Porcupined puppy ... and how to deal with it...

[w7xman]

I was out with my dog Virga at Thompson Farm in Durham yesterday, and she took off towards a stone wall. Two yelps from a dog that NEVER barks and I knew something happened. She came back to me in a crazed stuper, pawing at her face, and as she got close, I saw about 100 quills across her face!


I put on her leash, and started running with her, keeping her head up...and fortunately didn't have far to go back to the car. She was kept occupied with her head out the window...and we made it to the vet as they were leaving, and got a quick sedation and mild surgery (quills embedded in roof of mouth.)

She's doing much better today...a bit swollen...but otherwise fine.

Here's where I have a question...
1) What do I do if I was deep in the woods...or what have you done if this has happened to you. What are the backcountry options..

I couldn't have pulled 100 quills out in the backcountry, and the vet said the pawing at her face makes situations worse. The vet also suggested when I asked about asparin ( which I always hike with ) might help the pain / swelling, but gives dogs ulsers readily in larger doses.

Any stories, suggestions?

Any repeat offenders...or has Virga learned her lesson???

Here's poor Virga herself...

 

[Puck]

As a kid I had beagle who constantly got messed up with those critters. She never learned.

 

[una_dogger]

Its happened to me (recently) with Terra and I took them out trailside with my bare hands. Just a quick pull. She tolerated it and seemed relieved. She only had about thirty quills. Some were difficult to reach and my vet put her on antibiotics and they were naturally expelled some days later.

I think it all really depends on the dog, if they will tolerate removal and if the handler feels they can get them out. I've got alot of experience handling horses, dogs and cats in medical situations, so I felt OK about it, but woudln't have stressed her if she didn't want me messing with them.

Getting to the vet asap is probably the best thing to do in those circumstances.

Glad your pup is better!

 

[kmorgan]

It could have been a lot worse. Check out these pictures (checked true at snopes http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/porcupinedog.asp#photo )

 

[paul ron]

Something I found out, the quills have a preasure that swells them making it hard to remove. If you cut the quills to about 1/2" from the tip,it will relive the preasure in the quill making em easier to pull out.

Poor puppy. Hopefully she'll be a bit shy next time.

 

[una_dogger]

Something I found out, the quills have a preasure that swells them making it hard to remove. If you cut the quills to about 1/2" from the tip,it will relive the preasure in the quill making em easier to pull out.

Poor puppy. Hopefully she'll be a bit shy next time.

My vet told me that is an urban myth. But, I have read that, too.

 

[Peakbagr]

My dog almost tangled with one back in the Fall. Afterward, I checked a number of vet websites thinking that the quills had barbs and that you're supposed to cut them to relieve the pressure from their swelling.

I learned that that quills don't swell, but sometimes cutting them shorter allows you to better grab them with your fingers or small pliers to pull them out. At least thats what the various places I checked said.

 

[SABERG]

Porcupined Pup

I had the pleasure of 13 years with an English Setter who seemed to know EVERY Porcy in the area.
Our Vet on a Sunday morning (after an unfortunate run in with a past spined friend) said "Gimli, Gimli, Gimli," and then ptomptley sedated him with a shot to make the work of extraction easier, advised me.
"If he is going to keep this up you need to keep a pair of fine needlenose pliers with side cutters with you, you also need a cloth to deal with fluids and NEVER, I Mean NEVER deal with his eyes!! Bandage and lead back to a proffessional".
I followed that advice for all his remaining years, (several more visits). Gimli never (in his mind) lost to a Porcy ever.
I did several trail side extractions in easy places.
Aspirin helped, but more important were the tools (pliers and bandages).
Good luck with your dog.

SABERG

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

When I lived in New York I hiked in the Catskills all the time. I used to spend the night on top of Slide Mt. My dog at the time had an initial encounter with a 'pork' and got a paw full. Despite numerous encounters after that he never touched one again even though he would chase them and worry them he stayed back. Duffy, on the other hand, has had two encounters and has had a massive amount of quills each time. In typical Airedale fashion he made not a peep, just came trotting proudly back with his white beard and allowed me to pull them out, even out of his mouth. He, I know, has not learned a thing from the encounters. For that reason I always carry a small pair of folding pliers in my sack. I have found that there are some quills I just can't get out with my bare fingers. I have also seen quills disappear into the flesh while I was trying to get them out, so I conclude it is important to get them out as quickly as possible. I have learned to keep alert for the "porks" to try to spot them before Duffy does. The last one I spotted, interestingly, was near the top of Pico, shortly after meeting Unadogger for the first time. Don't ask me which encounter was the worst.

 

[una_dogger]

The last one I spotted, interestingly, was near the top of Pico, shortly after meeting Unadogger for the first time. Don't ask me which encounter was the worst.

