Identification of an intra-cranial intra-axial porcupine quill foreign body with computed tomography in a canine patient. The quills have barbs that appear smooth upon entry but are designed by nature with backward barbs, making removal difficult at best. Some of the most common symptoms recorded in dogs after the quill enters the body are listed here. Contrary to popular belief, the porcupine does not shoot his quills. While it may be tempting to try removing them yourself or cutting the quills shorter, that can often do more harm than good. Primarily nocturnal animals, it is not uncommon to see these animals during the day. *Wag! Depending on the condition of your dog, antibiotics and pain medication could be prescribed. 1. all wive's tales. It is common that a b ite wound, laceration, or other puncture that then becomes infected causes the abscess. DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital. Dog Abscess Symptoms. As previously posted do not soak in vinegar, do not snip off etc. Porcupine quills are commonly found embedded in the muzzle, face, head, and neck of dogs, but can be found anywhere. While most of these infections stem from outward trauma, such as porcupine quill punctures, they can stem from skin cancers or a malfunctioning immune system. I hope that Akil is okay. The mantra that is quietly repeated around a group of vets working on a quill dog is “Please, dog, do not have opened your mouth”. The quills come off very easily and usually end up sticking to the dog’s face.”. “Since quills carry bacteria, infection and abscesses are a serious risk,” Gorman says. It depends on the severity, but the quill removal can take several hours. The proper removal of porcupine quills, which can become embedded in the face and body of your canine, is best done by your veterinarian while your pet is under anesthesia. Once your pet is home from the clinic, be certain to monitor him for days to weeks afterward, watching out for behavioral changes or discomfort, in the chance that a quill migrated within the body before removal took place, or in case a point of entry happens to become infected as a secondary complication. What may not be easily seen is the path that a quill can take upon migration if not removed quickly. Most animals need to be sedated and the tissues removed semi-surgically to ensure the entire quill is out. The prickly rodent is pretty passive when it comes to defending herself. When Gamblin found her dogs cowering in pain the next morning, there was no question who won the fight. “Contrary to popular belief, porcupines cannot ‘shoot’ quills from their body,” Gorman says. Be warned: The pus inside an abscess can be stinky stuff. The effects of porcupine quill removal can be felt immediately upon entry into the skin. During the night, her two dogs, Bentley Nicole and Bullwinkle, had gone wandering around her property in Brown County, Texas, and encountered a porcupine on their turf. He cut them off with wire cutters next to the surface. “But if a dog approaches a porcupine, the animal may defend itself with the swipe of a tail. This factor allows for a thorough check of the body and an easier removal process. When you arrive at the clinic, the veterinary team may ask questions pertaining to the health of your pet, such as recent illnesses or behavioral changes. And last but not least: Make sure your dog is up to date on his rabies vaccination! There were a couple that are under the mucosa completely or one or two that have broken off and are unable to be completely removed. An abscess on dogs can cause the following symptoms: Redness and swelling at the site To keep your pets safe this summer, make sure your dogs stay on their leash during walks in the evening and monitor any outside playtime. “Contrary to popular belief, porcupines cannot ‘shoot’ quills from their body,” Gorman says. (A) North American porcupine quill. “It was very scary and we are still going to the vet once a week because he got a staph infection,” Gamblin told The Dodo. As you make your way to the hospital it will be helpful if a family member can accompany you or drive you there while you comfort your pet and prevent him from rubbing at his face. Don’t try to pull embedded quills from your dog’s mouth. When threatened, a porcupine usually just sweeps its tail, and the intruder ends up as a pincushion. It will be helpful to the veterinarian if you can provide the time of the incident because a long delay in removal may have allowed some of the quills to become embedded in the skin, or to even have worked their way out of sight. Nobody sterilized the porcupine quills before they entered your dog’s body, so antibiotics are fundamental in minimizing post-quill infections. A porcupine may have up to 30,000 quills. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM. Prompt removal will be the goal as quills have the ability to migrate fairly quickly into the tissues of the skin, and are known to become more rigid as time passes, increasing the risk of breakage during removal. Records show that quills left untreated for over 24 hours may increase the risk of an abscess that requires drainage. Granuloma or abscess formation would most likely cause delayed clinical signs, while direct organ trauma would generally be observed as an acute presentation. 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