PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — A 6-year-old dog is on the mend after a harrowing encounter with porcupine quills led to a life-threatening condition.
Initially treated by a family veterinarian for visible quills, the dog seemed to be recovering until it began experiencing breathing difficulties days later. A follow-up examination revealed a suspected pneumothorax, a dangerous condition caused by air leaking into the chest cavity.
The dog was referred to DoveLewis, where advanced imaging uncovered a startling discovery: migrating porcupine quills had punctured a lung, with one quill perilously close to the heart. The situation required an urgent response from DoveLewis’ emergency doctors, surgeons, and ICU team. The only solution was an emergency chest surgery known as a median sternotomy, which involved opening the chest along the sternum to remove the quills and repair the damage…