How to handle a porcupine encounter with your hunting dog

While they can certainly disrupt a hunt or cause injury, most porcupine encounters can be managed with a bit of common sense and some basic tools. However, there are times when it’s much safer, more effective, and less stressful to seek help from a veterinarian.

Don’t panic in a prickly situation

Few moments in the uplands can cause as much panic and frustration as an encounter with a porcupine. As a veterinarian and hunting dog enthusiast, I’ve seen my fair share of these prickly situations, both in the field and in the clinic. While they can certainly disrupt a hunt or cause injury, most porcupine encounters can be managed with a bit of common sense and some basic tools. However, there are times when it’s much safer, more effective, and less stressful to seek help from a veterinarian. Knowing when to channel your DIY tendencies and when to tap out and seek a professional can make a difference in the outcome of a porcupine encounter. 

Should You Take Your Dog to the Vet?

One of the most common questions I get from hunters—often through after-hours calls or panicked messages—is whether a particular porcupine incident warrants an emergency trip to the vet. As you might expect, the answer depends on several factors specific to each situation, dog, and owner. A good rule of thumb is to err on the side of caution. If you’re worried, it’s better to get your dog checked out by a professional. When it comes to our hunting dogs, peace of mind is priceless. It’s far better to address a minor issue early than to let it turn into a more severe problem.

If your dog has quills around the eyes or in the mouth, I strongly recommend taking them to the vet. These areas are particularly sensitive and can harbor hidden quills that may migrate and cause infections. I once treated a Brittany that suffered from a quill that had migrated in its mouth for months after an encounter because the owner didn’t realize it was there. What started as a simple fix ended up requiring multiple surgeries and a hefty vet bill.

Consider Your Dog’s Temperament

Another important consideration is your dog’s temperament. This is a touchy subject for a vet to broach with a client, but please ask yourself (honestly) whether you can handle your dog in a stressful and painful situation like a quill removal. Is your dog comfortable with firm restraint and familiar with being handled in painful scenarios? In my experience, most dogs aren’t.

I’ve seen many cases where well-meaning owners end up with worse injuries—bites, scratches, or even broken fingers—than those we’re treating in the canine patient. The dogs are often patched up and ready to hunt again the next day, while their owners are sidelined much longer with more severe, preventable ailments. Know your own limits and those of your dog to avoid further injury, and by all means don’t jeopardize the bond with your dog by trying to take on a stressful battle neither of you are prepared for. 

Cute and irresistible, especially if you're a German dog. The porcupine is a common resident of the uplands, and their stalwart confidence in the face of danger only adds to fuel to the prey drive fire in some hunting dogs. 

The Value of a Veterinary Visit

For sure, veterinarians (and more often, veterinary technicians) have the expertise and experience to find and remove those pesky hidden or broken quills. But the real advantage of a vet visit is our access to the intravenous sedatives that allow for thorough examination and removal. Sedation provides unrestricted access to a dog’s mouth, ears, and other tricky spots where quills may have lodged. You’d be surprise where those little suckers can hide and avoid detection in an awake dog. Concern for your wallet aside, most dogs would probably prefer a quick injection and a nap over the pain and stress of having quills pulled while awake. While few dogs enjoy a trip to the vet, many would choose it over the alternative of a prolonged and painful quill removal process.

How to Remove Quills in the Field

If the number of quills seems manageable and they are mostly confined to the face and forelimbs, and if you believe you can handle the situation without damaging your bond with your dog, you may attempt removal yourself. A sturdy set of needle-nose pliers, hemostats (my favorite) or a multitool is essential for any upland hunting vest and is the preferred instrument for safe and effective quill removal.

To protect yourself during quill removal, consider using a slip lead as a makeshift muzzle. Pass the loop beyond the quills and cinch it tightly, avoiding quills that could be crushed or broken. This will protect your fingers and give you a better handle on the dog.

With proper restraint in place, use the multitool to grip a single quill or a small group of quills by the white base or shaft. Apply a firm, steady pull. The quills will resist due to the barbs and tissue swelling, but with persistence, they will come out. Be patient and avoid pulling too many at once, as this increases the risk of breaking quills and complicating the removal.

“Know your own limits and those of your dog to avoid further injury, and by all means don’t jeopardize the bond with your dog by trying to take on a stressful battle neither of you are prepared for.”

In the clinic, we place removed quills in a bowl of water to keep them organized. In the field, try to keep them in a central location to avoid reintroducing them to a wiggling dog. Most dogs feel significantly better after the quills are removed and a small dose of a vet-approved anti-inflammatory is administered. Occasionally, antibiotics are necessary if there are broken quill tips or secondary infections. Watch for signs like large wounds, lethargy, or coughing—these are red flags that mean it’s time to see a vet.

Dispelling Myths About Quill Removal

There are several myths about quill removal that persist among hunters. With well over 10,000 porcupine quills removed in my career, I feel confident in dispelling a few. First, there is no evidence to suggest that cutting the quills makes them easier to remove. I’ve tried this technique, and I’ve found no difference in the ease or challenge of extraction. In fact, I’m against this approach because it wastes time. The longer you spend cutting quills, the more time there is for inflammation and swelling to increase, tightening the grip of those pesky barbed quills on the skin. 

Not every porcupine encounter is a wet and wild tussle with a wirehair. Read our strategies for DIY quill removal and learn when to tap out and see a veterinarian. 

The pro-cutting crowd likes to talk about vacuums and laws of physics managed by a quick snip, but in practice I can assure you it’s not only pointless but counterproductive. Physics be damned; Isaac Newton never had to wrestle and restrain a screaming, alligator-rolling Drahthaar with a face full of quills that needed removal–not trimming–ASAP. If you require further evidence against cutting, keep in mind that quills can and will break during removal, so starting with more shaft to pull helps maintain enough real estate to grab on a second attempt. 

Another common misconception is that applying oils or lubricants can help quills slide out more easily. While this may seem logical, it often results in a slippery, messy dog and doesn’t aid in quill removal. In fact, it makes it harder to get a good grip with your tools, increasing the time and effort needed to complete the task.

Conclusion

In most mild encounters, with the right tools and technique, you can manage a porcupine encounter in the field. However, if your dog has quills in sensitive areas or if you're unsure about handling the situation, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. Quick action and proper care can have your dog back in the field quickly, hopefully a bit wiser about tangling with porcupines.