A graphic video, posted by a veterinary hospital in Vermont, serves as a powerful warning to dog owners. On April 15, the Eastwood Animal Clinic, in Rutland, uploaded a video which shows a dog who has been impaled by dozens of porcupine quills.
https://www.facebook.com/eastwoodanimalclinic1/videos/1897042203913825/
The video shows the dog receiving veterinary care to remove the hundreds of quills that are over his face – the comment accompanying the video reads:
Porcupines are out at Pico in droves! Don’t forget to leash your furry friends.
For those concerned, the animal clinic later updated the post to indicate that the dog was sedated during the procedure and he is now doing well and recovering from the traumatizing incident.
A few tips to take away from this situation – first and foremost, dogs should be leashed, especially in areas where porcupines roam! Further, porcupine quills are barbed at the end and it is best for a veterinarian to remove them (it is a painful process). Owners who attempt to remove quills on their own will likely cause their dog pain, and they may cause more damage by breaking off quills which can easily work their way further into the dog’s body and cause infection.
A quick fact – though many people believe that porcupines “throw” their quills, they don’t. Rather, the quills easily release from their body when a dog gets into a scuffle with them.
More animal related stories at this link to the National Animal News Facebook page.
Help needed for German shepherd hit by a bus – read the story here.
Oh that poor baby, I’m so glad to hear he will be alright.
Awh poor sweetie….that must be horribly painful
Holy crap…..that’s insane! I hope he stays away from porcupines from now on.