Calgary dog owners urged to avoid prickly problems and watch out for porcupines

There's a large rodent species in Calgary leaving dog owners in prickly situations — and keeping emergency vets busy.

In northwest Calgary, Paramount 24 Hour Animal Hospital hasn't gone a day without treating a quilled dog since the beginning of May.

"We do see at least one porcupine encounter a day," said Dr. Heather MacQuarrie, a veterinarian at the clinic.

"If it's a nice weekend and people are out for walks, definitely we see multiple in a day."

The location of the animal hospital — a short drive from Nose Hill Park, where porcupines are known to inhabit — plays a major role in the frequency of the visits, said MacQuarrie.

She knows colleagues who practise near other parks, like Fish Creek Park, who often see dog and porcupine encounters in the spring and summer, too.

It's a common problem in Calgary when the weather gets warmer, which some Calgarians may be unaware about, said MacQuarrie

She's urging dog owners to avoid vet visits by being vigilant of the spiky rodents and keeping their dogs on a leash in bushed areas.

Dog walker Ashliegh Skaper knows all about the dangers of porcupines.

With three dogs in tow at Nose Hill Park on Monday afternoon, Skaper recalled an instance where a pack she was walking sniffed out a porcupine. It ended with a trip to the vet.

"That one was a bad one. It was up her nose and in her mouth. I think they had to put her under anesthesics. It was a disaster," said Skaper.

Her advice to avoid a similar situation? Practise the "leave it" command, and keep them on a leash until that's been mastered.

And be extra careful in Porcupine Valley, an area in Nose Hill Park where many porcupines tend to hang out.

Melanie Whalen, director of wildlife care and services with Calgary Wildlife, said porcupines often have babies with them at this time of year. They're usually born between April and June.