Cricket kissed a porcupine this morning

[Mollyrocker]

We live in NH in one of the hardeset hit by the icestorm on Thursday night into Friday. We have been without power and the roads are trecherous with trees and powerlines down at every turn.

This morning we decided to take Lucy (my Lab) and Cricket into the field rather than walk on the road with precarious limbs and wires hanging everywhere.

I haven't been letting Cricket off leash anymore because while she is reliable on recall, the porcupines have been out. We have been waiting for winter to give

her a chance to romp in the field. This morning seemed like a perfect opportuninty to let her run with out the worry of critters...

NOT

As soon as we unhooked her collars, she ran straight for the stone wall and found her match. SU pullled her out of the crevice, she was half in the hole and she had a chin and lip full of quills. Ughh..........

She was fine until we took her home and her adrenaline wore off...the pain, she howled an awful howl and lashed out at Lucy out of pain...

forget trying to handle her until she calmed down, which she did.

I tried to contact our vet's office but couldn' t get through because of the power and phone being out. Took a chance and drove over to the vet's not really thinking

that she would be open. (The damage from this storm is extensive with the National Guard being deployed to our town)

Well we were fortunate that she was open, had the generator running and was able to take Miss Cricket right away.

We are also fortunate that she didn't have more quills in her...had she had them in the chest or legs, I am afraid we wouldn't have been able to handle her.

She is home now, dopey from the sedatives and sleeping comfortably by the fire.

I was in the camp of letting her off leash since we live in the country and she had good recall. No more. Can't risk it. I know that she is hard wired and this incident will not stop her from doing it again.

REASON #351 NOT TO LET YOUR CAIRN OFF LEASH.

I am able to post via Blackberry with internet and a Laptop.

[Nikki]

ouch! aww poor cricket. I've seen pictures of a pit bull who got all the pins in his face..I bet cricket is in alot of pain...we hope she feels better soon!

[sheila and Misty]

poor baby-poor you! Id have been in a panic for sure-glad they arent around here "WHEW"

[bradl]

Ow - just when you thought you had enough to handle! Stay warm and best wishes to Cricket for a quick recovery and a long memory.

[Fudgie]

Glad your Cricket was not hurt any worse than she was. Sounds like it was bad enough as it was. Also sounds like something my Fudgie would do. Act and think later! Glad your vet was available after the storm you described. Sounds like a good dedicated vet. Stay warm by the fire and take care of your Cricket while you ride the storm out.

[Aimfor]

Wow, Procupine, thats another thing I dont miss not having here in Australia...

Hope she recovers quickly, poor little lady

[jimnconnie]

Molly, we were just wondering today how bad the ice storm was for you. Sounds like you really got socked, and then poor Cricket gets "quilled" on top of everything else, what a bummer! Hope she recovers quickly, and that you get your heat & power back soon. Stay safe!!

Jim & Connie

[josie&holly]

Hope Cricket recovers quickly and that you get you power back soon!

Sounds dreadful that storm.

[Tracy A.]

Glad to hear that Cricket is doing well.

Sorry to hear that power is still out. Two years ago we had a horrible ice storm here in Cincinnati, we were without power for 3 days in the middle of winter... it was horrible. We have two fireplaces with inserts and did manage to keep the house around 50 inside. We ended up sleeping in the family room which has a larger fireplace with an ancient insert that is a 'craft stove', it sticks out of the fireplace by about 7" and is cast iron with no glass in the doors....LOL All talk of upgrading that ancient insert ended after our 3 days without power. I was able to get our largest stock pot on the insert so we could heat water for bathing, coffee, tea.... I was able to cook on it too!

Bless my husband who kept feeding the fire at night, we were able to keep it about 80 in there at night..... So I feel your pain, it's not easy being without power in the middle of winter. So much time and engery spent just trying cook, live, bathe.....

And when your area is without power, it's not like you can stay in a hotel! Not to mention tyring to keep pipes from freezing.... or tree limbs from doing damage.

I think that was one of the freaky things the ice storm we went through.... the crackling of limbs breaking and falling.

[mercymoon]

How terrible! Poor Cricket, I've seen pictures online before

of dogs got attacked by Porcupine quill...horrible stuff, but I'm

assuming she wasn't THAT bad.

[Lisad]

Molly,

Just read this post. Harry has been to the vets twice already in his young life due to "visiting with porcupines too closely". I could never get the last four or five quills out. So now, like you, if we are out later in the day, around dusk or later, he is on a leash for his last "pee". I have been lucky on two occassions when I actually saw the porcupine on the ground in front of us before he did -phhhewwww!! Take care! Hope you are thawing out there as we are here in ME.

Lisa & Harry

[OzGirl]

Poor Cricket! That sounds painful, I'm glad you were in luck with the vet being open.

I hope she feels better soon and that your town gets its power back soon.

[tlwtheq]

Poor child! I hope she gets better soon. We're lucky porcupines aren't

so plentiful around here because my crew would be in it up to their

muzzles as well! Pamper Miss Cricket and keep us posted.

[Napi'smom]

Poor Baby,

hope she is better by Christmas!!!

[Greg P]

Oh, Ouch!

These things are almost as hard on the owners as they are on the cairn. I'm sure you were worried with the bad weather and all.

[Mollyrocker]

Cricket has made a full recovery.

All has been forgotten and I don't doubt she would go for another round if given the chance.

Lisa, I was going to PM you and ask you if Harry ever had a run in...with all the hiking and exploring you do, I would think it would be a regular occurance