Abandoned Dog Found Covered in 100s of Porcupine Quills—When Rescuers Find Him He Does The Sweetest Thing
Located in Alberta, Canada where North American porcupines are plentiful, volunteers at the Paws Up Program are no strangers to finding porcupine quills in dogs brought to their rescue. This Pit Bull mix was found dumped outdoors—still wearing his collar—with a face full of hundreds of porcupine quills.
Despite what must be an incredibly painful and terrifying experience, this sweet dog (named Brutus by his rescuers) was wagging his tail with excitement as his rescuer approached. Brutus’ entire head was covered in quills, completely obscuring his features. Remarkably, his eyes seemed to have avoided the quilling, but the dog’s mouth and muzzle were full of the sharp barbs.
Luckily the Paws Up Program has experience removing porcupine quills from dogs safely and since being found in early August, Brutus has since healed and found a forever home! Here’s what he looked like shortly after being patched up—what a sweet boy!
Since Brutus was found, the Paws Up Program has found at least three more dogs with a face full of quills, and porcupine quilling in dogs is more common than you think. So, what should you do if you find a dog with porcupine quills in its skin, or if your dog meets one of these prickly rodents?
Dog vs. Porcupine: How Porcupine Encounters Become Dangerous
@pawsupprogram No words. This one was hard to see. This sweet boy is so resilient. #fyp #animalrescue #yeg #edmonton #pawsupprogram #savetherezdogs #edmontonanimalrescue #rescuepuppy #dogs ♬ original sound – Paws Up Program – PUP
Despite popular myths and misconceptions, porcupines cannot throw or shoot their quills. You will rarely hear a story about a dog attacked by a porcupine, because porcupines are gentle, non-aggressive animals. Porcupines will even release a pungent odor to ward off predators before they ever use their quills, but not all predators heed the warning from their sense of smell. The only reason a dog and porcupine quills would ever meet is if the dog attacks, chases, or tries to play with a porcupine.
“Porcupines are more likely to flee predators, but if cornered, it will erect its quills, turn its back to the attacker and lash its barbed tail,” says Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Because quills are so lightly attached, they come off easily when a predator encounters them.”
North American porcupines have around 30,000 quills, and each is covered in tiny barbs that hook into the dog’s skin and gradually embed themselves deeper and deeper. Every hour after a porcupine quills dogs—or anything with skin—the quills work deeper into the skin by 1 mm, which makes removing porcupine quills an urgent matter.
How To Remove Porcupine Quills From a Dog
@pawsupprogram Replying to @Baia3133 Adopt Brutus Spruce Grove, AB [email protected] #fyp #animalrescue #yeg #edmonton #pawsupprogram #edmontonanimalrescue #rescuedogsarethebestdogs #rezdogarmy #rezdogrescue #rescuedog #adoptdontshop ♬ original sound – Paws Up Program – PUP
If your dog has tangled with a porcupine, do not remove the quills at home—bring your dog to the vet immediately. Suppose you attempted to remove porcupine quills from your dog without sedation, the proper equipment, and in-depth knowledge of how to get porcupine quills out of a dog. You would cause your dog extreme pain and put them at risk for infections, embedded quills, and other serious issues.
Dogs With Porcupine Quills in Mouth & Skin FAQ
If a porcupine has quilled your dog, stop reading this now and bring them to the vet! If you’re reading this to be prepared in case your dog ever encounters a porcupine, keep reading to see what questions other dog owners like you are asking.
How quickly does a dog need to get to the vet after being quilled?
Dogs that are not treated by a veterinarian within 24 hours of being quilled by a porcupine are at significantly higher risk for infections, abscesses, and quill migration. You should bring your dog to the vet as soon as humanly possible if they have been stuck with a porcupine quill, but if you can’t make it right away, reach out to your vet by phone to ask for advice in the interim.
Will porcupine quills kill a dog?
Yes, left untreated, porcupine quills can kill a dog. Porcupine quills can migrate, meaning they can move further into the body if not removed or removed incorrectly. Migrating quills can even reach your dog’s vital organs, causing damage and infections.
In some cases, signs of infection can appear even after the quills have been removed, which is yet another reason dogs should be seen by a vet as soon as possible.
Does cutting the quill make it easier to remove?
No. There are some discussions by dog owners online debating whether cutting porcupine quills to make them shorter makes them easier to remove. Not only is there no evidence to support cutting porcupine quills in a dog, you should also not be attempting to remove the quills on your own. A pair of needle nose pliers from your home tool kit won’t do the trick, porcupine quills must be removed by a veterinary professional to ensure full and safe removal.
How can you prevent dogs from getting quilled by porcupines?
If you have a city dog, porcupine quills aren’t a major concern. For folks living in rural areas, porcupine encounters are a much larger possibility. The best way to protect your dog from encountering or getting quilled by a porcupine is to keep your dog on a leash. Most dogs get quilled when they roam free and investigate brush, bushes, holes, or animal dens. Supervising your dog during their outdoor time and keeping them on a leash will almost guarantee they won’t meet a porcupine.
If you live in an area with a large porcupine population, consider keeping your dog inside at dawn and dusk when the porcupines are most active. Working on recall and teaching your dog to avoid other animals can be a big help if you like to walk your dog off-leash in the woods, though it is still best to keep dogs on a leash. If your dog is likely to rush at or attack a porcupine if it sees one and you know they live in your area, you can also consider using a basket muzzle to protect their mouths and avoid them biting down on porcupine quills.
