****The Daily Dog**** August 3, 2008
Issue II Welcome to the second issue of the Daily Dog! Unfortunately, we were not able to gather enough supplies in time for today, so there will be only one article. But enjoy, and we’ll hope to be more prepared next Sunday! Thank you to the staff:
Editors: Rosemaryninja & Iwantmypup
Journalists: Pepper & Duck_girl
Official Snoop: Jaylie
Cartoonist: Nargle
Photographer: Dylan_Casber
Crossword creator: Jesirose The Dog of the Week is…
The Russian Toy Terrier!
For information on this
breed, please follow this link,
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/moscowtoyterrier.htm
NOTE: dogs of the week are chosen
randomly. To nominate your favorite
breed, please talk to Duck_girl. Quote of the week:
"In my day, we didn't have dogs or cats. All I had was Silver Beauty, my beloved paper clip." - Jennifer Hart, Arlington new! Classified Ads: Custom portraits of your dogs and
other pets! Good, low prices!
Please contact Nargle for details!
If you would like your ad posted in the free Classifieds, please message Duck_girl. Thank you! ---------------------------- Top Story! -----------------------------------
Fox tails and their effect on dogs
unedited version
~by Pepper~
Well pet owners, it's time to mow your lawns and brush your dogs after every walk.
Fox tails are here and dangerous. The vegetative enemy of the canine world are a common sight in fields, on hillsides and in our backyards during the dry hot seasons.
Fox tails begin their annual cycle in early spring when they emerge as thin-bladed stalks of green grass. Mowing and watering can keep them looking lush and lawn-like into early summer, but inevitably, being annual plants, they must head out, dry, and form seeds...and of course torture our pets.
What exactly does this loathsome object look like? A foxtail can range in size from 1/4" to 3" in length. It is pointed at one end and branches into two or more wispy tails. On the plant the pointed head end is embedded in the stalk, which vaguely resembles an overgrown stalk of wheat. Each stalk of foxtail barely produces a seed head, each one of which can contain dozens of individual seeds, or fox tails.
As the seeds they are easier to fall from the stalk, until an animal's body brushing by is enough to dislodge it. The wispy ends have barbs along their edges that catch in hair or fur and only allow movement in one direction only. If the pointed head end happens to stick into something solid, it is sharp enough to begin penetration. Then the little barbs take over and pull the foxtail forward.
fox tails cannot reverse direction on their own and will continue to travel in random forward fashion until it either reaches conditions favorable for germination in the earth or comes up against something too dense for it to penetrate, like concrete or bone. In the case of an animal, a foxtail may travel around in a limb or in muscle or organ tissue for long distances and periods of time, leaving long, hollow tracts behind it, and then suddenly emerge through the skin if it happens to pass that way, always traveling head first.
Fox tails in the ears and nose
A foxtail in the ear almost immediately travels down the canal and embeds itself in the eardrum. This results in shaking of the head, scratching at the ear leather and canal, and often a carrying of the head cocked to one side. A trip to the vet is called for at once...in cases of extreme discomfort, mineral oil or Panalog ointment may be instilled into the ear to suspend the foxtail so that it does no further damage to the eardrum while the dog is en route to the vet.
The veterinarian will usually examine both ears with an otoscope, to locate all hidden offenders, and then will use an alligator forceps passed into the ear alongside the otoscope to extract the foxtail. Sedation of the dog is required in some cases so there is less of a chance of injuring the eardrum with the forceps if the dog jerks at the wrong moment.
Fox tails up the nose can be even more dangerous. If he gets lucky, the dog will sneeze a few times and that will be the end of it. His nose may bleed, but if all appears quiet within 15-30 minutes, he's probably gotten rid of it...hopefully by sneezing it out. If he continues to sneeze, paws at his nose, is very uncomfortable, and has repeated episodes of nasal bleeding, the darn thing is probably stuck somewhere in his nasal passages and will require extraction by a vet, some dogs have even been known to bang their noses against the floor. Usually in these cases the dog must be sedated for the vet to put alligator forceps 3 to 4 inches up his nose!
A foxtail can also pass through the lungs and enter the spinal cord or chest cavity, wreaking total havoc upon bodily systems and functions, sometimes resulting in death!
fox tails that have been grazed or mowed down to a few inches above the ground before they head out pose less danger to a dog's nose and ears, unless he happens to roll in a patch of them (don't laugh!). They can travel into the anal glands and colon, the abdominal cavity, and throughout the female reproductive tract. Male dogs can pick them up on the edge of the prepuce where they can travel the length of the penis and into the prostate. A heavily coated dog may pick them up in his chest, where they can lodge in the armpits, pierce the skin, and penetrate the chest wall and chest cavity. They can also embed in the lips, gums, and tonsils, or be swallowed to travel the length of the digestive system. Anytime that your dog has an unusual soft swelling or any draining wound, suspect a possible foxtail, particularly during the spring and summer months, and it is best to take them to the vet.
These are some helpful tips to help prevent your dogs from the dangers of fox tails!
1. Check your dog over thoroughly after each outing afield: between each toe, the bottoms of each foot, the armpits, and the anal and genital areas.
2. Keep your dog brushed out and free of mats: foxtails may fall out of smooth hair but will stick in mats and travel down them to and into the skin.
3. Keep the hair completely trimmed out of the bottom of your dog's feet and around his ears and vent.
4. If your dog isn't showing or being conditioned for show, give him a "foxtail trim" every spring: trim back all hair between the toes, over the tops of the toes and feet, the back of the pasterns, and the entire hock.
5. If you have access to one of the heavy duty dog drying units such as a Force II or Mighty Wind, or have a vacuum cleaner that you can reverse the airflow direction on, blow the coat between each toe and up its length: you'll be surprised how many bits and wisps of foxtails will be revealed and blown away!
6. Be alert for any swellings, drainage, limping or other unusual behavior.
7. If you live in a very urbanized concrete environment, be sure to tell your vet that your dog has had contact with foxtails; if you feel that he isn't experienced enough to deal with foxtail-related problems, contact a doggy friend in the country and see if his vet can be of more help.
8. If you go to a training session or other field event and see that it is being conducted in a stand of tall and dry foxtails, consider forfeiting any entry fee and not exposing your dog to the hazard.
9. If you are a member of a committee arranging such an event, scout out the terrain a week or so ahead of time and suggest mowing the field or changing sites if foxtails will pose a major threat.
I hoped you enjoyed this issue! Please post your comments below! (that will prevent this thread from dissappearing to that 2nd page.)
