Dog Nearly Dies From Skunk Encounter

THE BAJA POST
NEWSROOM
SOURCE: PR NEWSMEDIA

Jack Russell Terriers love to hunt and dig, so it wasn’t that unusual when Skippy decided to chase a skunk into a large stack of hay bales. Instead of catching the skunk, however, the dog got trapped and was sprayed directly in the face, resulting in a trip to the veterinary emergency room with life-threatening blood issues.

In honor of National Wildlife Day on Sept. 4, 2024, the toxicology experts at Pet Poison Helpline would like pet lovers to know that being skunked can be more than just a stinky situation – it can be deadly to your furry family members.

«I have a farm, and I converted my old riding arena into a storage area for my hay,» explained Dr. Gigi Van Ostrand, who happens to be a veterinarian. «That day Skippy was running around chasing a skunk. He’s been in many skunk encounters, so I wasn’t too worried about it. This time, he apparently chased the skunk deep into the stack of hay bales and disappeared. We were busy with our horses, so we didn’t look for him for several hours.

When we realized he had gotten trapped inside the hay, we had to use the tractor to carefully remove several of the bales, which can weigh 1400lbs. I was very worried he could be crushed, and I think he passed out because I didn’t hear any noises coming from him. When we finally got him out, he was cold and purple. I’m a veterinarian, but I knew he needed more help than I could provide him. I rushed him to our local SAVE (Southern Alberta Veterinary Emergency) hospital, and they had me call the toxicology experts at Pet Poison Helpline.»

«Being sprayed by a skunk is a relatively common occurrence for pets, especially those who live in a rural area,» said Dr. Renee Schmid, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of Veterinary Medicine at Pet Poison Helpline. «Most exposures result in a pet that is covered in a strong smell, as well as skin and eye irritation. In rare cases, however, the intense compounds in skunk spray can result in oxidative damage to red blood cells, leading to changes in their ability to transport oxygen appropriately as well as death of the cell. This leads to anemia and a condition called methemoglobinemia, which doesn’t allow oxygen to be delivered throughout the body as normal. In Skippy’s case, he had a very severe reaction that quickly became life-threatening.»