{"id":2079,"date":"2026-05-01T18:14:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T01:14:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sbahvet.com\/blog\/?p=2079"},"modified":"2026-04-30T18:18:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T01:18:48","slug":"foxtails-and-foreign-bodies-a-common-spring-emergency-in-dogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sbahvet.com\/blog\/foxtails-and-foreign-bodies-a-common-spring-emergency-in-dogs\/","title":{"rendered":"Foxtails and Foreign Bodies: A Common Spring Emergency in Dogs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Spring brings sunshine, longer walks<\/a>, and fields full of waving grass. Hidden among that greenery, however, is a seasonal hazard many dog owners have never heard of until it causes trouble: foxtail<\/a>. This invasive, annual grass produces grass awns, which are small, spiky seed heads with backward-pointing barbs that allow them to move forward but not backward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designed to burrow, foxtails cling to fur and work their way into skin, ears, noses, and paws. Once embedded, they do not break down naturally. Instead, they continue to migrate, creating painful infections and serious complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grass awns in dogs can quickly turn an ordinary outing into a medical emergency. In this blog, our team<\/a> shares valuable tips to help you protect your dog from the health hazards of foxtails and other forms of grass awns in dogs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Where Foxtails Cause the Most Trouble<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Because of their shape, foxtails are infamous for lodging in sensitive spots, particularly between the toes when dogs walk through tall grass. These prickly awns pierce the skin and travel deeper, quickly becoming a painful foreign body in dog paw tissue.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other high-risk areas include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n