For those of you who aren’t familiar with grass awns (colloquially called foxtails), I recommend that you check the link above. Foxtails aren’t present in every locale. But in areas where they grow, foxtails are public enemy number one as far as pets are concerned.

Foxtails occur where long grass (especially wild barley) has gone to seed and dried. They are sharp, irritating plant parts that can embed in the socks of hikers, or in virtually any body part of a pet. If a foxtail works its way into a pet’s ear, he may shake his head violently, rub the ear, or whine when the ear is touched. In the nose, foxtails cause violent sneezing. Foxtails embedded in eyes cause phenomenal pain, squinting, and swelling. In the skin, they cause bleeding, swelling, hair loss, and excessive licking.

Regardless of location, embedded foxtails are painful and have the potential to migrate to distant parts of the body. And once one is embedded, you’ll be looking at a costly vet bill to search for it. Removal is not guaranteed.

My advice: learn whether foxtails are present in your area. If they are, learn what they look like. And then, avoid them like the plague! If you let your pet roam through tall, dry seeded grass, you may end up in the waiting room of a veterinary emergency clinic–nobody’s favorite place to pass time.

Photo from great Dog Owner’s Guide to California Foxtail

 
]]> http://blogs.dogster.com/vet_blog_information_advice/northern-hemisphere-alert-its-foxtail-season/feed/ 15 http://blogs.dogster.com/vet_blog_information_advice/what-causes-itchy-ears/ http://blogs.dogster.com/vet_blog_information_advice/what-causes-itchy-ears/#comments Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:02:17 +0000 Dr. Eric Barchas, DVM http://blogs.dogster.com/vet_blog_information_advice/what-causes-itchy-ears/ I have a toy Poodle. His name is Batman and he has
itchy ears. Could they be to dry? I checked and there
are no mites, but his ears bother him constantly.
What would you recomend I do for his ears?
Thank you,

Kimberley
Pataskala, OH

Dogs with itchy ears may scratch their ears with their hind feet, rub their ears on the ground, or shake their head violently and repeatedly. A number of problems may cause ears to itch.

Allergies are a leading cause of itchy ears in dogs. Dogs may be allergic to fleas, food, or environmental substances such as pollen. Many dogs with allergies suffer from skin problems as well as ear problems, but for some dogs itchy ears are the only symptom.

Ear infections are another common cause of ear itching. Infected ears may also produce a foul odor, and redness or abnormal discharge from the ear may occur.

Foreign objects such as foxtails may lodge in ears and cause intense irritation. And there are many other problems that may lead to symptoms of itching. Plugs of ear wax that form near the ear drum, polyps that grow in the ear canal and mites that infest the ear are just a few.

The long and short of the matter is this: a veterinarian should examine Batman. The itching can only be treated after you know what is causing it.