| |
|
Porcupine
Quilling Information
 One
of the most frequent emergencies Pet Kare Doctors routinely address
are porcupine quillings. Usually dogs learn to give them space after
only one or two minor encounters with these seriously pointy residents
of the Yampa Valley. Those that don't are listed in our porcupine
hall of fame.
What
to do if your dog or cat is quilled:
- Call
us before pulling the quills. Even in the most minor quillings,
problems can occur and we should at a minimum discuss with you the
locations of the quills, numbers and sizes before coming up with a
strategy.
- For
severe quillings: Keep the animal still and calm, try to get them
to the hospital as soon as possible. Quills can migrate and cause
serious problems, especially ones on the chest or abdomen.
Common
misconceptions about porcupine stuff:
Myth:
A porcupine can "shoot" its quills. Truth: the
quills pointed ends stick to the offending animal strongly when
they attempt to sniff or bite the porcupine.
Myth:
You must cut the ends off, because they'll come out easier. Truth:
there is no "vaccuum" inside, if you cut the ends off,
they're more likely to go in deeper or be difficult to remove.
Myth:
The quills tips are barbed. Truth: Viewed under scanning
electron microscope we can see that they are layered like shingles.
|
|
|
