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Dog tries to be buddies with porcupine, ends up with hundreds of quills

Nugget is still looking for fur-ever friends, maybe with more caution after this incident happened

Nugget is a one-and-a-half-year-old light-eyed beauty who loves to love! Unfortunately, playful Nugget was in excruciating pain last week after he decided he wanted to make friends with a porcupine in his foster’s backyard late one evening. - San Antonio Pets Alive (San Antonio Pets Alive)

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – This dog learned his lesson after trying to be buddies with a spiky friend that was in his backyard.

Nugget, a San Antonio Staffordshire terrier mix, ended up with his face covered in quills after trying to play with a porcupine, our sister station, KSAT, reported.

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A foster stepped in and saved Nugget’s life from being euthanized in early July, San Antonio Pets Alive told KSAT.

KSAT said that Nugget was playing around in his backyard when he encountered the porcupine, and when he tried to make friends, Nugget ended up with “hundreds of quills in his face and legs.”

After having his friendship offer thrown out the window, San Antonio Pets Alive staff told KSAT that Nugget was rushed to an emergency vet clinic where he had x-rays, fluids, quill removal surgery, anesthesia, medications, and more.

And, like for humans, pet medical bills add up.

“The cost of his surgeries has already been $2,500, and he is due for a follow-up and stitch removal in the next couple of weeks. With Nugget’s most recent x-ray, the vet isn’t sure if the lines on the x-rays are quills, air pockets from removed quills, or abscesses,” officials told KSAT.

San Antonio Pets Alive is collecting donations in order to help Nugget and his family, and KSAT said that leftover funds will be donated to other animals at the rescue.

Even though Nugget is trying to make friends at his foster family’s home, he’s still looking for his “fur-ever” home, KSAT said.

“Nugget is doing much better now and putting weight on all four legs and was quite the social boy during his time at the veterinary clinic,” San Antonio Pets Alive told KSAT.

And, according to Nugget’s profile, he’s nothing but a lovable, cuddly dog, and even though he hasn’t been exposed to kids or other animals – other than the porcupine, which didn’t go well – his profile says that Nugget is a lover who is full of kisses and joy.

If you want to learn more about Nugget, you can view his profile here.


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Alli Graham came aboard the digital team as an evening digital content producer in June 2022.