Foxtails are a very common kind of grass that has slender, spiky bristles at the top. If foxtails get caught in your dog's coat, the barbs on the ends of the bristles can pierce his skin and work their way deep inside as he moves.
Out of all imbedded foreign bodies that are removed from dogs in the United States, foxtails are the most common. Of course, they're more likely to be encountered by dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors, such as working dogs or sporting dogs, than by dogs that are domestic pets and spend most of their time indoors.
Foxtails are most often found in between dogs' toes, but they have been known to embed themselves in other body parts, including, to the misfortune of some curious dogs, their noses. Not only are foxtails painful, but they can often carry bacteria with them. Bacteria that go deep into a dog's body as the spike burrows in can cause serious infections, especially in the chests of dogs.
Try to avoid foxtails as much as humanly (or caninely) possible During foxtail season make sure you keep your dog's coat short and check him thoroughly for foxtails. Inspect his entire coat when you return from an excursion, and be sure to look between his toes. Remove foxtails as soon as possible, no matter how small they are, to prevent them from moving any deeper into your dog's coat.
If you have trouble removing a foxtail, don't wait. Take your dog to the veterinarian before the foxtail burrows itself in any further. The vet may have to remove the foxtail surgically, and he may have to prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection.
