Why does this look so appealing to dogs?!? I can still remember my first experience with dogs and porcupines. We lived in remote Texas Creek Colorado when our Malamute Moose and Rottweiler puppy caught one. I honestly don't know who was more distraught; me or the puppy. Honestly, I was until he saw my reaction then he freaked out and Art told me I had to leave... We ended up taking Moose to the vet to be put to sleep to get the quills out of his tongue. YOW!
Polaris is not much better. I think this is the third time he has gotten a mouth full of quill after pursuing a porcupine. You think he would remember the consequences. He certainly remembers the leatherman coming to remove them!
We do have a system at least. I lay on Polar, which used to be much more effective when I weighed almost 40 pounds more, and cover his eyes while Polar guesses at when Art is going to rip one out and thrashes about crying like a baby. This time Polar was throwing me around pretty good- man is he strong! so I was laying on Polar and Art was laying on both of us, I was covering his eyes, he was crying at the top of his lungs, and Art was plucking as fast as he could... What the neighbors must have thought! There were only about ten quills this time so not too bad.
We finished plucking and gave him a little bowl of Bailey's to calm his nerves. He spent a good fifteen minutes in the stream afterward. Not sure if he was hiding, thirsty, or the cold water felt good on his swollen jowels. Silly Dog!
5 comments:
Oh my gosh I bet that hurt like heck.
He sure is a beautiful dog. Is he a wolf, husky or what?
He is our dopey lovable Malamute. Except he doesn't have the 'mute' part down like other mals...
My goodness! Rump roast of Porcupine must taste good to try it 3 times? Ouch!
Polar says "Excuse me why I quill my thirst"!
Oh, no :( Poor baby! My beloved pooch, Chance had his first run in with a porcupine last fall. Chance and I are from the city and have never encountered a real life porcupine before! LOL! Hubby was at a volunteer firefighter's meeting and was home late from fire practice, so I was home alone. All of a sudden I heard the most AWFUL sound ever. It was a sound I had never heard Chance make before.
I was almost afraid to open the door to see what had happened. He ran into the house with over a hundred quills in his face. He wouldn't let me near him so I couldn't take them out. Hubby came home and I was crying and in a panic. I know, a little melodramatic, but I hate seeing my baby in pain. I was in tears, the dog wasn't letting Hubby near him either. I ended up having to bring him to the vet in the morning because he was making things worse for himself and his face started to puff up that you couldn't even see his eyes!!!
The vet sedated him and removed as many quills as possible. Chance was not himself for a few days. Poor boy. He hasn't had any run ins with porcupines since *knock on wood*!
Poor Polar...
Our dog just likes to get sprayed by skunks, so that's not as bad- still, you'd think he would learn after having to keep getting bath after bath.(which he HATES)
Post a Comment