What to Do If Your Dog Gets Quilled by a Porcupine
We’ve already had several patients this spring who couldn’t resist the urge to investigate a porcupine. If your dog gets quilled, your first instinct may be to try to remove the quills yourself.
Please don’t.
Porcupine quills are designed to break easily when pulled, and they can remain deeply embedded in tissue — causing infection and continued pain if proper removal isn’t performed. The best thing you can do for your dog is get them to a veterinarian as soon as possible. The longer the quills sit, the more difficult they are to remove.
What to Do Right Away
- Stay calm. Your dog is in pain and stressed — your composure helps.
- Don’t pull the quills. Even partial extraction can leave fragments behind.
- Limit your dog’s movement. Keep them from pawing at their face or rubbing against the ground.
- Call your veterinarian immediately. Quill removal almost always requires sedation.
If your dog has a run-in with a porcupine, call Baxter Creek Veterinary Clinic at (406) 587-5537 right away. We’ll get them in as quickly as possible.