Grass Awns
In grasses awns typically extend from the lemmas of the florets this often makes the hairy appearance of the grass synfloresce.
Grass awns. Foxtails or grass awns are arrow shaped stickers that are produced by some types of grasses that have gone to seed. Grass awns are grass seeds which are sharp sometimes barbed and have the capability to burrow into the skin of our dogs. Pieces of plant material typically the awn seed penetrate the skin or are inhaled or ingested as the dog runs through cover the awns of the most problematic grasses are barbed which allows the awn to ratchet itself along through the tissue. Grass awns and plant material are thought to enter the mouth or nose when a dog is breathing hard as it runs through a field.
The awn may carry bacteria as it enters the dog s body and or it may carry bacteria that are normal inhabitants of one part of the body. Oftentimes once grass seeds and awns penetrate the skin they will continue to migrate deeper into the pet s tissues. Their shape promotes deep penetration into as well as movement migration within the skin. Grass awns from weeds like cheatgrass and foxtail first become attached to a dog s coat while running or walking through these tall grasses.
However grass awns can also cause much more serious health problems when they enter through the mouth or nose of a dog and migrate through the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract. If grass awns are not removed in a timely fashion they will lead to the formation of painful abscesses which need regular drainage of fluids. Grass awns are deadly dangerous for your dog. Foxtails carry grass seeds.
They evolved to embed in the skin and be spread by animals. In botany an awn is either a hair or bristle like appendage on a larger structure or in the case of the asteraceae a stiff needle like element of the pappus. Grass awns have backward pointing barbs that prevent retrograde movement making removal difficult aka painful and causing them to migrate deeper with normal motion. Awns are characteristic of various plant families including geraniaceae and many grasses.
Foxtails cause a large number of problems for pets. Whether you call them awns mean seeds timothy foxtails cheat grass june grass downy brome or any other number of colloquial names to dogs they generally mean one thing and that s trouble. The plant material can migrate through the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract or other tissues or it can penetrate through the skin and migrate elsewhere. Grass awns can be inhaled swallowed and even penetrate the dog s skin.
This can result in the formation of abscesses and even life threatening infections inside the body cavities. The signs associated with grass seeds and awns depend upon the location of the grass seed. An awn is a hairy or bristle like appendage growing from the ear or flower of barley rye and many types of widely growing grasses.