When dogs come into contact with porcupines, they're more than likely to wind up with a faceful of quills. Often times, removing the quills can be simple and done at home. Other times, however, a trip to the veterinarian and anesthesia may be required.
Cases involving just a few quills, and not ones in the mouth or throat, can usually be removed at home. Firmly grab the quill close to the skin using pliers. Sometimes the dog may jerk his head backward, thus separating himself from the quill, other times you may need to pull. Even if a small portion of the quill's tip remains, it's unlikely that problems will result, particularly if an antibiotics is used for a week to ten days afterward. It's important, however, that whole, intact quills be removed. If quills are deep in the mouth or if there are a large amount of quills, a trip to the veterinarian is strongly recommended. Anesthesia will typically be used.
If left untreated, quills can be a real problem and lead to oozing and festering. Further, quills that affect the throat or eyes can be particularly troublesome. If porcupine quills imbed into the tissues, they can be very difficult to remove, though it is rare for the quills to actually migrate through the tissues. |
