Porcupine troubles

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Bounty_Hunter
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Porcupine troubles

Post by Bounty_Hunter » Tue Jul 29, 2014 7:45 pm

My Brittany had his 3rd run in with another porcupine and like usual I removed all or what I thought was all of the needles embedded in his left paw and shoulder, but today which is 2 days later I felt a needle embedded inside his skin at his elbow. I can feel the needle barley sticking out but cant get it. It doesn't seem to be bothering him but I don't want it to get infected either. Any advice other then take him to the vet? Will the needle work itself out?

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zrp
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Re: Porcupine troubles

Post by zrp » Tue Jul 29, 2014 9:53 pm

it will migrate, either in or out. They have barbs and often migrate in, so get it out before it's too late

QuillGordon
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Re: Porcupine troubles

Post by QuillGordon » Wed Jul 30, 2014 6:38 am

My Brittany had his 3rd run in with another porcupine
Light weight
My boy Creek has had eleven encounters with six times quilled.
Try getting the quill out, as mentioned it will continue to travel. Hopefully, in your case in the right direction

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Bounty_Hunter
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Re: Porcupine troubles

Post by Bounty_Hunter » Wed Jul 30, 2014 6:58 am

I tried for over an hour last night but there is not enough to grip even with good needle nose pliers, the only other option would be to make a small slice near the needle and dig it out but that's where I draw the line. He has a 3pm appointment with the vet today. I removed needles from his face before and even inside his mouth and the hardest part is getting him to stay still. I never saw this needle and I think it may have embedded even before he came to me because of the location on the inside of his elbow. I'm really starting to dislike these porkeys. Surely you must feel the same?

QuillGordon
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Re: Porcupine troubles

Post by QuillGordon » Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:26 am

Yep, hate the dang things. Creek went five encounters (points) with no quill's so I was thinkin he was cured. The last time was about a week ago with no point, he just came back to me with a mouthful of quill's. I cussed... I think he caught it out in the open. Last month he was purdy proud of catching and killin a Marmot which I discouraged but I think he seen ole porky out in the open and thought he might do the same to it... I carry a Walther .22 to eliminate where i can

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DonF
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Re: Porcupine troubles

Post by DonF » Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:49 am

Forget needle nose pliers. get a set of surgical clamps. Was in Sportsman's a couple days ago and they sell them. They will clamp on to the tip of the quill and pull it out. I've had to many quills come out just like that on to many dogs. I've only ever had one dog I couldn't get quills out of. Even wrapped him up tight in a blanket and still couldn't hold him still, he went to the vet! I carry a set of clamps clipped inside my bird vest. Well did, lost them and need a new set, should have got them at Sportsmans. There's short one's and long one's, I favor the long one's.

Bounty_Hunter
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Re: Porcupine troubles

Post by Bounty_Hunter » Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:49 am

I will be picking up a pair of those clamps for sure. Anytime I can avoid the vet I do. Nothing against vets, I just don't like emptying my wallet when I can do it myself. This is really a tough one though because there is really nothing to clamp on to. He must have bit part of the needle off or worked it all the way in because of the location of it.

Max2
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Re: Porcupine troubles

Post by Max2 » Wed Jul 30, 2014 1:24 pm

I may stand to be corrected & if so please advise. No mention of cutting quill first before trying to remove. This supposedly will release the barbed end for an easier pull. I only make mention in case others feel they may try it on there own. My 1st GSP I removed about 2 dozen quills by myself using this method. It worked great. Perhaps it doesn't make a difference but this was done in a manor that I was told to do it in. later someone told me another good idea was to take a broom handle across the dogs mouth & tie it with a bandana behind the dogs ears to hold the mouth open to get those inside of the dogs mouth. My second GSP got into a porky & I enlisted the help of a vet to the sum of 175.00 to remove and he only had about a dozen. he now seems to avoid porky's . We have a lot of them.

Bounty_Hunter
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Re: Porcupine troubles

Post by Bounty_Hunter » Wed Jul 30, 2014 4:16 pm

Max2 wrote:I may stand to be corrected & if so please advise. No mention of cutting quill first before trying to remove. This supposedly will release the barbed end for an easier pull. I only make mention in case others feel they may try it on there own. My 1st GSP I removed about 2 dozen quills by myself using this method. It worked great. Perhaps it doesn't make a difference but this was done in a manor that I was told to do it in. later someone told me another good idea was to take a broom handle across the dogs mouth & tie it with a bandana behind the dogs ears to hold the mouth open to get those inside of the dogs mouth. My second GSP got into a porky & I enlisted the help of a vet to the sum of 175.00 to remove and he only had about a dozen. he now seems to avoid porky's . We have a lot of them.
I have also read somewhere that cutting may make removal easier but I also read it can also cause problems in some cases. Here is a link with some good information.

http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Porcupine-Quills

fishvik
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Re: Porcupine troubles

Post by fishvik » Thu Jul 31, 2014 8:25 am

DonF wrote:Forget needle nose pliers. get a set of surgical clamps.
These are also known as hemostats. I've found that a 4" set work great. I carry a pair clamped to my hunting vest. They work great for cactus spines too.

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deke
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Re: Porcupine troubles

Post by deke » Thu Jul 31, 2014 10:45 am

Had the same issue you have. Had one of my labs get in a tussle with a porky, we got all we could see and feel out of him, but about a week later I noticed a big lump on his head and squeezed it. It popped and I did some more digging and found another quill. About a week after that I could feel another lump forming about an inch under his eye, so I shaved his face and we did a little face surgery, dug out another little quill. It was his first encounter, but to say he wasn't happy about it would be an understatement.

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Re: Porcupine troubles

Post by Mountaineer » Thu Jul 31, 2014 11:42 am

Each to their own as to forceps/hemostats....I find them slow, fiddly and involving more work with the locking nature, than any benefits.
I've used both...and prefer very small flat paddle-type pliers...often adding some filed notches to amplify grip a bit, if necessary.
Mine have a small flat spring that makes them self-opening as well...a benefit, ime.
Additionally, the small fingers loops on most hemostats are annoying in themselves when compared to a plier but...to each, as I said.

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