Dogs & Porcupines - How to Safely Remove Quills
With some exceptions
One night, both of my Labs took off out of the yard and into the woods behind the house. I called and called, but no luck. Both dogs had breached the wireless collar to follow whatever scent they’d picked up on the wind.
Full disclosure
I cried all night. I was worried SICK about my dogs. Until morning, there wasn’t much I could do, so I waited. I must have fallen asleep briefly on the couch in the early hours of the morning because I woke up to a scratch at the door.
They were back!
I opened the door and suck in a sharp breath and the sight. They were both covered in porcupine quills. Head to toe. They looked like matching pincushions.
I couldn’t see their eyes through the flurry of quills circling their faces. Without another thought, I grabbed my keys and guided them to the car. Then I promptly took them to the veterinarian.
They required sedation and surgery to remove the quills.
The veterinarians were amazed that the quills hadn’t pierced any vital organs. They couldn’t even get all of the quills because so many had worked their way into the skin.
It took months for them to work their way out of the skin. Every once in a while, I’d feel a sharp prick and - sure enough - a new quill was peaking out. I was able to take those out by myself.
When You Might Be Able to Handle It Yourself
If your dog has a few quills—let’s say fewer than 50—and they’re in accessible areas (not too close to sensitive areas, like the eyes), you may be able to remove them at home.
Just don’t go it alone.
To remove porcupine quills from a dog, you’ll need:
Pliers
A puncture-proof container for discarded quills
A second person to help keep your dog calm and steady
Have your helper gently hold the dog from behind, away from the quills.
To remove a quill, grip it with pliers as close to the skin as possible and pull with one smooth, straight motion. Don’t twist, don’t yank at an angle, and do not clip the quill.
Despite the myth, cutting the tip doesn’t make removal easier—it makes the quill harder to grip.
When to Stop and Call the Vet
Sometimes you just shouldn’t do it yourself, especially if there are more than just a few quills (which is usually the case)
Let a vet do it if the quills are:
Near the eyes or nose
Embedded deep in the throat
Stuck in the chest or abdomen
Your dog will need to be sedated for safe removal.
How to Keep Porcupines Away from Your Property
Prevention is the best approach. Here are a few tricks I’ve learned to keep porcupines—and other wildlife—at bay:
Hot sauce: Sounds strange, but applying hot sauce to tree bark can deter porcupines. They love to chew on wood, but they’re not fans of spice.
Clean up fallen fruit and wood piles. These can attract both porcupines and their predators.
Install motion-activated lights or sprinklers. Porcupines are shy and don’t like sudden surprises.
Fence off key areas, especially near gardens or sheds.
Keep your dogs supervised, especially at dawn and dusk, when porcupines are most active.
What are your porcupine experiences?
Has your dog been impaled by porcupine quills? What happened? Let me know by commenting below!
Until next time,
Lisa
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