# Foxtails $2000 - I recommend ULTRASOUND



## jaimielaura (Jul 22, 2008)

Hello. I am new to the forum. I just adopted a rescue Maltese 5 weeks ago. He is wonderful. Absolutely no complaints. He was picked up as a stray in central California. When they picked him up, he was covered in foxtails, un-neutered, needed a dental and had a hernia. The Rescue Group provided him with the surgeries to remove the foxtails, neuter him, clean his teeth and correct the hernia. I received him two days after all these procedures. He was on antibiodics at the time. After the antibiotics finished their course, he developed an abscess OVERNIGHT the size of a small lime on his inner leg. I was convinced it was one last foxtail not removed. We took him to the emergency vet and they put him under. $750 later and 2" of stitches, no foxtail to be found. They put him back on antibiotics. As soon as this series ran its course, the abscess re-occured. We brought him to our regular vet who shrugged and just lanced it. $250 more. She suggested perhaps we see a surgeon. I found a vet surgeon who immediately thought the foxtail was in another area that felt hard, although, not really swollen. He suggested an ultrasound to see if they could find the foxtail. Well, sure enough, the ultrasound found the foxtail - 2" away from the abscess. and all is better now. Of course, that is $2000 later, but Felix is happy and healthy and recovering. 

I highly recommend the ultrasound and not shying away from a specialist. Some times, regular vets do not have all the answers. Also, please keep your doggies out of weeds and loose plant material, for their own safety.


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

when i was in vetschool we had a recurrent abcess come in....this was their 4th surgery to see the cause of the abcess...luckily they found the fox tail that time. but they even did CT on this dog previously and didnt find the fox tail. they r very hard to find and that vet was lucky to see it on ultrasound..even sometimes a specialist cant find them. glad ur baby is ok now


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## Moxie'smom (Dec 16, 2007)

QUOTE (Dr.Jaimie @ Jul 22 2008, 04:52 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=609473


> when i was in vetschool we had a recurrent abcess come in....this was their 4th surgery to see the cause of the abcess...luckily they found the fox tail that time. but they even did CT on this dog previously and didnt find the fox tail. they r very hard to find and that vet was lucky to see it on ultrasound..even sometimes a specialist cant find them. glad ur baby is ok now[/B]


What's a fox tail?


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## thefab5 (Feb 1, 2007)

I have never heard of a foxtail what is it?

Glad your baby is doing better now. Please show us some pictures of him.


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

a fox tail:










also grass awns can do the same


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## thefab5 (Feb 1, 2007)

Thanks Dr. Jamie.

So, is it they get caught in the hair and then embed them selfs in the skin causing an abscess?


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## 3malteseboyz (Feb 6, 2008)

QUOTE (jaimielaura @ Jul 22 2008, 03:47 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=609469


> Hello. I am new to the forum. I just adopted a rescue Maltese 5 weeks ago. He is wonderful. Absolutely no complaints. He was picked up as a stray in central California. When they picked him up, he was covered in foxtails, un-neutered, needed a dental and had a hernia. The Rescue Group provided him with the surgeries to remove the foxtails, neuter him, clean his teeth and correct the hernia. I received him two days after all these procedures. He was on antibiodics at the time. After the antibiotics finished their course, he developed an abscess OVERNIGHT the size of a small lime on his inner leg. I was convinced it was one last foxtail not removed. We took him to the emergency vet and they put him under. $750 later and 2" of stitches, no foxtail to be found. They put him back on antibiotics. As soon as this series ran its course, the abscess re-occured. We brought him to our regular vet who shrugged and just lanced it. $250 more. She suggested perhaps we see a surgeon. I found a vet surgeon who immediately thought the foxtail was in another area that felt hard, although, not really swollen. He suggested an ultrasound to see if they could find the foxtail. Well, sure enough, the ultrasound found the foxtail - 2" away from the abscess. and all is better now. Of course, that is $2000 later, but Felix is happy and healthy and recovering.
> 
> I highly recommend the ultrasound and not shying away from a specialist. Some times, regular vets do not have all the answers. Also, please keep your doggies out of weeds and loose plant material, for their own safety.[/B]


Hi - welcome & congrats on bringing Felix into your home and life. He will bring you much love and joy. When he was found he had a rocky time and now he is in a loving home. Glad that the surgeon thought that the foxtail maybe in another area and I do believe in Ultrasounds & Speicalists as a positive method of showing many health issues.


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## jaimielaura (Jul 22, 2008)

Yes, they get imbedded under the skin. They are barbed, so they only travel one way. I live in California where they are prevalent.


