How to Remove Porcupine Quills

A porcupine has about 30,000 quills. If your dog or cat has an unfortunate encounter with a porcupine, you will have a pet full of painful quills that you'll need to remove. These steps will show you how to quickly get your dog or cat quill- and pain-free.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Put on a pair of thick gloves before trying to remove the quills to protect you from being stuck during the extraction.

2. Keep your pet calm. With a body full of barbed quills, your pet will naturally go wild trying to make the pain and the quills go away. Talk to her in a comforting voice to soothe her.

3. Grasp each quill as close to your pet's fur as you can using either needle nose or blunt nose pliers (not scissors). Applying gentle pressure, pull constantly on the quill until it comes out. This process hurts; so your pet may wail.

4. Apply a topical antiseptic to disinfect the site from where the quill was removed.

5. Check your pet's fur thoroughly to make sure there are not hidden quills left on him. Some porcupine quills are as long as four inches, but others can be only ½ inch, so they could remain hidden under your pet's fur.

Tips & Warnings

• If your pet is getting too stressed out over the quill removal process, leave the rest of the quills in her fur and take her to a veterinarian to finish the job.
• If your cat or dog has a quill in his mouth or throat or if a quill has broken off under his skin, take him to a veterinarian as soon as possible.