Porcupine Quill Removal

[GRUMPA]

OK I'm looking for some real sound/knowledgeable advice from the seasoned experts out there in the wilderness. I have 2 dogs that just roam around for hours on end exploring the countryside just itching to find something new and exciting to do.

Well for some reason or another they seem to have some pretty good luck finding just that, and TROUBLE. The 1 is a German short-hair pointer(female-40lbs) and the other an Airedale(Male-75/80lbs). She finds the goodies and the male (wonder-putz as I call him) just goes in and takes care of things.

Well one of the things that they find with somewhat regular frequency is porcupines (especially the pointy end part of it) and just the male for the most part (sometimes the female rarely though) comes home all exhausted from the days events with a few hundred quills attached to his nose.

We know they have to come out somehow, it takes my combined strength and the opposite of lightning speed with a pair of pliers (wife) to get these things out from his muzzle. it happened before and when we didn't get them all out those quills just kept traveling thru the snout and came out the other end (rather nasty) and that took 2 weeks of traveling.

Is their an easier way? And I'm not talking $400+ vet bill either ($ scarce here). I'm looking for an at home type of solution here. Trust me I thought about all kinds of things but nothing easy comes to mind. And when I sit on this guy he has enough strength to literally ride him like a horse.

[Rick Hodges]

I have hunted with my friend and his Chesapeake Bay Retriever when "Dakota" took exception to a porky. Two full grown men did our best to hold the dog down while a third went after the quills with needle nose pliers. Unfortunately a lot of them were down the throat of Dakota so we went to the vet. The vet anesthesized the dog and got the quills out from deep inside. He gave us a pair of hemostats to keep in our kit (instead of the rusty pliers). He said to pull them out the best we can, if they break off inside let them go (don't try to dig them out). If the throat and airway are being blocked by quills a trip back to the vet will be needed.

That was not one of my most pleasant days hunting. Three grown men and a dog, covered in Porky quills, dog spit and blood....all of us bled. You would think the dogs would learn, but they just seem to recognize that the critter hurt them and they just want to kill it.....I'm not a fan of porkies.

[firefly1957]

Good luck I have heard that if you cut part of the quill it will release the barb but never tied it. My little buddy , a 32 lb Corgi, thought he could kill them quill pigs he did a good job staying in front and biting the eyes but always ended up getting swatted with quills. The last time While he was in shock I pulled a handful out then he came to and I took him to the vet and they put him under and remove 131 more! Even that little dog was too much to hold I tried wrapping him tight in a blanket tying him down none of it worked. I have seen quills come out 6 weeks after I thought I got them all out heaven knows were they were all that time. Vet bill was a little over $200 on a holiday weekend three years ago. They charge by the quill too!
I did not know you had those insidious things in Arizona here I shoot everyone I see.

[roberto mervicini]

1- restrain your dog, usually a leash is ok, or have a person help you.
2- poor white vinegar on the area around the quill where is entered.
3- snip te end of the quill to let air out( will allow the quill to come out easier)
4- with plier remobe the quill without rotating
5- clean the area with 10 volume peroxide.
Wile you perform the operation kep talking to the dog in a calm manner to reassuring him to stay calm. If you are stress the dog will be also.
________
roberto

[GRUMPA]

I did not know you had those insidious things in Arizona here I shoot everyone I see.


With the wallow fire we had just 60mi south of us and the fact we are pretty much the ONLY source of water for miles, we have only gawd knows what wondering around here. And the nearest vet is 90mi round trip and $400 min. Heck when our other Airedale got bit by a rattler no vet up here had the anti-venom, go figure. For the most part they're large animal vets, cows horses etc..

[R.M.]

Dogs seem to have 2 mind-sets about porkies. One will learn not to do it again, and the other gets a great big hate on for them. I had one spaniel that learned, and another that said "I'll get you this time."
Yup, snip the ends, be gentle in action and words, and pull, pull, pull. The spaniel that didn't learn would sit there as good as can be. She knew I was helping her I guess. Good dog, but dumb as a stump.

