A horrific picture showed the injuries inflicted on a dog after it got into a fight with a porcupine.
The nine-year-old pitbull named Chester got into a fight with the wild animal on the deck in the back garden of the family home in New Jersey, America.
Chester was outside when he began screaming in pain before owner Brenda DeGennaro ran to see what had happened.
She found him with a face totally covered in porcupine quills, as well as wounds from the sharp spikes on his face, chest and stomach.
Tragically, one of the quills had pierced Chester's heart and specialists were unable to save him.
DeGennaro said: "He was trying to get them off his face. He was covered from head to toe all down his back... and he was just trying to get them off crying.
"The vet said she actually had his heart in her hand and was picking out the quills."
Vets were able to remove several quills, but many had pierced his organs.
The family had to take him to a specialist where he sadly passed.
DeGennaro added: "I just didn't know how deadly they could be, I didn't even know that we have them in this area,"
"I would hate for anyone to go to this because it's just awful, traumatising."
