First of the year

The girls had booked off most of the morning so I could catch up on my files before heading off to my behaviour conference in Florida. Before you get too envious, we have been asked to bring fleecy jackets and blankets as the conference rooms are kept quite chilly. Plus, we start at 8 in the morning and end at 9 or 10 at night.

I wasn't exactly looking forward to my worklist but I trudged through the files until one of the girls walked in and asked if I would be willing to take a look at a dog that had played with a porcupine. I was so happy!!! When animals wake up after having quills removed, they look so much more comfortable. The other great thing about this case was that the owners had not trimmed the quills. It is an old wives tail that trimming allows the quills to deflate. They cannot deflate as they are too stiff; however, the more you touch them, the more they work their way into the skin.

A What?!?

So, I am out of the hospital for a brief time on my lunch break when I get a call from work. Would I be willing to take a look at a porcupine? Okaaay.

The good Samaritans brought this porcupine in and I am pretty sure my eyes likely bugged a bit. He was slightly larger than I thought he’d be; 26lbs to be exact. We gently tipped the plastic bin over onto the rubber mat so we could safely wrap him up. I wore my raptor gloves to do the exam. Unfortunately I quickly learned the future of this animal. All four of the incisors were broken off. Without these teeth, they cannot survive even if we were to send him to the rehabilitation center.

The staff immediately brought the anesthetic machine over so we could mask him under and humanely euthanize him. Other injuries were found once he was pronounced.

I did take my time looking him over because I have never been this close to a porcupine before. The pads of his feet weren’t as tough as I thought they would be and his belly was so soft. I did a double take when I saw some of the quills start to glisten. I wish you could have seen the look on everyone’s faces when I told them that the lice were abandoning ship.

On behalf of the porcupine, I am grateful to the good Samaritans for bringing him in so he didn’t have to suffer any further.