What is Skunk Spray?
If your dog comes upon a skunk, his natural instincts will lead him to approach the animal. This is a very hazardous move that nearly always ends in malodorous consequences. Should your pet be sprayed with a skunk, you would be wise to contact your veterinarian, who can determine just how seriously the spray has affected your canine family member.
Skunk spray is a very volatile mixture. A canine who is sprayed by this normally docile animal can suffer the toxic effects for months. The strong, musky scent emitted by the skunk can cause great physical and emotional trauma for your pet.
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Symptoms of Skunk Spray in Dogs
Due to the intense odor, you will have no problem figuring out what is distressing your pet. Most cases of skunk spray seem to hit their mark, right in the face of their target. Besides the smell that will encompass your dog, you may see the symptoms below.
- Nausea and vomiting
- Drooling
- Squinting due to pain in the eyes
- Tearing in the eyes
- Rubbing of the face and eyes
- There may be temporary blindness
Types
The spray emitted by the skunk will have four types of possible effect on your furry family member.
- Ocular - the eyes usually feel the worst effects
- Oral - your pet may get sprayed in the mouth (for example if he is barking when the spray hits)
- Dermal - spray may touch the skin
- Respiratory - your dog will most likely breathe in fumes
It should be noted that documentation shows two cases of Heinz body formation (which causes severe anemia), in two dogs that were sprayed by skunks. One case stated the dog recovered after supportive care and therapy. The second dog (who had a history of being sprayed 5 times in the past), had a seizure and died 12 hours after a skunk spray.
Causes of Skunk Spray in Dogs
In the warmer months, the chances of meeting up with a skunk increase. Their taste for berries, garbage, lawn insects and other attractive food sources bring them closer in proximity to our homes.
- The aim of a skunk when projecting his spray is remarkably accurate
- Skunks have 2 anal glands which can spray the odorous substance contained within up to 15 feet, or 5 meters away
- There are 7 components that make up the skunk’s odor
- The severity of the spray effects depends on the proximity to the skunk and whether the spray goes in the face
- Dogs who get sprayed while in the den of a skunk could suffer very intense effects
Diagnosis of Skunk Spray in Dogs
Bring your dog to the veterinarian immediately if he has been sprayed by a skunk and is showing intense discomfort. Not only will he be surrounded by a never ending odor, the sensations in his eyes, nose and mouth may be causing him to feel nauseous. Your pet may unintentionally cause secondary injuries due to scratching his eyes, or biting his skin.
It is also wise to have your dog checked by the veterinarian in case your pet was bitten by the skunk. Skunks are known to carry the rabies virus. The veterinarian will also verify if there has been damage to the cornea of the eye (which can cause temporary blindness).
Treatment of Skunk Spray in Dogs
If your beloved pet has had a large amount of spray enter his eyes, your veterinarian is the best person to perform an ocular wash. Her steady hand will assure a full rinse is accomplished. If the damage to the eyes is extensive, your veterinarian may suggest that your dog be monitored at the clinic for a couple of days because the eyes can rapidly deteriorate. A complete blood count and serum chemistry may be advised.
Your veterinary team will begin an intravenous treatment if it appears that there is a chance of serious consequences due to Heinz body formation. Blood transfusion has been given to animals in the past for this condition, but it must be noted that Heinz body formation from skunk spray is extremely rare.
If the main concern that you and your veterinarian have is the strong odor emanating from your pet, she can advise you on how to rid your pet of the smell. The clinic may have chemist created solutions on hand for purchase (the option most certain to give success), or you can try a combination of dilute peroxide, baking soda and a small amount of dish soap, being extremely careful not to get the solution in your pet’s eyes.
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Recovery of Skunk Spray in Dogs
You may notice a skunk odor in your dog’s fur for months after the event. If you used a commercial product from the veterinary clinic, the smell will likely be less evident.
Other than the lingering smell, your pet could have residual effects from the skunk spray such as eye issues, or nausea from a terrible taste in his mouth. Allow him rest, and give him more than one bath. It may help reduce the toxic effects he is feeling from the constant strong odor.
Rid your yard of any debris that may make a nice skunk den. Close up openings under your porch and other areas where a skunk may take up residence. Because these creatures are nocturnal, they should be away from their den at night, allowing you to repair the openings. Do not leave food or garbage lying around as this may attract the skunk to your home.
If you feel that your pet is not recovering from his skunk encounter, take him back to the veterinarian for further examination.
Skunk spray can be expensive to treat. To avoid high vet care expenses, secure pet health insurance today. The sooner you insure your pet, the more protection you’ll have from unexpected vet costs.
Skunk Spray Average Cost
From 367 quotes ranging from $200 - $350
Average Cost
$250
Top
Skunk Spray Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
wheaten terrier
BO
8 Years
5 found this helpful
5 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Fever
my dog was sprayed in the face by a skunk. We did all the treatments and bathing, even shaved his face ( this made a big difference getting rid of the smell ) one week later he began to urinate on the floor. I thought maybe he had a bladder infection but he was also very lethargic and gagging so we went to the vet. The vet said he has seen dogs die from severe skunk spray to the face. I had no idea this could happen. My dog needed antibiotics and iv fluids. He said the dog can go into respiratory, renal or liver failure .
