--- title: Foxtails and Dogs: Solano and Yolo Season | Happy Paws url: https://happypawskennels.com/guides/foxtails/ business: Happy Paws Kennels address: 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 phone: 707-678-6600 hours: drop-off and pick-up every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2:00-5:00 PM type: Dog and cat boarding kennel on about 10 country acres; caring for pets in Dixon since 1971 rates: 2026 rates, effective for reservations made on or after Jan 1, 2026 (dogs from $52 a night, cats $35 a night) --- - [Home](https://happypawskennels.com/) - [Guides](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/) - Foxtails and dogs # Foxtails and dogs Foxtails are barbed grass seed heads that burrow into dogs and can migrate inside the body. Check ears, nose, eyes and between the toes after every walk through dry grass, and see a vet quickly for sneezing, head shaking, limping or a swollen eye, because removal is the only treatment. [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin)[Call 707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) Solano and Yolo counties are full of dry grass and field edges. Foxtail season runs from spring into fall, and every dog that walks through a field is exposed. ## What foxtails are UC Davis's School of Veterinary Medicine describes foxtails as spiked seed clusters on certain weeds and wild grasses, including foxtail grass, barley and millets in Northern California. The seeds have one-way barbs, so they work forward into skin, ears and noses and rarely work back out on their own. ## Where they lodge and what you will see UC Davis notes these signs overlap with other conditions, so the history of a recent walk in dry grass is useful when you call the clinic. - Nose: sudden violent sneezing, pawing at the face, nasal discharge - Ear: head shaking, tilting, scratching at one ear - Paw: limping, licking between the toes, a swelling or draining lump - Eye: squinting, uncontrolled blinking, swelling or discharge ## What a vet does UC Davis says the only treatment for a foxtail foreign body is removal. A seed that is not found can migrate into deeper tissue; the school reports cases starting around April, tapering by fall, and in severe cases reaching the chest. Do not poke into the ear or nose with tweezers at home, because you can push the seed deeper. ## How to prevent them - Keep dogs away from areas where foxtails grow, and stay on mowed paths. - After a walk, comb and look between the toes, in the ears, under the collar and in the armpits. - Keep the hair between the toes, ears and belly trimmed on long-haired dogs, as UC Davis recommends. - Pull foxtails out of your yard before the seed heads dry. ## Before and after a stay Tell staff at drop-off if your dog has been in fields recently and has any sign of a seed. When you collect your dog after a stay in a country setting with a grass field, a quick check between the toes and in the ears is worth the minute it takes. A bath after a country stay is common; ask about it on the [boarder baths page](https://happypawskennels.com/baths/). The kennel's play areas and grass field are on about 10 acres, so this is the same advice we would give for any trail. ### Sources (checked October 19, 2026) - [UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, foxtails and dogs](https://healthtopics.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/foxtails) - [UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, foxtails pose serious health risks to animals](https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/foxtails-pose-serious-health-risks-animals) - [Happy Paws Kennels, things to know](https://happypawskennels.com/things-to-know/) ### 2026 nightly rates - First Class kennel $72 - Business Class kennel $59 - Economy Class kennel $52 - Cat condo $35 All-inclusive: food, medications and walks. 2026 rates, effective for reservations made on or after Jan 1, 2026. [All 2026 rates](https://happypawskennels.com/rates/) ### Visit or call 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) | Drop-off and pick-up, every day | 7:30 to 11:30 AM and 2:00 to 5:00 PM | | --- | --- | | Tours, every day (no appointment) | 9:00 to 11:00 AM and 2:00 to 4:00 PM | [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin) ### Related - [Rattlesnakes and dogs in Northern California](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/rattlesnakes-and-dogs/) - [Valley fever in dogs](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/valley-fever-in-dogs/) - [Boarder baths](https://happypawskennels.com/baths/) - [Bringing your dog home after boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/dog-coming-home-after-boarding/) - [Dixon](https://happypawskennels.com/areas/dixon/) - [Tour the facility](https://happypawskennels.com/touring-the-facility/) ## Read next - [Valley fever in dogs](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/valley-fever-in-dogs/) - [Rattlesnakes and dogs in Northern California](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/rattlesnakes-and-dogs/) - [Bloat](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/bloat-in-dogs/) - [Fireworks and dogs](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/fireworks-and-dogs/) - [Road trips with a dog](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/road-trips-with-dogs/) - [Flying with a dog vs boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/flying-with-a-dog/) - [Switching dog food safely](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/switching-dog-food/) - [How much to feed a dog](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/how-much-to-feed-a-dog/) Answers ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) (every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2-5 PM) or see the [boarding FAQ](https://happypawskennels.com/faq/). ### When is foxtail season? Spring through fall, with most cases starting around April and tapering by fall, according to UC Davis. ### Can I remove a foxtail myself? Only if it is visible on the surface of the fur or skin. If it is in an ear, nose or eye, see a vet. ### Which dogs are most at risk? Any dog that walks in dry grass, but long-haired dogs and dogs with feathered feet or ears collect them more easily.