, or socks, be sure (double sure) to check your dog thoroughly for the nasty little buggers. It could save you a nice chunk of change and save your dog mild to severe suffering.