Serious Bleeding   Minor Cuts and Wounds   Shock   Car and Truck Accidents   Transporting the Injured Dog   Breath Stoppage   Electric Shock and Lightning   Burns and Scalds   Poisoning   Choking

Snakebite   Encounter with a Skunk   Porcupine Quills   Bee, Hornet and Wasp Stings   Dogfights   Attack by a Cat   Heat Exhaustion   Lameness   First Aid Kit

PORCUPINE QUILLS

While porcupines are not too common, your dog may happen to meet one. If the dog gets too nosey, he may well end up with his nose and face stuck full of porcupine quills.

First Aid

Porcupine quills are painful to extract. If possible, get the dog to a veterinarian. If necessary, the veterinarian can administer an anesthesia and extract the quills while the dog is asleep.

But if you have to do the job, do it this way:

Have someone restrain the dog; he's going to resent having the quills extracted. If possible, try to get an emergency muzzle on the dog. It may be difficult, and you may not be able to get a good fit, but do the best you can.

Use a pair of pliers or strong tweezers to pull out the quills. Pull slowly and steadily—don't jerk them out. If you have no pliers or tweezers, two large coins—half dollars or silver dollars—can be used as substitutes. Place a coin on either side of a quill, press together and slowly draw out the quill. Pulling with your fingers will not do, the quills can be slippery.

After all the quills are extracted, apply antiseptic powder to each quill hole.