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[luvmyjacks]

As if he hasn't been through enough with 8 months of treatment for Blasto and the possibility of his bulla bursting; Will had to plunge down the ravine after Harry and sink his jaws into a huge porcupine!  Harry apparently had a vague memory of a similar experience in the past and only gave it a light poke with his nose, but Will gave it his best effort.  I have been crowing about his weight gain (like Dirtbike, Wilson and Marge) but I have to say carrying a 30lb twisting, clawing crazed dog through the bush is no fun at all.  It took three of us to pin him down and pull out the first 25 quills, but when I saw them imbedded in his upper pallet and between his teeth I had to call in the emergency vet ($$$$'s).  We both agreed he should not be sedated and that the stress could cause his bulla to explode so we had to put a roll of vet wrap in his mouth to hold his jaws open and start pulling the quills out one at a time while he cried and cried.  It made me so sick and throughout the whole ordeal he never once tried to nip the vet.  He was in so much distress and pain and of course there was lots of blood.  It just seems so unfair that these guys keep drawing the bad cards.  Poor little Will. tonight he is very needy and tired. I'm sure the stress just whacked him out.  I can see there are two small pieces still in his lips but I honestly don't have the stomach to try to get them right now.  Just needed to share, it's very exhausting every time there's another crisis.  On top of that little Sadie is in heat and the coyotes seem to be closer tonight and the dogs are really on edge. It creeped me out when I took them out for their last night time walk.
Anyone know if they are attracted to dogs?  Would they try to lure her away and kill her?

[gunner]

Oh my gosh!  Poor Will!!  Quite frankly I am suprised that Harry remembered his lesson.  My dad had hunting dogs and those fools NEVER learned.  I can't count the times my parents held down the dogs and pulled hundreds of quills while I held my hands to my ears.  I know exactly what you are going through.  If the quills don't come out, they will work their way through and come out on the other side.  Will's body will either disolve the bits you didn't get or they will come out on their own.  For as bad as they look, I don't rememeber any of our dogs getting sick from the experience.  The dogs just seemed more determined to get even with the porcupine the next time.   

As far as Sadie goes, I was raised in the Canadian wilderness and if there is a pack of coyotes, yes, they will lure her away and kill her.  If there is a lone male there, he may just try to mate with her, either option is not good.  We had a dog that was half coyote and german shepherd, and when we had gone away from home for the day sometimes we would come back and see tracks in the snow where coyotes had come in and played with our dog/coyote.  The same coyotes caught the neighbor's dog out in the field and killed it.  Either way,  I would keep a sharp eye on Sadie, and the boys! 

Poor Will, I would be feeling sorry for myself too, poor puppy.  Give him a hug from Gunner. 
Joyce

[Jen]

Fer crying out loud!  The little guy can't get a break.  We've never had trouble with a porcupine *luckily*, but I know Mille would never let go no matter how badly she got hurt. It must've been heartbreaking to get those quills out.

We have coyotes, but our dogs always keep them away from the house. At least when they were allowed to run. They're mostly chained up now.
 
So sorry for you and Will-
jen

[evayola]

jeez. You & Will just cant catch a break huh? That really stinks. I am so sorry. I am sure he is just so stressed from everything. Homer and Marge are so sensitive that when they are stressed out, later it hits them really hard and they are just down for hours. I am sure he will be feeling better shortly. I dont have experience with porcupines so I dont have any advice on that. My parents had coyote everywhere where they lived and it was scary leaving our dog outside. Definitely keep your eye on your honeys!

Give Will some extra hugs & kisses. He's a strong boy- look what hes been through already!
Eva

[luvmyjacks]

Will still isn't himself even though he has basked in the attention and hugs he was accustomed to when he was REALLY sick.  I can see he still has two partial quills I will have to deal with but I have this nagging fear that he is "off" because of the blasto.  His specialty vet is away on a two week holiday so not sure who to ask but I am wondering if 50mg once daily is enough Itra now that he is 30lbs.  Remember he was down to 15-17lbs when he was first treated.  Maybe he isn't really holding his own with this fungus and it is slowly gaining a foothold.  Worrying out loud and looking for reassurance.  This disease is a b.....

[gunner]

Maybe all the stress of the porcupine and the quill extraction and then all the extra sympathy has just been a bit much for the poor guy.  I am sure hoping that is all it is.  You know, just plain old over-doing maybe it has taken it's toll.  I sure hope he will be feeling better. 

When ever Gunner seems off, I shove some electrolytes down her throat and in a couple of hours you would think you were looking at a brand new dog.  She is doing fabulously well, but she still has moments, (especially stressful times when we go to the bank and she thinks she is going to the vet) that it just flat takes it out of her and I know she is still a sick girl. 

