Forum Topic

Dog owners alert

Below is , I hope, is a photo of a weed I call foxtail which is now growing fast all about.Later in the year the seed to the left of the photo will  turn brown and disperse.The top is needle sharp and will easily penetrate a dog's or cats foot. Being barbed it can work it's way up inside the leg and then go septic.The year before last this happened to my dog . The vet tried to flush it out but had to repeat the treatment twice. He said he had treated many dogs recently for this. Poor Bertie suffered as did my wallet.This is an early warning but we have already started to check feet after every walk.

Adrian Irving ● 1983d11 Comments

Thanks for the warning Adrian.

Loraine Pemberton ● 1983d

That's OK Loraine.I forgot to mention the dog needs to be operated on whilst under sedation.Not good, not good at all.

Adrian Irving ● 1983d

I had to have a seed from that plant removed from my dog's eye a few years ago. Expensive business and miserable for him

Claire Moran ● 1983d

Never knew what that was called but, as children, we used to pick the heads and throw them like darts at one another, to stick in cardigans or jumpers.

Vivienne Cox ● 1983d

Thank you for the information.

Lena Armstrong ● 1982d

They penetrate dog's ears too...

Bobbie Carnegie ● 1982d

Very good idea to check - they can be really nasty and travel very quickly up a dog's leg and elsewhere. make sure to check between the toes as they often pierce there.It has been bad fairly easy this year because of the dry weather. Please also invest in a couple of tick hooks and check for ticks as they are endemic in London parks and along canals and rivers and some carry some very nasty (and zoonotic) diseases to boot.

Charlotte Kasner ● 1981d

An update.These seeds are now turning brown and starting to disperse in large numbers.A combination of weather and, I guess, No Mow May has produced a partially heavy crop so now is the time to be extra vigilant.

Adrian Irving ● 1951d

Message removed

Fatima Traore ● 1948d

The wilding of the greens is nice to look at but there is more to look out for these days to keep the dogs safe

Margie Frew ● 1946d

Noticed loads of this on Acton Green yesterday

Maggie Dodge ● 1946d