# Rakka and I had a rough day yesterday So apparently there ARE in fact porcupines in my area. In my backyard, no less. I didn't know this until Rakka went behind some trees and came back with a nose full of quills. There weren't too many, so the vet told me that if I could get them out myself with pliers to go ahead, but there were a co… ## Thread In Shikoku Ken · started by hondru · 29 replies - **Category:** [Shikoku Ken](https://nihonken.org/community/c/shikoku-ken) - **Forum:** [Nihon Ken Forum](https://nihonken.org/community/) ## hondru (moderator) · 2008-09-03T18:22:36.000Z So apparently there ARE in fact porcupines in my area. In my backyard, no less. I didn't know this until Rakka went behind some trees and came back with a nose full of quills. There weren't too many, so the vet told me that if I could get them out myself with pliers to go ahead, but there were a couple in her mouth that I wasn't going to get without knocking her out first. Plus, she had a gash on her jaw. Not sure how the gash happened, but it definitely happened at the same time as the quills. Anyway, so I tell the vet I'm coming in and take off in my car, but a few miles down the road, one of my tires blows out. My the time I get the spare on and get there, I'm way later than they were expecting me and they're closing soon. Luckily, it doesn't take too long; they sedated her, pulled the quills, cleaned her wound, and gave her some antibiotic (and as long as she was sedated, I had them clip her nails), then barely catch the folks at the tire place to get a new tire. Luckily, we're all fine now and I think Rakka learned her lesson about porcupines. I showed her one of the quills that I managed to get out before going to the vet and she acted like it was concentrated evil. ## _dlroberts · 2008-09-03T18:34:37.000Z Oh wow. Talk about adding insult to injury. That just plain sucks. But I'm really glad Rakka is ok. Live and learn Rakka. :-) ## MommyofNiko · 2008-09-03T18:42:12.000Z Awwww...poor Rakka. How was she with them in and the drive? I cant imagine how much Niko would of SPAZZED! Sasha probably would have been like "what, what are you looking at??" Heidi I would of cried if I were you! ## hondru (moderator) · 2008-09-03T18:53:10.000Z She was totally calm, like nothing was the matter. If I got too close with the pliers, though... watch out. ## Leonberger (admin) · 2008-09-03T19:59:28.000Z Ouch!! Let's hope the lesson lasts, poor Rakka. That was a stressful day, for sure. ## brada1878 (admin) · 2008-09-03T20:44:39.000Z wow - yea - that's a rough day! Poor Rakka [and you], is she swollen or anything? I can imagine how hectic she would get when you got some pliers close to her. Poor girl. Leave it to a Shika to get in that kind of mess. :oT ---- ## brandon_w (admin) · 2008-09-03T21:14:21.000Z Yikes. It's good that the porcupine didn't give him more than a nose full of quills. Did you ever see the pictures of the pit that had like a whole head full? There are two things you can count on to continually take your money when you don't want them too. Vet bills and car repairs. Having both on the same day is really shitty. ## StaticNfuzz · 2008-09-03T23:10:34.000Z Wow that is a stinker of an adventure for both of you. I am glad it was not worse! Rakka is rather brave. I expect my dogs would have been screaming like stuck pigs. Snf ## _dlroberts · 2008-09-04T00:19:00.000Z Oh Brandon, I love that line. Vet bills and car repairs. So true! :-/ ## TheWalrus · 2008-09-04T00:28:37.000Z Wow, happy there's no porcupines over here. Sounds like a sucky day for sure. Now this post would have been amazing.... with pictures! ## Sangmort (moderator) · 2008-09-04T01:06:01.000Z Oh no! Poor Rakka! Glad to hear everything turned out ok :) ~ ## hondru (moderator) · 2008-09-04T02:33:51.000Z Brad - she wasn't swollen or anything. I gotta tell you, though, when she wants to be uncooperative... sheesh. My three nieces were over