Hope Will is feeling better soon,
Joyce & Gunner.   

[Wilson3]

oh my god what next?
poor will!!!! the first thing i thought of when i read this was the movie homeward bound when chance the pit bull went up to on and shadow was saying no no chance leave it alone
i so hope will is fine!!!
( i bet he didi have fun chasing it at first until the end )

boy he is a trooper
wilson3

[luvmyjacks]

I had to laugh out loud at Gunner quaking on a trip to the bank.  Will is the opposite.  He hopes every trip is to the vet where they tell him how brave and wonderful and sweet he is.  Everyone gushes and although he almost died in there he also had every possible home cooked and tantalizing meal you could imagine.  I think he has chosen to remember the good times.
As for the porkies, Will has much more of the killer instinct than Harry, and like Jen's Millie, I think he might have remembered the last time when he got 5 quills but thought it was worth another go.  The ones inside his mouth indicated he just tried to bite down.  Dumb as a post this boy. 
I'll let everyone know if he seems better after we pull the quills, and then I'll look at Joyce's suggestion for some electrolytes.  Good idea for a pick me up.

[Jen]

   LOL @ Gunner, poor girl - she's been through so much! 
And Will's like Dirt, jumps into the truck at every opportunity.
She can't wait to see the vet, and makes sure I know to turn right afterwards cuz the Scoop Shack is that way. If I pass it, I get dirty looks until she sees Dairy Queen.

I doubt Will feels very good.  In fact, I'd be pretty honked off if I were getting over a mouthful of quills, not to mention the wounded pride.  You know a Jack hates to lose.
So you reckon the leftovers just work themselves out like bone chips or something?
 

 
   

   

[luvmyjacks]

Okay Jen, here's our dirty little secret in Canada: Tim Horton's donuts serve the "holes" as Timbits and when I go through the drive through all three dogs wait on the passenger seat when I'm ordering as if I am asking for something for them.  The lady in the window makes nice nice noises and voila three timbits show up in the bag.  Gunner just needs some programming!
So back to the quill issue.  It is twofold. If I take him to the vet to remove the pieces, he can't be sedated so it will take the same effort for them as it will for me to do it (except they have better equipment) and the visit will cost $$$$ that I could use for the surgery on his bulla - especially if they take another xray to locate any they can't see.  He keeps making a hacking noise as if he has  something in his throat and last night he slept in my arms again - refusing to stay with my daughter.  He's so fat I foist him off on her most nights but I couldn't turn him out when he was in such distress.  I tried to get one piece out of his lip but it is too far in.  Those ones should just work their way into his mouth where they won't be a problem, it's the upper pallet or throat that worry me.

[evayola]

I really hope all the quills work their way out because you cant have him put under- it would make life a lot easier for you all Im sure. You all are so funny with your stories of your babies. Marge loves going anywhere and Homer too. Homer loves to bark the whole time we are in the car. He takes up the whole back of the suv so Marge has no room- they are too funny. It isnt easy taking them both places together though. We bought a twistep that hooks onto my trailer hitch and Marge will jump right up on in and Homer will just stand there looking at me like heck no Im not doing that. He puts his front paws up on the back of the bumper and I have to grab his hind legs and lift him up in there while he sits down while I am picking him up. He is SOOOOO difficult! :-)
Wishing you all the VERY best,
Eva Marge Homer Snoopy Prada Kitty

[gunner]

Poor Will.  I had a fish bone stuck in my throat a couple of times.  His saliva should begin to disolve the quills eventually if there is any in his throat.  As long as he is eating he should be ok.  If he starts running a temperature it might mean that they have become infected, and then he would need antibiotcs.  It is stressfull for you I know but he really should be ok.  Maybe a few trips to Tim Horton's is just what he needs.  hmmm....  It is just what I need, love their coffee!

[luvmyjacks]

Here's where we are now.  I took a marrow bone and slipped it sideways into his mouth to hold it open and then I had a good hard look around.  There was one stumpy quill in his lip and it came out one its own when I held a hot damp towel on the site for a few minutes.  I think I see the problem and hope its porcupine related.  Just behind his upper teeth there is blister like sore (made me think of the type you get when you burn your mouth eating).  Has anyone had lesions INSIDE the mouth from blasto?  I am thinking of piercing it with a fine needle.  He is trying to eat hard food but has that hang dog look that tells me he's feeling punky.

[gunner]

Gunner had a lesion on her tongue, but not inside her mouth that I noticed.  I wouldn't think that I would recommend poking anything with a needle.  When Gunner's absess was so incredibly huge and obviously coming to an ugly head, the vet told me repeatedly not to poke it, that it would take care of itself when it is ready to do so, and it did. 

[luvmyjacks]

good advice...I'll be good