Ouch! The rodent who fought the pit bull

And the rodent won.
The fact that it shot and stuck no less than 1,347 quills into the pit bull’s face, head, neck and shoulders might just have something to do with it.
Yes, I’m talking about a porcupine.
These photos came through last week in another viral e-mail forwarded to me by some of my coworkers.
The text that went along with the e-mail stated that this pit bull — barely recognizable underneath all those quills — was in his backyard in Southern California, minding his own business when the porcupine invaded the yard.
“The brave but stupid pit bull immediately challenges the porcupine,” states the e-mail. “Bad decision ... the porcupine won this short contest.”
These pictures are gut wrenching. Can you imagine being that dog? I have to wonder how much the vet bill cost. The dog had to be sedated to have the quills removed, but on top of that, what if one got him in the eye, nose or mouth?
While I hope that none of your dogs are ever visited by a porcupine in their own backyard, I will offer this piece of advice — if you’re walking your dog in a remote area, this is one more reason to keep it on leash.
The only time I’ve ever come across a porcupine was while hiking in state land. If your dog got stuck by a porcupine while you were four miles into the middle of nowhere, can you just imagine what a miserable walk back to the car that would be?