Hi all,
Sorry I haven't been on this site lately, so this update is so long overdue.

My beautiful Tundra had foxtails embedded in his skin, and some had even burrowed into his body. He had surgery to remove them. I posted about this previously. Thank you to all who wished him well and were concerned.

Tundra is doing okay -- the surgery went well, he had several of those evil things embedded, five different sites on his belly with stitches where our vet had to go in and remove them. These things are nasty, they are barbed, and travel in only one direction (in). We husky owners need to be particularly vigilant, because the innocent-looking grass seeds can lodge in your dogs fur, then travel into the dog's body, and you may never even notice because of the thick fur of a husky.

Once inside the animal's body, they don't dissolve, but keep travelling, and can even get into the bloodstream or into organs.

Please google "foxtails and dogs" to learn more!

I have recently learned that foxtails are mostly a problem in the SW United States, not so much other parts of the US. I don't know about other countries.

Anyway, Tundra came through the anesthesia just fine (I was so worried about that). The receptionist at the vet hospital was laughing when she told us that Tundra had entertained them all by "singing" as he was recovering from the anesthesia.

I still worry that there are more foxtails inside of him, that have not been caught. They are a grass seed, so wouldn't be caught on an xray.

Also, I have learned, just today, that the chicken broth I have been feeding Tundra for over 8 months as part of his weight-loss diet contains ONION JUICE CONCENTRATE!!! OMG!!! This is like poison to a dog! I am crying as I write this. How could I have been so stupid as to not notice this in the ingredients before now? I feel like such a bad "mother".

Here is an article: http://suite101.com/article/onion-toxicity-in-dogs-a40917

I had even told our vet that I was giving him this, so that his dry food would be more appetizing to him, but I got the no salt added type, and she said that was fine, we just need to get the weight off him. (We feed him dry Pedigree Weight Management, 1 1/2 Cups; canned pedigree 1 or 2 Tbs only, No Salt Green beans 1/3 to 1/2 can, and the chicken broth to make it more palatable for him). When I adopted him 6 years ago, he wouldn't eat dry food at all! He was a year an a half old, and had been with two previous owners in that time. He has always been a picky eater, like a cat.

He weighs 105 lbs. He has always been quite large, for a Siberian, even when he weighed less. He has not really lost any weight over the past eight months of this diet.

Anyway, Tundra is doing just fine after his surgery for foxtail removal ...and now I want to warn everyone about the dangers of onions/garlic. I will create another thread in the next day or two about that.

I have to say this: Please read your labels, do the research, because, ultimately, WE (the caretakers) are the ones responsible for our dog's health, not the veterinarians or the dog food companies.

Thanks again to all who posted well-wishes for Tundra!

Other CO dwellers, are foxtails common here?


Glad Thunder is okay!

Yeah they are common here. Both my boys have gotten them stuck in their fur, but Danzig gets them worse because of his thick coat.

This is so scary Annie! I feel your pain. Danzig likes to hang out with me when I cook and I have a bad habbit of letting onions fall to the floor while dicing. Danzig would eat them and foolishly, I didn't mind. Then my co worker told me they could be posoinous and I freaked! No more onions for him.

Hi Heather,

While doing some research to find an answer for you, I came across this:

http://www.ecclectica.ca/issues/2004/1/smith.asp

It seems to state that foxtails (fox tails) are all over N. America! Oh dear. Now I must keep searching, doing research.

Everyone: Do you have this grass/weed in your state or part of the world? If so, please let us know!

Hi Danzig's Mommy

Yes! It is scary! I was so concerned with the fat/salt content, I didn't even bother to read the small print on the label!

Also, I used to have books about natural healing for dogs (before the internet). Those books recommended GARLIC for dogs, as a natural flea repellent and natural antibiotic of sorts. I used to give my dogs a small garlic oil capsule every day because of that!!

This was 25 yrs ago. But Ohhh, I just can't think of how horrible this was, and I thought I was doing the right thing for them!!

Oh! And I just remembered! Around that same time, I worked as a veterinary assistant. when a dog wouldn't eat, the vet would give the dog chicken, with GARLIC, because they love garlic, and the dog would always eat if you put it on it's food!! Wow! Just heartbreaking!! It seems it's only recently, in the last ten or so years, that we have learned how toxic garlic and onions are for dogs!!

I think we're both lucky we didn't do any harm! I'll have to watch out for the fox tails too. I didn't realize they could get embedded in the skin that bad. Will defintely be more careful while hiking.

Danzig's Mom,
Yes! I agree!
And sorry, I was editing my response to you as you posted.

I am going to start a new thread about the onion/garlic in the next day or so.

Thanks for your reply!

-- Annie (Tundra's mom)

Glad Tundra is okay and on the mend.
Just so you know, there is already a topic posted about dogs and garlic: Garlic and Dogs?

@ Kim

Tks! I didn't know that! I really need to research and read every thread here, because this site is so full of information. Tks for the info! I do remember many yrs ago when "the experts" said garlic is okay and even GOOD for dogs.

Still, I think everyone needs to read new info about this subject, because from what I understand, even small amounts of thiosulphate (the chemical in garlic and onions that harms dogs) can build up over time and cause damage to the red blood cells.

I appreciate your input, thanks!!

I will start a new thread now, on the subject of the toxicity of garlic, onions and thiosulphate ...this is toxic to dogs, but please do your own research to learn!

Those foxtails are EVERYWHERE here in New Mexico! We've always had to watch out for them also when we take our dogs out.

Wikipedia has a great little piece on the foxtail:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxtail_(diaspore)

Annie,
Glad tundra is healing up. As far as food goes have you looked at welness core grainfree reduced fat kibble? I used it on sierra and melissa and claudia have used it as well to get weight off our sibes with out reducing the amount of food we feed. Its really great a bit $$ but if you do some internet shoping you can find a good deal.