Pure Evil.
We hate foxtails. Hates ‘em. With all our hearts.
That time of year again, foxtail season. Risking death every time we take a hike.
This horrible heatwave dried out the grasses in a hurry and hastened foxtail formation. In like three days.
So Jake pulled a Louie. Once our German shepherd, Louie, was playing with a puppy and he went off romping into the foxtails. Within a minute he became paralyzed. He was so covered with foxtails he couldn’t move. We had to carry him out of the chest high grass, lay him down in the dirt and spend two hours (I kid you not, two hours) de-foxtailing him.
Well, yesterday Jake stepped into the biggest old patch of foxtails I’ve seen this season. And he panicked, froze, sat down in them, and then lay down. All while I’m screaming. Believe me, you don’t want a foxtail up your dog’s rear end or in his nose, eyes, ears or even on his legs or between his toes. I’m pretty sure he’s developing an abscess on his left rear foot already- due to a foxtail I missed.
Today I anticipated that particular patch, but what happens? Jake jumps into a different patch on the other side of the park and totally freaks out. Won’t move, won’t walk, acts all paralyzed. So we’re standing on the edge of a steep trail and I’m trying to drag him out of the foxtails to a foxtail-free section where I can remove as many foxtails as possible. Took half an hour’s work to get the worst of them and then another forty minutes once I got home to get the rest. And even when I think I’ve got them all I still find them stuck in his fur or on the carpet where he’s been sleeping.
We hates ‘em.
I’m trying to design a foxtail-safe dog suit. As of right now, nothing of the sort exists. Oh, there are nets dogs can wear over their heads to prevent foxtails from getting into their nose, eyes and ears, but that doesn’t help the other 90% of their body.
I need some kind of parachute material and Velcro. I plan to develop a prototype over the next month. Stay tuned.
Read at your own risk: Dog Owners’ Guide to California Foxtails
Ouch!!!! That does not sound like fun for man or beast.
Foxtail dog suit ~ I can hear the theme song from Twilight Zone in the back ground…….
Seriously, I really see you making your first million off of such an outfit.
It’s pretty bad, Roberta. When I was a teenager and young adult, I designed and sewed many of my clothes. However my old sewing machine is ruined beyond repair. It’s been a while. Now I have to create a pattern. Measure the dog, decide upon material. I’m anticipating a number of attempts…
Foxtails are horrible! Two years ago, Maggie had one so deeply caught in her ear that the vet had to deaden it to get it out. It was a young woman veterinarian who was filling in over the weekend, handling the emergencies by herself. Maggie was her third foxtail patient! She did a very good job, and as we were leaving the office, Maggie paused, turned, wagged her tail and went back to the young woman. Of course that sweet gesture made the vet smile and hug Maggie, but we still had a big bill to pay!
I didn’t know you had foxtails out there, Marylin! Bad news. I’ve told our vets they could make a fortune selling a summer insurance policy specifically for foxtails. It’s like $250-$350 a pop out here for foxtail removal. Your Maggie is a sweetie pie. Jake is nice when he goes to the vet, but barely. He’d have to be sedated.
Ooooh poor Jake.
He’s walking on the street today, Amber. We have a ball game and I don’t have an hour to spend searching for foxtails! I hate them so…