If you have a dog, you know that they can be really pesky at times. They love to play, but sometimes their playtime involves getting into things that they shouldn’t – like sharp objects. If your dog happens to get stuck in between some of the quills on a porcupine’s coat, there’s no need to panic. Here’s how to Removing porcupine quills from a dog safely and without any harm.
If you ever see a dog with a face full of porcupine quills it is truly something you’ll never forget… and neither does the dog! Well, most dogs. A few years ago I saw the same dog three Saturdays in a row to remove porcupine quills. He must have found a good feeding area for porkies and thought he could get even with them somehow. He learned the hard way.
Removing Porcupine Quills From a Dog
Removing porcupine quills from a dog can be as simple as gripping a quill with your thumb and finger and pulling. On the other hand it just may be a long drawn out affair under anesthesia in the veterinarian’s office. I recall many late night emergency calls with the frantic voice on the line wondering how long it would take me to get to the clinic to help a distressed dog with a mouthful of porcupine quills.
Porcupine quills do not have barbs at their ends, and only rarely will actually migrate through the dog’s tissues. The points of the quills are extremely sharp and stiff and under the microscope actually appear as if they have scales or 
shingles, not barbs, that point backward. Once imbedded into tissues they can be difficult to remove, especially the tiny ones that want to break before they are extracted. Through the last 30 years in the forested region of northern Wisconsin where I have practiced I have removed thousands of porky quills from hundreds of dogs. I have learned that even if a small part of the tip of the quill remains behind when trying to extract the quill, it rarely causes any problem… especially if an appropriate antibiotic is used for a week or ten days after the procedure. (Once during a spay surgery I came across a two inch porcupine quill in the subcutaneous tissue of the dog’s abdomen. It showed no signs of scar tissue or migration and was soft and pliable and had been there an unknown amount of time.) In other words it seems to me to be easier on the dog if I do not make numerous incisions and prod and spread tissues in order to find a tiny segment of a quill tip. As you can see from the photos below the patient would be nothing but lacerations if incisions were made whenever a tiny quill tip remains. An entire quill is a different matter, though, and an attempt should be made to remove any intact quills that are able to penetrate the skin completely.
Home Removing Porcupine Quills From a Dog:
If your dog only has a few quills and you are certain that there are none in the mouth or throat, you can remove quills at home fairly easily. The first thing to do is to get a pair of pliers, then something to cover the dog’s eyes so it doesn’t see those pliers approaching. Cover the dogs eyes with your hand if necessary, speak softly and don’t act frantic or you will freak your dog out even worse! With the dog’s eyes covered, bring the pliers up to a quill and grab the quill firmly and close to the skin. The dog will jerk backward and will separate himself from the quill. Sometimes you can grab more than one quill at a time, too. If the dog will be cooperative, coax it to accept your next attempt at removing more quills and eventually you may be able to remove a number of them. You may have to give the dog a break for a few minutes, too, between rounds of quill pulling.
Remember, if there are a large number of quills or if there are a number deep in the mouth, your dog deserves the benefits of anesthesia at the veterinarian’s office. If there are only a few, you can certainly try removal at home.
Porcupines are quiet, amusing little creatures who simply want to be left alone. They do not shoot or eject their quills but will swipe their tails swiftly and leave a bunch of needle like quills in whatever the tail happens to touch. When threatened tiny erector muscles in the skin will make the hundreds of quills over the back “stand up” in defense. Any dog, coyote or wolf that dives in thinking an easy meal awaits makes a startling discovery! If the eyes or throat are affected by the quills, the canine is in real trouble. Left untreated, as happens in the wild, the quills will eventually create festering and oozing and eventually the quill may be rubbed or scratched out. The danger to the victim, though, is very real.
After reading this post, did you know that Removing Porcupine Quills From a Dog are not just painful but also dangerous? This is because they can cause serious long-term health issues. If your dog has been exposed to the quills, we recommend contacting a vet as soon as possible. The vet will use safe and effective treatments to remove the item from your pup’s body safely and efficiently. You can also watch this YouTube video for an easier step-byBlog: removing porcupine quills from a dog
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you removing a porcupine quill from a dog?
1.The chance of the tip breaking off will be reduced as a result.
2.It hurts to remove quills, so remove the bandage.
3.Never pull away at an angle. Straighten it out and remove it the same way it was put in.
4.Avoid twisting. Just straighten out and pull steadily.
How do vets get porcupine quills out?
Using some needle nose pliers, you must grab the quill as closely to the animal’s skin as you can before pulling it swiftly and directly out of the body. Once more, doing this is only advised if there are a small number of them. If not, take the quills to your veterinarian for removal.
What happens if you leave quills in a dog?
Due to their barbs, porcupine quills can pierce a dog’s soft tissue and, if not promptly removed, advance further into the body. Quills are more likely to break and migrate more into the dog’s face or paws the more the dog moves.
