Taking your pet on a walk? Vets say to watch out for razor-sharp Foxtail grass



SEATTLE -- A grass found across the Puget Sound is causing a growing number of vet visits.

Foxtail grass has a thick, spikey seed that easily sticks into a dog or cat's fur. The seed can be extremely dangerous with razor-sharp ends that quickly burrows into the skin.

Vets say they see dogs with the seeds stuck in their paws, but they can also stick in the ears, eyes and mouth - causing infections.

And in a worst-case scenario, it can be deadly if your animal eats the seed.

"You can be not doing anything different from a normal, simple walk and these can catch hold in the fur, tangle up and begin to drive forward,” Tessa Barkley with Eliot Bay Animal Hospital said.

The seeds get even stickier in the summer months.

Vets say it's important to check your animals' fur after they've been in the grass and keep a close eye on where they're walking.