Possible foxtail inhaled!

Kelly Greenwood · Oct 9, 2012

The reason for coke is it does several things, it collapses the foxtail because it contains water, it keeps it collapsed because once something is coated in coke it is very hard to get off, it contains bubbles (CO2) that help move th9ings around in the nose and also help with the sneeze reflex, and it has a PH of about 3 (it is an acid), which helps start breaking down the fibers in the foxtail and making them a bit more pliable. It is also pretty free of bacteria due to how they make and bottle/can it.

Club soda is a much less acidic drink but varies depending on how much salt or sodium bicarbonate is added which reduces (up numerically) the acidity of it. Club soda also does not coat things well.

Codatango · Oct 9, 2012

I hate Pepsi because it seems more carbonated than Coke. (Best use for a Pepsi in my opinion!)
If hospitality people buy it for clubs, we can't seem get rid of all the leftovers, even for free.

But in a pinch, any carbonation right away is better. Just blowing in the dog's nose also makes them continue to sneeze. Right at the line, asap, soda, blowing, whatever, looks like the thing to do!
I appreciate the descriptions as to what the soda does to the foxtail !

Would using mineral oil be a good or bad idea if the dog is still sneezing after using the blowing/soda 'method'?

Debbie Tandoc, CA

Codatango · Oct 9, 2012

Before I ever started field work, I had to visit a vet in the foothills of northern CA during an agility camp (ear hematoma issue) and was thoroughly IMPRESSED at the display of about 12 types of foxtails in a frame behind glass in the vet room!

Living in suburbia, and doing nice clean sports like obedience and agility, I never had my dogs in foxtails, even to air. (They were show goldens with lots of coat and I wouldn't want nasty stuff sticking to their coats, so it was natural to stay away from weedy areas!)

Debbie

Kelly Greenwood · Oct 9, 2012

One thing that is helpful if in an area with any foxtails and you need to air is to give the dog a bumper to hold while they are airing, the obvious is to not air where there are any foxtails. Also when any are around have a cotton loop type beach towel in the dog box/crate, foxtails tend to be attracted to this type of material (if you have ever walked through a field of foxtails wearing sport socks you know just how well).

JS · Oct 9, 2012

So what is the exact technique for blowing Coke into a dog's nose? Do you take a mouthful and just force it in mouth-to-nose or do you pour it in and then blow?

Would it work to just squirt in in the nose via a squirt bottle?

JS

Codatango · Oct 9, 2012

Thanks for giving me a another reason to have a towel on top of my golden's bed in the crate! I usually tell people it's to help him dry in the 1.5 hours it takes to get home. Now I won't sound like a weeny. It does help me mentally connect that if I see debris that's fallen out, that there is probably more nasty stuff stuck still.
Esp. a cockle burr that he's pulled out - I may as well check for the 'other' one he that hasn't bothered him yet.

Debbie Tandoc

labguy · Oct 9, 2012

JS said:
So what is the exact technique for blowing Coke into a dog's nose? Do you take a mouthful and just force it in mouth-to-nose or do you pour it in and then blow?

Would it work to just squirt in in the nose via a squirt bottle?

JS

I held the dogs nose upright and had someone else pour liberally. I did this two or three times just to make sure. The dog typically shakes and tries to avoid but inhales enough to do the job. Good thing it was a Lab or I mighta got bit.

It's messy but it seemed to do the trick in my case.

Don't know if this the "correct" technique or not. If I had no one else around I would take a mouthful and blow it up the dogs nose. I'm sure a squirt bottle would do the trick as well.

Russ · Oct 9, 2012

We put the cola in our mouths and blow it into the nostrils with our lips sealing the snout. I think it gives more pressure to the cola and moves the fox tail around while coating it. I do not if a squeeze bottle would have the same effect.

EdA · Oct 10, 2012

New additions to my medical stuff, one turkey baster and one bottle of club soda

Possible foxtail inhaled!

Kelly Greenwood

Codatango

Codatango

Kelly Greenwood

JS

Codatango

labguy

Russ

EdA

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