Sept. 7, 2018
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Labradoodle
Charles
8 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My dog was sprayed by a skunk about 5 days ago. Our roommate was walking him and claimed he had no clue that he was sprayed so didn’t inform us. I didn’t realize until the next day (14 hours later) and I sprung right into action using the hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and dish soap remedy and flushed his eyes with a dog eye wash which worked like a charm regarding the smell. I have done my best to rid the smell in the home as well but Charles hasn’t returned to his normal self. He hasn’t eaten his dog food since the event and has vomited twice. He’s normally a picky eater but it’s been several days and i can’t get him to eat his dog food for the life of me. I’ve been feeding him a unseasoned cooked ground turkey which is the only thing he hasn’t snubbed. I’m worried that because he had the spray on him so long that it caused a more serious issue. I don’t know if this is normal after being skunked but any insight would be appreciated.
Aug. 8, 2018
0 Recommendations
Since Charles was exposed to the skunk spray for a long period of time I would recommend visiting your Veterinarian since skunk spray may cause severe gastroenteritis, heinz body anaemia among other bad stuff; there is nothing productive I can recommend that you can do from home and should have Charles checked to be on the safe side due to the length of time between exposure and bathing. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/skunk-spray-toxicosis-odiferous-tale?id=&sk=&date=&pageID=2
Aug. 9, 2018
Exactly what is Heinz body anemia?
Aug. 18, 2018
Gail F.
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Rottweiler
Jax
3 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Drooling
My dog went outside and got very close to a skunk. I know the skunk sprayed because i was able to smell it. But when I checked on my dog, he seemed fine. Nothing was on him and he didn’t smell at all. After about 20min, i noticed he was drooling a lot and panting. He also started rubbing his face. I cleaned his face off and cleaned out his mouth. This all happened at night, so he fell asleep after but I was able to see that he’s still drooling and breathing a little heavy. Any advice will be appreciated!
July 18, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
It sounds like Jax did come into contact with something irritating about that skunk if he was close to it and was irritated afterwards. If he continues to drool and breathe heavy for more than an hour or so, it might be a good idea to have him seen by a veterinarian to make sure that he is okay.
July 18, 2018
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Akita mix
Lucky
9 Years
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Loss Of Appetite
Can'T Pee
Hi, My dog got sprayed by a skunk from the other side of the fence a few weeks ago and we assume it got in his mouth and threw up the night. For a while now he has only been eating very little of his food, and has been having trouble peeing at all. I don't recall for how long but I assume for a week now. We don't have money to go to the vet right now, I just want to know if this skunk spray has caused my dog to have renal issues?
June 10, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
1 Recommendations
Skunk spray would not cause renal issues, no. If Lucky is having problems urinating, he needs to be seen, as that is a painful situation for him to be in. Many clinics do offer a 'free first exam' that you could take advantage of to have him seen, and most clinics do offer CareCredit for unexpected expenses. I hope that he is okay.
June 10, 2018
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Boxer/pit mix
Jakoib
5 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Vomiting
My dog got sprayed by a skunk and it was pretty close. His eyes seem to be on but I have noticed he is vomiting since. Not every day but at least every other day since, normally at night. Will it eventually go away?
May 25, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
I'm not sure that the vomiting is related to the skunk spray, as I wouldn't expect it to continue to days after the spray. If Jakoib is continuing to vomit every other night, it would be a good idea to have him seen by your veterinarian, as there may be other things going on, or he may need treatment to stop him from vomiting so frequently. I hope that all goes well for him.
May 25, 2018
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Labrador Retriever
Logan
Five Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Redness
Redness Bleeding
My chocolate lab got sprayed two nights ago- I think it was mostly in the face as he was foaming at the mouth right after the incident. I noticed that his upper lip area and nose were very red. I washed him wiht the hydrogen peroxide/ baking soda / dawn dish soap but had a hard time with this on his face- he kept freaking out when he tasted the solution. Yesterday when I got home from work- a little less than 48 hours after the incident, I noticed that the top of his nose was bleeding. I put some neosphorin on it and then bought a 3 way ointment from the pet store. The ointment initially seems to irritate him but it looks a bit better this morning.
Mixed
Pickle
11 Years
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Drooling, Swollen Tongue, Won’T Rat
Drooling, Swollen Tongue, Won’T Eat
Our dog apparently took the brunt of a skunk spray in her mouth. She was good yesterday, but by last night she was drooling a lot. Her mouth smells horrible, and we have been rinsing it. Last night her tongue was hanging out of her mouth. This morning she was better, but by this afternoon she is drooling bad again and we noticed that her tongue is really swollen underneath and pushing it aside. She has no interest In food tonight, but she will (kind of) let us spray her mouth with water.
Skunk Spray Average Cost
From 367 quotes ranging from $200 - $350
Average Cost
$250
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