Doh! I just caught that!

Lots of Porkies on the Long Trail, Terra had her run in near Little Rock Pond.

I've also seen Porkies on my road.

Interestingly, the next time Terra and I hiked to Little Rock Pond, she got to the place on the trail where she had run after the porkie, and stopped, looked around, and then looked back at me sheepishly. I took that as a good sign she will not tangle with one again. (or at least THAT porkie).

 

[dug]

Most dogs learn after the first time. My lab got 'em once, and that was it. My beagle as a kid, however, never learned.

 

[Dugan]

Most dogs learn after the first time.

Some do, some don't.

I too have heard that the quill swelling is a myth. However, trimming an end can sometimes make it easier to grab with pliers.

I firmly believe that they should be removed as quickly as possible. Anyone who has ever dealt with this has surely observed that once the quills are out, the dog doesn't seem to have lasting pain. Delicate areas - eyes, yes, should be left for the professionals.

If you have a quill that's gone through such that the entering end is sticking out (like one that has angled through a jaw), I find it easier to grab and pull from the entering end.

Some dogs fight, some don't. I've helped with a dog who sat calmly, and another that we had to wrap in a tarp while I laid on top to restrain her and her owner pulled quills.

In the face, be especially careful that you've gotten them all. Open the mouth, peel back the lips, use a bright light and feel with your finger tips. They can get lost in those folds.

It's really amazing... it looks horribly painful, and yet dogs seem to shake it off so easily.

 

[forestgnome]

Eye-opening thread! My German Shepard Dog never bothered any wildlife, but my lab will chase anything. She charged a mama bear with cubs in a neighbor's yard. I rarely take her into the forest, but now I'll be very aware of porkies! I had no idea how devastating they could be.

Jim, I hope Virga's ok. Nice looking dog!

Happy Trails

 

[1ADAM12]

I encounterd a "PORK" on the ridge of Colvin heading over to Blake. It was HUGE and it would not leave the trail. Finally I picked up a stick and pushed it off the trail and then made my way down the trail. I am glad I did not have my dog with me that day.

I also say be prepared with needle nose pliers. This will help some if your in the back country!

 

[erugs]

My dogs never learned. Or maybe they did and there would have been more encounters if they hadn't! I bought a pair of needle noses plyers that are bent on the end. That way I could pull more than one at a time more easily when the "event" wasn't too bad. One of my dogs died having a seizure and I've always wondered if a quill had migrated into her brain. Another time, after we had taken a dog to the vet with a mouth full of quills one of them migrated from the rear seat seat of the car (having fallen out of the dog) through my then-toddler's diaper. We had a tough time figuring out why she (my daughter) was so upset.

 

[jbrown]

Wow, never encountered a live pork in the woods with or without my dog, but it gives me yet another reason to keep him on a lead. I haven't even thought of this as a possibility, and I know what a wimp my dog is when it comes to pain, I can't imagine dealing with quills to the face when I'm 7 miles in and alone with my 100 lb black lab.

(PLEASE, don't take this as an attempt to turn this into a "to leash or not to leash" thread.)

 

[Dugan]

essential equipment

After helping to dequill a friend's 9 month old Bernese Mountain Dog pup on Saturday, I suggest that a headlamp is also essential equipment. The dark quills were difficult to find in the dark fur, but we got most of them.

A headlamp would've been immeasurably helpful in spotting those in the mouth - you can't hold a flashlight, immobolize a dog, and work hemostats all at the same time!

 

[audrey]

Thanks to Dugan and others, I was carrying pliers when Genie tangled with a porky in the Catskills last year.

Reading your stories, sounds like we got off easy - about 16 quills in the muzzle and nose, and they all came out fairly easily- the nose ones were deeper and produced a good deal of squirming and growling.

I don't think she has learned her lesson - even after she got shot, she chased it up a tree and kept dancing around it and barking.

The worst part was the 2 quills in her paw that we didn't notice till after 2 weeks that got a bit infected. Be sure they're all out!

 

[Dugan]

Some learn: painful encounter = avoidance
Some don't: painful encounter = attack before another painful encounter

Lucky indeed. My friend stopped counting at 100. I was on hand only for the end. I got a call, quavery voice, "we have a dog emergency", how do you not go help?

Newton was about middle-of-the-road for removal. The saddest part was when his person would reach toward him with the hemostats, he'd let out a high pitched little whimper. Broke our hearts, but what are you going to do? 3 hours later, he was up and bouncing without a care in the world. Amazing how fast they forget!

Don't just look, either, use your hands. For the face, look inside the ears, and feel ALL inside the mouth - the roof, under the tongue, the lips, the gums.