Watch Out For Foxtail Barley!

A few years ago, Cooper, a bouncy, young Spaniel-cross, felt miserable. He licked constantly at the inside of his forearm, and lost both his appetite and energy.

His family took him to the vet several times before the problem was identified. A seed (called an “awn”) from foxtail barley had penetrated the skin of his forearm, migrated up into his chest area and lodged there.

The awn was successfully removed surgically. Cooper made a full and fast recovery but the operation cost the family several thousand dollars.

Foxtail barley is an invasive weed that grows everywhere. Grazing animals like to eat it in the spring and early summer but after it matures, they lose interest in it. The seedheads, which look like a fox’s tail or a squirrel’s tail, dry out in mid- and late summer, become yellow and bristly, and begin to break apart. The seeds or awns are barbed like fish hooks or porcupine quills and are easily picked up by animals. This is one of the ways in which this botanical pest propagates, but it’s just a nuisance to pet people.

Juna, a young female Rottweiler, hadn’t been feeling well for days. When I stopped by her family’s home for a quick visit, they immediately took me to see her. Normally, this exuberant pup bounced up and down like a big, black-and-tan basketball upon my arrival, then parked her 70-pound self on my feet. That day, however, she just lay on one of kid’s beds, drooling and looking thoroughly miserable. She was feverish and had stopped eating.

I didn’t even have to look into her mouth. I told the family to take her to the animal clinic immediately to have her examined. Sure enough, the vet found a foxtail barley awn deep in her throat. He pulled it out and Juna recovered quickly and completely.

Here’s how to protect your dog from foxtail barley awns:

1. Check your dog when she comes in from outdoors, especially in areas where the fur is fine such as the face, legs, armpits, underside, and tail area. Check between her toes, too.

2. Groom your dog regularly to dislodge awns that may be lurking in his fur.

3. If your dog has medium to long hair, trim around the foot pads and ears.

4. An awn that sticks in your dog’s anatomy somewhere will cause changes in behaviour. She may lick or scratch one area repeatedly, appear uncomfortable, or lose her appetite.

5. Immediately have a vet check any swellings or open sores on your dog. Barley awns can migrate internally and the sooner the seed is found, the faster your vet can remove it.

Horses and cattle pick them up, too. In cattle, the awns work their way into the mouth and cause a condition called “lump jaw”.

I’ve seen horses pick up barley awns in their lips. If you have a horse, watch for rubbing the mouth area on fences. Usually, an awn stuck in a horse’s lip is easy to see because it forms an itchy lump but if the seed works its way into the horse’s mouth, it’s harder to detect.

Have a safe and happy summer with your pet and remember to check it over regularly for summertime hazards.