HOW TO PULL PORCUPINE QUILLS OUT OF YOUR DOG

Our dog Nanook, is a 2 year-old Siberian husky that we adopted two years ago from the local shelter. We felt pretty happy that we were the special ones chosen for him, although we already had 2 dogs and a cat. Why did we need 3? Because he was so cute and I had a connection with him before I even met him.

                     

Well, the answer simply, is that I wanted him. I really really wanted him and thought he would be the perfect addition to a homestead in Northern Maine. And he definitely has been. Not without minor tribulations. First it was eating the furniture when we were out of the house. Then it was the running away, although he has always come back. Then we installed a higher fence and a dog run so he had 2 methods to keep him from running. NOPE!! Last year he encountered a skunk and our house, bedding, and well everything smelled like it for months even though we did the Dawn soap and hydrogen peroxide bath. It helped but he stank for a few months I would say.

He has always been a free-spirit. He reminds me of the classic book “Call of the Wild.” Every couple months, he hears that call of the wild and has to go. But when he comes back, he’s gotten into some sort of trouble. 

                     This time he encountered a porcupine and the experience was definitely not pleasant for both Nanook and our family. We had some minor sedatives that our vet had given us to use when our black lab gets super scared during thunderstorms. So we checked dosages (consulted the on call vet on the phone) and gave it to him. After about 45 minutes to 1 hr, it kicked in enough that I could pull most of the without him trying to eat me. I had my husband hold his head softly but firmly and I had my son hold his  back end. He kept trying to scoot out from under us when we wasn’t trying to eat our hands for being so mean and pulling out those quills! Poor baby

He had somewhere around the range of 703 ( I COUNTED) quills throughout his face and paws. I am still pulling them out here and there. The local emergency veterinarian would have taken him right away but wanted somewhere along the lines of $600 to $800; and the worst part was that they said they wouldn’t accept payment plans of any sort. So my faithful hubby and I made a plan.

We sedated him, by weight, using a medication we had for my other large dog that has problems with thunderstorms. Maybe you have Benadryl around? Consult your vet or a trustworthy vet site that might give you a dosage. That might help keep them drowsy enough to do some of the easier quills. The medication is the key; otherwise, he will fight you and fight you until more quills are broken off inside. Apparently they have the ability to migrate because they continue to do their jobs once inserted in the flesh. Some say that if there are any near the top of the head or the chest area that they could migrate to the brain and heart. Im not sure the validity of this but that is what I was told by several people and some websites, so I have gone into worry mode.

I used a good pair of hemostats or suture clips to pull them out. You grab nearest to the base and pull. Sometimes really hard and really fast. Make sure that if any are in his eye balls or any other area of sensitivity, call the veterinarian and see if they can guide you or at least if you bring him in you will have finished everything else.

Try not to let them break because you don’t know if they’ll migrate or become infected. Some will come out very easily and some will be very difficult. There are little barbs on the end of the quills that will try to stay in his skin. My sister-in-law said to pour vinegar all over the areas, but we had already pulled out several so the vinegar on those areas was too painful to use anymore. Maybe those quils came out easier? Not really sure.

I pulled each one by one. I placed Nanook on an elevated clean table so that my back wouldn't hurt quite so bad doing this. It took about 6 hours to get them all- or what seemed like all. I picked 7 more out tonight and Im sure there will many more.

 I poured peroxide all over his nose and face and paws and let him go to sleep. The next day, we took him into the shower to get him super clean (infection!!) and poured more all over him. He dried off and looks like the same little guy. We are giving him Benadryl every 12 hours (1mg/lb dosing). That will help with the swelling and any possible itching/allergy/ issue with the sites. He is taking an antibiotic every day for one week.