The danger lurking in your back yard.

Spring is here and the winter rains have nourished the land bringing lots of green living things to Arizona! But in with all that beautiful green is something that can be dangerous to your pet…foxtails. Foxtails are a weed that seem to grow everywhere in the spring time. Chances are good that you have foxtails growing in your back yard right now. Once they dry out, each individual piece blows away and they get everywhere! They have little barbs on them and stick to your pets fur. They can get into their ears, in their eyes causing ulcers, in between their toes causing festering sores, in to their tonsils, on females they can get into their vulva when they urinate and I’ve even seen one get inside the penis of a male cat. Foxtails, once they enter the body, will migrate further in because of their barbs, and cause irritation, sores, festering tracks, and a lot of pain and discomfort to your pet. If you suspect your pet has a foxtail, it is important to bring him or her to see us as soon as possible so it can be removed. Things you can do to try and prevent foxtails from being a problem in your pet include ridding your yard of weeds, checking your pet for foxtails each time they go outside, and for long haired pets, keeping them trimmed, especially around the toes and ears to try and prevent foxtails from getting tangled in their fur. Foxtails can be quite a nuisance so we hope this helps you to keep your pet foxtail free this spring!