[fishhawk]

As a kid in high school some of us would go out coon hunting here in northern wis when the corn fields were tall. We had one redbone hound, that idiot never learned about porkys he would kill the porky but then we spent the rest of the night in the cow barn on the floor pulling quill's. He finally got one so bad there were quill's in his eye's and he had to be put down. steve k

[waksupi]

1- restrain your dog, usually a leash is ok, or have a person help you.
2- poor white vinegar on the area around the quill where is entered.
3- snip te end of the quill to let air out( will allow the quill to come out easier)
4- with plier remove the quill without rotating
5- clean the area with 10 volume peroxide.
Wile you perform the operation kep talking to the dog in a calm manner to reassuring him to stay calm. If you are stress the dog will be also.
________
roberto


Definitely the best method. As was said, keep talking to the dog in a low voice, and hopefully have someone there to stroke him to help keep them calm. Don't start working on them until you get them calmed down.
Using this method, I have removed hundreds, and the dog was very accepting, and knew they were being helped. Didn't make it any more pleasant for either of us, though.

[lavenatti]

Some benadryl (cheap and over the counter) will relax the dog.
Call your vet for the dosage.

Vinegar? Really, won't that sting like H$^^.

[edsmith]

like as said before, snip the end off, also you can eat the quill pig, young only, the old ones are tough.:drinks:

[Mk42gunner]

I'm glad there aren't any porcupines around here. I have one dog that is going blind, but he thinks he can run anything off the place-- all twelve pounds of him.

Robert

[roberto mervicini]

vinegar help loosen up the quills.
________
roberto

[lavenatti]

Thanks, I didn't know what it was used for.

[Bret4207]

Roberto has the best method that has worked for us. But the best thing to do is to stop letting your dogs roam. If they are chasing porkies they are probably, almost certainly, chasing deer. I'm not meaning to lecture here but if you have livestock nearby your dogs can do some real financial harm too. A dogs place is in or right around the home. Restrain your dogs, end of problem.

[clintsfolly]

What Bret said +10000. Clint

[DLCTEX]

My German Shepard, Duke (now in doggie heaven), never learned. He made so many trips to the vet for removal of quills that the vet said he was addicted to the tranquilizer and was hunting porkys so he could get another fix. He would meet me at the door with a face full of quills and there was no way I was getting into the truck without him. By the way, our vet only charges $35 for the job.

[1Shirt]

Agree with Bret about 110%!
1Shirt!:coffee:

[gnoahhh]

Reminds me of the story my buddy told of the time he and his gunnery sergeant and the gunny's wife went deer hunting somewhere up in a cold northern state. Wisconsin comes to mind. So cold the ****e in the outhouse was frozen solid. Said wife went to hit the head a moment before departure for home and got her nether regions smacked full of quills from a porky that had taken up position on top of the frozen poo to eat at the salty wooden rim of the seat. Paul said you haven't lived until you de-quill an hysterical woman's bottom. Much scotch whisky (applied internally and externally) and a rusty pair of vice grips got the job done.

[Three44s]

The magic number for my tough minded Australian Sheppard was FOUR!

Four big hits with 'ole Porky and that was that.

Once Jack got the "cure" he stayed away and had a high pitch yip all reserved for nothing else than Porkies. He knew from experience I'd get right over there and give them a RCBS 250K from my Ruger or Smith and that was that!

He'd grit his teeth and twist his head in thin air like he was pulling quills from himself then walk off like he'd done good work!

Workin' dog, friend .... companion ..... part clown ..... RIP Jack!

Three 44s

[GRUMPA]

When we moved up here from the city it was for the most part a learning curve for the both of us. Wife likes animals way more than I do, so now we have chickens roaming about. Now these are her prized belongings and is very upset when they come up missing for one reason or another.

Restraining the dogs for any reason is a big no no as for the most part do a reasonably good job of keeping coyotes away. They also do a fair job of keeping the deer away as well. We have been nursing along all types of fruit trees, and the other half gets very upset after spending months on end taking care of the apple trees watching the apples get bigger and all of a sudden they're all gone. Deer for some reason hone in on those, more than likely because it's the only goodies for miles around.

Then there's the rock squirrel problems, since we are the only source for food water for miles they come into the chicken area and believe it or not can and will eat chickens,chicks,food,water. Last year she thought the pointer was the one doing it and almost got rid of her. But after closer inspection and sitting on the patio more often noticed those cute fuzzy things she saw were carting off one of the chicks, that was a new one on me as well.

