fox tail
Foxtails tend to go one way: IN. The pointed quills make it very difficult for them to be pulled OUT.
I’ve had quite a time removing these from the soft lining in my boots. They become embedded and without a lot of effort, won’t come out. And they hurt!
Dogs frequently get them embedded in their noses or in the webbing of their toes, and it is only by going to a veterinarian that they can be removed. In fact, I know of a vet that wore a beautiful gold foxtail pendant around her neck. She said it was given to her because these beautiful little foxtails are what she made her living off of: extracting them from pets!
coyotes hunt and rest in foxtails
Our wild critters don’t have the benefit of a veterinarian who could help them, but I’m sure our coyotes are as affected as often as the rest of us. I’ve seen them attempt to pull things from their paws — probably foxtails, and I got a photo the other day (darn, can’t find it — I’ll add it when I find it) of a foxtail stuck to a coyote’s nose, which is what made me think of creating this posting.
Coyote Yipps 
Jul 10, 2013 @ 03:59:54
Are foxtails only present out west or do they grow throughout the lower 48?
Jul 10, 2013 @ 04:30:18
I’ve heard that they grow predominantly in the west, but I would think that they could grow in most places. It’s basically a tall grass which has gone to seed.