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Attack of the Porcupine!

kbuchanan66

Well-Known Member
Well it finally happened. Barron ran into his first porcupine. Apparently he was following it around all calmly and got a little too close for a sniff. The porcupine shot a couple quills into his cheek & nose area only really breaking the skins surface...non were too deep. The biggest thing that worried us was Barron went ballistic after the quills hit him and wanted to tear that porcupines head off! We had to chase after him and basically grab his collar... It just shows you how tough and how much pain tolerance some dogs can take.


Anyways quills have been removed and we will be keeping the area clean so it can heel. Hopefully he will learn to not be so curious lol.
 

Smokeycat

Well-Known Member
As far as i know the shotting quills is a myth but they come out at the slightest touch and they are designed to go in and stay in so it can appear as if there was no contact. Kryten came out of a woodpile with a quill hanging out of his lip last summer. It didn't phase him at all.
 

kbuchanan66

Well-Known Member
Ya I guess the porcupine may not have shot them but Barron sniffed the little guy and got some in the snout.

No we didn't get pictures too focused on just getting them out and calming Barron down from going on a rampage lol.
 

Duetsche_Doggen

Well-Known Member
Oh ok, LOL, I haven't seen any here but I don't doubt we have them. I wondered if they could shoot their quills like darts LOL!!!!
 

dogman#1

Well-Known Member
That's what I'm waiting for... a freaking porcupine now... WE have skunks, opossums, racoons, woodpeckers, owls, hawks, falcons, deer, turkeys, rabbits.... I'm in New York City for crying out loud... I'm actually in the forgotten borough of Staten Island, but DAMN! freaking skunks now? All I need is a freaking porcupine infestation. I might as well be living in the sticks, lol.
 

FosterMom

Well-Known Member
No, they can't physically shoot the quills like darts but the slightest provocation against the quill will turn it loose and if you can magnify the end, you'll see that it is barbed. We've pulled quills from a pit/Rott cross multiple times and each time was a little more extreme. The fourth time I think he did probably kill the porcupine because inside his mouth and partially down his throat was covered in quills. I don't know that there is any kind of deterrent for a dog that stubborn or that pissed off-not sure which way to look at it!
 

kbuchanan66

Well-Known Member
We have skunks too! I smell them but I have never seen one. So far I haven't had to endure the stink that clings to dogs after they are sprayed.

That's all I can describe it as. Barron was just pissed! Never really went to bite the porcupine just snapped and barked a bark I don't think I have heard from him before lol. I'm hoping he doesn't escalate when he sees another.
 

Duetsche_Doggen

Well-Known Member
Interesting didn't know the quills were that sensitive o_O More reason I'm kind of happy I don't see them, though I think they are fascinating, none the less.

Skunks are everywhere here, I see at least two to three a day dead on the road. And every other day I get that "good whiff" of their goodness.