Summer hikes in the Boise Foothills and visits along rivers are just around the corner. Though these are wonderful places to enjoy, they also can provide challenges to our canine family.
Cheatgrass also known as foxtail grass is a grass like weed with a barbed head and once attached, travels forward never backward, and remains attached due to the strength of the barbed seeds. Cheatgrass poses a serious threat to our pets especially those with curly, long and/or thick coats and long ears as it can migrate from an extremity, whether embedded in an eye or inhaled through the nose or mouth to the internal organs resulting in abscesses, discomfort and even death.
Prevent exposure to cheatgrass by avoiding areas they commonly inhabit. If these areas cannot be avoided, apply booties and head coverings, made for pets, to protect the head and extremities from exposure.
Cheatgrass mostly commonly burrows in armpits, along the chest and stomach, between toes, in ears, eyes, the mouth, and under collars. Remove the cheatgrass with your fingers and ensure no piece remains embedded. Common signs that your pet may have been exposed to cheatgrass are abscess, coughing, discharge, eye squinting, head tilt, licking obsessively, limping, sneezing, swelling, pawing, and scratching.
If your pet is showing symptoms after encountering areas that may have ad cheatgrass and no cheatgrass can be found, seek veterinary attention. I am always happy to refer you to some great vets in the area, should you not have a family veterinarian.
The material for this blog was provided by materials received from WestVet, a vet clinic located on Chinden Blvd, Garden City, Idaho.