and they kept wanting to hug and pet Rakka. I took the opportunity to teach a valuable life lesson - don't touch hurt dogs, even if you know them! Brandon - Soooo true about vet bills and car repairs! What's worse is Noah has been finishing the last of his degree and won't be done until December. He took out a loan and it hasn't come yet... you get the idea. The jogging stroller I had my eye on will have to wait, lol. But hey, that's pet ownership, right? I didn't think to take pictures until I had already taken most of the quills out. I do have a picture of the wound on her jaw, though. I'll have to upload that (I have dial-up, though, so be patient). ## brandon_w (admin) · 2008-09-04T10:07:37.000Z That is pet ownership. I wanted this nice winter coat, great deal, kind of a dress one. The Moxie (the cat) got the runs and I had to spend $75 for some fecal tests that didn't find anything wrong with her. Here is what a dog looks like when a porcupine really gives it hell: ## sunyata · 2008-09-04T11:25:07.000Z Oh... Yikes, Brandon. Poor puppy. And poor Rakka. I am glad she is doing better. That really stinks about the double wammy yesterday with the porcupine and the tire. ## TheWalrus · 2008-09-04T11:53:06.000Z Holy cow!!! ## brada1878 (admin) · 2008-09-04T14:14:48.000Z OMG - that poor dog! That porcupine really showed no mercy on that dog! ---- ## MommyofNiko · 2008-09-04T19:44:02.000Z Brandon-That pic seriously makes me sick. How horrible! ## okiron · 2008-09-04T21:22:23.000Z Aww poor Rakka and you :( I'm glad Rakka didn't turn out like the dog Brandon posted. ## Sangmort (moderator) · 2008-09-05T01:06:34.000Z OMG! If that had happened to me...wow. Ok, I can not imagine having a million quils sticking out of my face- OUCH!~ ## hondru (moderator) · 2008-09-05T03:32:54.000Z I bet that dog picked it up and shook it back and forth or something. How else would it get so many? ## _dlroberts · 2008-09-05T13:35:55.000Z Could have been multiple porcupines? ## Leonberger (admin) · 2008-09-05T14:50:31.000Z No, it seems it was just one. I read the story a year ago or so. The dog is a Bull Terrier, if I'm not mistaken. I'll try to find the site I read it on. Edit: I don't think it was here I found it, but they post a supposed picture of the dog before the porcupine incident. The Bull Terrier part, to me, seems solid if you look at the ear. I can't be sure if it's the same dog on the before picture, but seems pretty consistent. http://archive.dailypicture.net/a\_pit\_bull\_terrier\_gets\_quilled\_porcurpine\_quills\_stuck\_head.htm ## MommyofNiko · 2008-09-05T19:46:25.000Z "Well, now we know how to defend ourselves against aggressive dogs... get a pet porcupine. Ha!" That was uncalled for! ## Leonberger (admin) · 2008-09-05T20:41:51.000Z Agreed! I forgot to warn you guys about it. ## hondru (moderator) · 2008-09-06T02:17:37.000Z In this picture you can see Rakka's cut on her jaw. This picture makes it look worse than it is, though. This was after the vet treated it, so it has some stuff on it. I think it was glue or something. ## _dlroberts · 2008-09-06T13:55:20.000Z Awww poor girl. I guess there are worse places to have cuts like that. Lucy it wasn't inside her mouth, that would been a lot worse for her. Mend well Rakka! ## baanton · 2008-09-06T16:55:37.000Z So sorry to hear about Rakka and the vet bills and the car repairs! What a bad day --- hope things are going better now! Don't mean to freak you out, and don't let your dog view this video. This was on the game cam at the farm when we got back from our Alaska trip last weekend -- obviously we are closely watching Josephine when we are up there so she does not have the same close encounter that Rakka had! ## Sangmort (moderator) · 2008-09-07T00:34:43.000Z Bev - It's like a movie...Attack of the Porcupine 2!~ --- **Navigate:** [Forum home](https://nihonken.org/community/?format=md) · [Sitemap](https://nihonken.org/community/sitemap.xml)