For more than one reason the dogs need to have the ability to roam and chase things and I'm posting a link here with pictures from facebook so folks can get a better understanding.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.178007115586041.51278.100001302619398&l=2c4e3fd8cd

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.183709325015820.53098.100001302619398&l=b019ecd946

[gnoahhh]

Yikes, you are isolated. I don't like fences , but in this instance I think a tall fence is about the only 100% certain thing that'll keep the deer away from those apples. Looks like that's the only treat for them in about a hundred square miles. Good luck.

[Ed K]

Quoted method is excellent. Highly recommended from personal experience. I'll add that the quills do not have a barb like a fish hook but rather are continuously barbed along their length like scales on a fish. Movement on the part of the dog served to further embed them so time is of the essence.

I don't let my dogs run - the porkys come to us. Have to test a few cast boolits now and then ;)

[parrott1969]

AHHHHHHHH, want to trade???? We hate neighbors and now we are surronded by a golf course!!! I WANT TO LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE, IE. BFE SOUNDS LIKE HEAVEN!!!!!

[waksupi]

Try hanging Irish Spring soap bars from your apple trees to keep the deer away.

[Bret4207]

Grumpa, with all due respect to you and your missus, I've heard similar stories from city people my whole life. I have a 340+ acre farm with sheep, cattle, goats, chickens, ducks, geese, etc and a HUGE coyote issue. Our coyotes get upwards of 75-80lbs on regular basis, are wolf hybrids and have taken calves on my neighbors farm. We have 10 or 11 dogs, (we meaning my wife and kids, I have one). Our dogs are kenneled or in the house unless under our direct observation. I've had coyotes stroll through our yards on multiple occasions with the dogs right there. We had fox taking geese with the dogs and us right there. My horses will run off coyotes and dogs, but they don't care about the sheep. I've lost quite a few head of livestock to predation. But we've had far more damage done by the neighbors dogs, neighbors that moved in from the city, bought dogs and turned them loose. Only the fact I don't like shooting dogs and that I had an employer at the time who would entertain any crackpot complaint kept me from shooting their dogs when they chased my sheep and cattle. I also observed their dogs running deer, a big no-no in these parts.

I mean no insult, I would just urge you to reconsider your position. You're leaving yourself open to an immense amount of liability and the prospect of violating game laws if you leave then to run.

[waksupi]

Good points, Bret. We had a serious problem with city people moving here, and turning their dogs loose. Neighbor shot 37 one summer, for harassing his stock.

[bearcove]

Dogs or cats. Letting them run loose is a crime. A loose dog or cat is a fair target.

Only exception is when someone is hunting with dogs. You usually know because the type of dog and it being that season.

[fatnhappy]

Grumpa, with all due respect to you and your missus, I've heard similar stories from city people my whole life. I have a 340+ acre farm with sheep, cattle, goats, chickens, ducks, geese, etc and a HUGE coyote issue. Our coyotes get upwards of 75-80lbs on regular basis, are wolf hybrids and have taken calves on my neighbors farm. We have 10 or 11 dogs, (we meaning my wife and kids, I have one). Our dogs are kenneled or in the house unless under our direct observation. I've had coyotes stroll through our yards on multiple occasions with the dogs right there. We had fox taking geese with the dogs and us right there. My horses will run off coyotes and dogs, but they don't care about the sheep. I've lost quite a few head of livestock to predation. But we've had far more damage done by the neighbors dogs, neighbors that moved in from the city, bought dogs and turned them loose. Only the fact I don't like shooting dogs and that I had an employer at the time who would entertain any crackpot complaint kept me from shooting their dogs when they chased my sheep and cattle. I also observed their dogs running deer, a big no-no in these parts.

I mean no insult, I would just urge you to reconsider your position. You're leaving yourself open to an immense amount of liability and the prospect of violating game laws if you leave then to run.



I was up Brett's way to bury my father back in '97. My mother left her dog with the neighbors to watch. Doesn't the dip stick 2 doors down with a rott let it out to roam, and it subsequently came over and killed my mother's dog.

Well dipstick did it again about a month later and the rott never made it home. I never did hear what happened to it.

Point being, dogs and cats left to their own devices and unrestrained regularly exhibit feral/instinctual tendencies.