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## bonniesmom (Jun 2, 2008)

Ouch - poor Felix  . I'm glad he's doing OK now, and I agree - I would always go to the top specialist I could find if my baby
had a difficult or complicated problem, and have done so several times. I'm sure you'll be a great mom and I'm glad you
rescued him - :welcome1: to SM!


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## CeeCee's Mom (Sep 14, 2006)

Oh I am so glad you found out the problem and it was nothing serious except for the pocketbook!!!!! I had no idea that foxtails could cause such problems!!!!! Your baby looks adorable and I am so glad you came into his life~~~


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## Gracie's Mommy (Feb 14, 2008)

Soooo glad little Felix is better! You both are lucky to have each other!

Are these foxtails more prevalent in one part of the country than the other? Do we have them in Alabama? Just wondering, because my Gracie loves to graze in weeds when we walk. Well, she may not do that any more ....


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## SicilianRose (Jun 8, 2008)

OUCH!!!! :new_shocked: Poor little guy. I am happy to hear that they were able to find out what was wrong. 

Hello and welcome :welcome1:


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

I hate those nausty foxtails :smmadder: :smpullhair: we have spent a great deal of $ on those, my goodness they should be made of gold. Muffy would have them in his ears and inbetween his paws. :yes: they can be very painful :yes:


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## 5maltsmom (Aug 12, 2007)

I think you have to be careful of these getting under dogs eyelids also. I'm not sure if it was a foxtail or something like it, but we had a yellow lab I had to take to the vet once because her eye was red, **** and watering, and there was something like that stuck way back inside her lower eyelid I think. I didn't realize how deep their eyes go until the vet was digging way back in there after he had sedated her. It could have been a bad thing if we hadn't caught it fairly quickly because I think he said it could affect their eye sight. It's been a while back, so I've lost some of the memory due to my oldtimers, but maybe somebody else has heard of this.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

Oh, bless you for rescuing this little one and for being vigilant in his care. I'm so glad all is well now!!!


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## 5maltsmom (Aug 12, 2007)

QUOTE (5maltsmom @ Jul 22 2008, 08:01 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=609615


> I think you have to be careful of these getting under dogs eyelids also. I'm not sure if it was a foxtail or something like it, but we had a yellow lab I had to take to the vet once because her eye was red, swollen, and watering, and there was something like that stuck way back inside her lower eyelid I think. I didn't realize how deep their eyes go until the vet was digging way back in there after he had sedated her. It could have been a bad thing if we hadn't caught it fairly quickly because I think he said it could affect their eye sight. It's been a while back, so I've lost some of the memory due to my oldtimers, but maybe somebody else has heard of this.[/B]


Edit: Oops, didn't even think about the word I wrote, sorry. Let's just say it had gunk in it :blush: .


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

I'm glad that you rescued Felix and that he is doing better now. You are such a wonderful mommy.


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

I am glad all is better now. When I was a kid and we lived in CA we would get them in our socks and they were hard to get them out.


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

So glad the foxtail awn was found and removed... they can be also dangerous if they "travel" within the body. Here's some info:

http://www.vizsladogs.com/CLUBS/nva/nva6.htm

http://www.almostheaven-golden-retriever-r...og-dangers.html


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## jaimielaura (Jul 22, 2008)

QUOTE (Gracie's Mommy @ Jul 22 2008, 04:24 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=609542


> Soooo glad little Felix is better! You both are lucky to have each other!
> 
> Are these foxtails more prevalent in one part of the country than the other? Do we have them in Alabama? Just wondering, because my Gracie loves to graze in weeds when we walk. Well, she may not do that any more ....[/B]



That is a good question. I have a feeling they are very common in California, not so sure about Alabama. I would confirm w/ your vet if there are specific weeds that cause problems w/ doggies either in their skin or nose or eyes in Alabama.


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## Gracie's Mommy (Feb 14, 2008)

QUOTE (jaimielaura @ Jul 23 2008, 11:33 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=609840


> QUOTE (Gracie's Mommy @ Jul 22 2008, 04:24 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=609542





> Soooo glad little Felix is better! You both are lucky to have each other!
> 
> Are these foxtails more prevalent in one part of the country than the other? Do we have them in Alabama? Just wondering, because my Gracie loves to graze in weeds when we walk. Well, she may not do that any more ....[/B]



That is a good question. I have a feeling they are very common in California, not so sure about Alabama. I would confirm w/ your vet if there are specific weeds that cause problems w/ doggies either in their skin or nose or eyes in Alabama.
[/B][/QUOTE]

Thanks for the very good suggestion! (Now why didn't I think of that???) I'll sure do that on our next vet visit. Hope Felix, and you, are still doing well! :thmbup:


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