Going to the vet today for eye issue

[curlytails]

Yikes, why did it cost so much?! Did they have to sedate the dog and surgically remove the thing?

I've heard horror stories of foxtails up the nose, etc., so I know it can be an issue. But I'm not concerned about the way we play it. For example, I live in a neighborhood where, frankly, lawn care is not a priority. There are foxtail jungles landscaping at least three houses down my block. We march right by them when we're out on regular walks, and if I tried to avoid every clump of the weed in my neighborhood, we'd be tracing hieroglyphics up and down the street. Heh.

The parks that we continue going to are far from foxtail-free, but the layout and general maintenance efforts make it possible to not be too troubled by them. That is NOT the case at this other park that we basically have to abandon over the summer because it becomes completely overrun by weeds of all kinds.

This was just our regular vet. I haven't ruled out a specialist, as I'd love to get more customized answers, someday.

[curlytails]

@agilebasenji:

Poor baby. Obviously you will need to cook for her, let her sleep on the bed and cater to her every need. You know, a normal day.

:D:D:D
Doesn't take much to justify any of that though.

[lvoss]

@curlytails:

Yikes, why did it cost so much?! Did they have to sedate the dog and surgically remove the thing?

Yes, and I know basenji owner who had a similar vet bill due to fox tail removal about 2 years ago.

[DebraDownSouth]

@agilebasenji:

Poor baby. Obviously you will need to cook for her, let her sleep on the bed and cater to her every need. You know, a normal day.

LOL, yep normal day.

On foxtails, wow, $600 is normal. I know a gal with a spaniel that ended up a couple of thousand between dx, specialist for the surgery because of how far into nasal cavity her reg doc wouldn't do it. Reminds me that somewhere I have a picture of the bandaged up dog. But I also know a gal who nearly lost her dog when it actually aspirated one into its lung. (Okay so just spent 10 min looking, so old of pic must be on my old computer files that were transferred to leora's new one). Anyway, yeah, they are terrible. My friend spent a fortune eradicating them from her yard and surrounding area after her dog got one in eye. Wasn't terrible cost to remove it as I recall. We don't have them here, btw,

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art29569.asp

[Chealsie508]

What are foxtails?? … I happened onto this thread because today I'm taking oak to the vet because his eye ( which too has always been watery; not the one with corneal dystrophy either) has been red and extra wet but as of yesterday I came home from work to crusty green blobs, I thought it was allergies but now I think it's conjunctivitis...I felt like every ten minutes I was wetting a warm cloth to clean his eye...poor boppy with all this weird eye stuff! Naturally he got extra cookies and love from me....

[curlytails]

They're a prickly little weed that's shaped like its namesake. Apparently it's only found West of the Mississippi River?

http://speakingforspot.com/blog/2011/05/31/its-foxtail-season-again/

They seem really bad this year so far (they haven't stiffened and dried out yet), so I'm a little nervous.

Hope Oakley's eye troubles are a simple fix!

[Chealsie508]

Oooo…. Out here we have things that look very similar to that, however they are in area near the wetlands, ponds and such...never anything I have to avoid.... They almost have wire like razor feel to the individual hairs...hmm, I learn something new everyday!

I too hope we're done with vet visits for awhile ( knock on wood), I do just think its a case of mild conjunctivitis because he shows minimal to no irritation but it is crusting and forming mucous....I'm such a worrier now about his eyes (and gum!)
Thanks

[Kipawa]

We have foxtails here in British Columbia (west coast of Canada). Kipawa had trouble with some in his ear last year, in addition to him having a small sea shell stuck in their too. Vet bill, if I remember correctly, was just under $500

[krunzer]

Fox-tails are prevalent in most of Canada I believe. We have them here in northern Alberta, everywhere. They are just a weed. But if they get into the skin they will keep working their way in and are very hard to pull out, kind of like a porcupine quill. I have never had a problem with them or with the dogs and them for that matter, but I hear they can be a very nasty weed to deal with if they work their way into the skin. I have also heard of them gettin stuck up dog's noses. Not pleasant!

[Chealsie508]

Oak went to the vet and low and behold, just what I thought- conjunctivitis…poor bop, extra treats, sticks and love...