My dog got quite a few in her today on one of her front legs. It's not bothering her whatsoever. I was just wondering if anyone messes with trying to remove them or will they eventually come out on their own?

they'll work out on their own (or the dog will lick/pull them out) - i only mess with the big ones although I will say I do try to at least grab at the big bunches of the tiny thorns

I try to get them all out when I find them. Unfortunately I pull all the hair with them.

After they've been in there a while they will fester up into a blister. You can then pop it and the small sticker end will come out with the pus. Been doing it this way for a few years.

I try to avoid hunting in areas with cactus for all of the above reasons.

I've used duct tape on them when I get them. Sometimes it gets about half of them.

I try and get them all out as soon as I can. I have one of those lighted magnifying thingies and I just use tweezers. My dogs know the drill and will just lay there for me.
I feel like they work their tails off for me, so it's the least I can do for them to try and get them all out. Just part of the hunting dog routine, I guess.

x2 - try a bug GLUE TRAP (the cardboard kind) ! even stickier than duct tape . . .

Yes I try to pull them all. We are a team and if they are willing to give me all they have got, including working in that stuff, I'm willing to take the time to pick them out. The tape gets some and a leatherman for the rest. With time some dogs get pretty good at dancing their way through what they can see. Watching how some dogs get through it makes me wonder if they are using their nose to help avoid it?

I hunt my dogs in cactus all the time and sometimes those dogs can look like a porcupine got them. Get out the big ones and don't sweat the small stuff. If I had to avoid those places to hunt I would not be hunting near as much.

I got out what I could but not all. They were all gone in a day or two.