Foxtails & Spring Hazards

If You Live in or Around Scarsdale, NY, You Should Know about This Dangerous Plant

Central Animal Hospital serves the pets of Scarsdale, NY, with quality and gentle veterinary care. We see too many pets get into trouble each year after romping through a seemingly safe looking field. If you think your pets have seeds of any sort in their respiratory systems, if they are coughing up blood, acting off, or have visible seeds on their skin, then please contact your local veterinary clinic as soon as possible for care.

What Are Foxtails? 

Foxtail is a grass that is mainly in the Western part of the US, but it has been reported in other regions. Most people consider it a weed because it is so prolific, dangerous to pets, and its seeds spread easily. The seeds themselves are what pose a danger to dogs and cats.

If you and your pet are traveling out of NY to the western states where the grass is more common, you should know the risks, and you should also know what to watch out for in your own area.  Foxtail grass looks a little like wheat grass, but when its little seeds attach to your pet, they are not easily dislodged and they have been known to travel into the respiratory system, eyes, reproductive system, and even the brain of dogs and cats, causing a plethora of complications.

Contact Us for More Information about the Foxtail and What to Do if Your Pet Gets in a Mess of Them

If your dog or cat is acting unusual after being outside, or if you actually see the seeds from this plant on your pets’ fur or around their faces, call us at Central Animal Hospital. We serve Scarsdale, NY, with quality veterinary care. We treat pets with injuries from this plant often. Call us today, 914-723-1250.