Foxtails, also called grass awns, are barbed plant seeds that dry out in summer and can burrow into a pet’s paws, ears, eyes, nose, and skin. In Bowness and across NW Calgary, they hide in dry grassy areas along trails and fields. Because their barbs only move forward, embedded awns need veterinary removal, so early recognition matters.
What Are Foxtails and Grass Awns?
Grass awns are the bristly, seed-bearing tips of certain grasses that turn brown and brittle as the weather warms. Each awn is shaped like an arrowhead with tiny backward-facing barbs. Those barbs are the problem. Once an awn catches on fur or slips into a small opening, the barbs act like a one-way ratchet, allowing the seed to travel deeper into the body while making it nearly impossible to work its way back out on its own. During Calgary’s dry summer stretches, grasses along riverside paths, off-leash areas, and vacant lots mature quickly and shed these awns, which cling to passing dogs and cats. What looks like a harmless bit of dried grass can become a genuine medical concern within hours of a walk.
How Awns Get Into Paws, Ears, Eyes, Noses, and Skin
Foxtails are opportunists. The soft webbing between a dog’s toes is one of the most common landing spots, where an awn can pierce the skin and begin tunneling. Floppy or hairy ears trap awns easily, and once inside the ear canal an awn can migrate toward the eardrum. Awns near the face may be sniffed up into a nostril or lodge under an eyelid against the surface of the eye. In longer coats, they work down to the skin along the belly, armpits, and groin. Cats are less often affected than dogs because of their grooming habits and outdoor patterns, but they are not immune, particularly around the ears and eyes. Any pet that spends time in tall, dry grass in the Bowness area can pick one up.
Warning Signs to Watch For
The signs depend on where the awn has settled, and they often appear suddenly after time outdoors. Watch for these patterns:
- Paws: persistent licking or chewing at one foot, limping, or a swollen, weepy bump between the toes.
- Ears: sudden head shaking, tilting the head to one side, or pawing and scratching at an ear.
- Eyes: squinting, redness, watery discharge, or holding an eye closed.
- Nose: violent, repeated sneezing that starts abruptly, sometimes with pawing at the muzzle.
- Skin: a draining sore, a soft lump, or a spot your pet keeps returning to.
If you notice any of these signs after a walk in dry grassy areas, it is worth a closer look and, in many cases, a call to our team. Left alone, an awn can keep moving and lead to infection or an abscess.
Why Embedded Awns Need Veterinary Removal
An awn you can see caught in the outer fur can often be combed or gently plucked away before it takes hold. The trouble is that awns which have already broken the skin or entered a body opening are usually invisible from the outside and anchored by their barbs. Trying to dig one out at home can push it deeper, snap off pieces that are harder to find, or cause pain and further injury. Embedded awns need veterinary removal because locating and extracting them safely often calls for proper visualization, specialized instruments, and sometimes sedation so the area can be examined thoroughly. Our team may use focused examination and, where appropriate, pet diagnostics to trace how far an awn has traveled. Prompt, complete removal is the goal, since even a small fragment left behind can keep causing problems. This is one situation where professional help genuinely protects your pet.
What to Expect at Your Appointment
When you bring your pet in, the team will start by asking where you have been walking and what you noticed, then examine the affected area closely. Because awns are small and mobile, part of the visit is detective work to find exactly where the seed has lodged. Depending on the location and your pet’s comfort, sedation may be recommended so the area can be checked and cleared gently and completely. Our medical services support this kind of careful assessment, and if an awn has caused a sudden, painful problem such as an eye issue or intense sneezing, our urgent and emergency care is here for timely attention. After removal, the team will talk you through any follow-up care to help the area heal and to reduce the chance of lingering infection.
Preventing Foxtail Trouble After Walks
A little routine goes a long way during the Calgary summer. After outings in dry grassy areas, run your hands over your pet and check the spots awns love: between the toes and pads, inside and around the ears, along the belly and groin, and around the face and eyes. Brushing out the coat helps dislodge awns before they settle. For dogs with dense or long hair, keeping the fur between the paw pads trimmed removes hiding places. When you can, steer walks toward mowed or paved routes rather than tall, seeding grass, especially in mid to late summer when awns are at their driest. If your yard has patches of foxtail-type grass, cutting them back before they go to seed reduces the hazard close to home. Building these habits into your wellness program keeps prevention on your radar all season.
Staying Safe on Bowness and NW Calgary Trails
Bowness and the surrounding NW Calgary neighbourhoods offer wonderful green space, and with a few precautions your walks can stay worry free. The same care that applies to ticks, heat, and other seasonal risks applies to grass awns, so a quick post-walk check becomes second nature. For more seasonal tips, see our guides on summer pet safety in Bowness and Calgary and trail and park safety for dogs in Bowness and NW Calgary. If you ever suspect an awn has burrowed in, do not wait it out. Reach out to Bowness Animal Hospital or make an appointment so our team can help your pet feel comfortable again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are foxtails and grass awns really a problem in Calgary?
Yes. Calgary’s dry summer weather causes certain grasses to mature and shed barbed awns, and these can attach to pets walking through tall, dry grass along trails, fields, and off-leash areas in Bowness and NW Calgary.
Can I remove a foxtail from my dog at home?
If an awn is simply caught in the outer fur, you can gently comb or pick it out. But if it has broken the skin or entered an ear, eye, or nostril, it needs veterinary removal, since trying to extract it yourself can push it deeper or leave fragments behind.
What are the first signs of a foxtail problem?
Common early signs include sudden, repeated sneezing, head shaking, squinting or a watery eye, or persistent licking and chewing at one paw right after a walk in grassy areas.
How can I protect my pet during the summer?
Check your pet after every walk in dry grassy areas, focusing on the paws, ears, belly, and face, brush out the coat, keep paw fur trimmed, and favour mowed or paved routes when grasses are seeding.