It’s almost like a right of passage for dog owners, the dog getting sprayed by a skunk while out in the yard, or on a walk. When it happens it sucks, and it seems like the smell will never leave your dog, especially after the rain, no matter how many baths. But in time, the smell does fade and the skunk spraying becomes a story that’s shared with other dog owners who are experiencing it for themselves for the first time. 

Dupont had been sprayed so many times, it became a family joke for how often I was dealing with skunk sprays. Flipflop has only been sprayed once, but by that time I was a pro on what to do. 

I never gave any deep thought to this, thinking skunk sprays were just part of dog mom life, and a real nuisance to deal with. And although I became quite skilled at dealing with skunk sprays, other than remedies to remove the smell as much as possible, I never gave any other thought to them, I never even realized the danger. 

It wasn’t until last night when I received a message from one of my adopting families, the amazing family who adopted Hannah, to give me an update. When I first saw her message my heart stopped, but I read with both relief and fear, that Hannah was still with us, but currently in emergency vet care. 

“Hannah is fine, but she went after a skunk (and got it) and was badly sprayed under her chin. She was unlucky and developed Heinz Body Anemia. She’ll spend a 2nd night tonight at the Emergency Vet under supervision while she is on IV to flush the toxin. She’s responding well and will come home tomorrow.” 

I was so relieved Hannah’s family is so attentive to her and knew what she needed and wasted no time getting her help. Hannah’s mom also shared how many people in Hannah’s community were calling to check in on her and see how she is doing. She is so loved. From a stray in Florida living in a field with other neglected abandoned dogs, to being surrounded by so much love and support. This is WHY I love rescue, why it drives me, to see these dogs that had NO idea what life is supposed to be like, being rescued, if they are one of the lucky. And they are loved so much they forget their old life was even a thing.  

I followed up with Hannah’s mom this morning and she is not home yet, but she shared the vet is checking her kidney function one last time to ensure there isn’t a delayed damage response. Her mom also said she can’t wait to have her back home where she belongs. And I cannot wait to hear she is back home with her family too. 

So, to all of us dog lovers out there, please be safe, a skunk spray can sadly lead to so much more!  

A side note to those, who like me, who love and care for all animals’ Hannah’s mom also shared: 

“The skunk did survive; we found a nest. Babies have been taken to a wildlife sanctuary as we continue to try to get mom to ascertain her condition and get her help if she needs it. The babies needed better care so this is a good outcome and hopefully we’ll get mom too.” 

Let’s hope this is a happy ending for all involved.  

Note: Heinz body anemia is a type of hemolytic anemia caused by oxidative damage to red blood cells. This damage causes hemoglobin to clump together into insoluble inclusions called Heinz bodies. As the spleen filters these rigid, damaged cells from the blood, it causes them to be destroyed faster than the body can produce them. 

There are a few causes but for in Hannah’s case it was toxin exposure by ingestion. The spray of the skunk had similar reaction in Hannah’s body as if she ingested onions (that is my non-medical way of explaining it)