Most of us are
aware of the horrific spray that skunks carry
with them and spray, but there are other things
inside of them that are a whole lot worse than
just that. It is the diseases and parasites that
they carry with them that really make them
dangerous. Too many people worry about those
anal glands, but being bitten by a skunk or
coming in contact with its waste somehow can be
incredibly dangerous to you, a whole lot more
dangerous than just smelling bad.
If you come in contact with one of these
animals, make sure you run the other way. Here
are some things that skunks will carry with
them.
Rabies – the U.S. government provides statistics
that about 20 percent of all skunks have rabies.
That is not a large number, but is a large
enough one. Rabies is fatal to human beings if
not treated right away. If you are bitten or
scratched by a skunk, make sure that you are
treated right away, just to be safe. Keep in
mind that skunks the No. 2 carrier in the animal
kingdom of rabies, so assume they have it and be
safe.
Leptospirosis – this is a bacterium that all
mammals are susceptible to getting. This comes
from coming into contact with their urine,
waste, or soil that has the fluids of a skunk on
it. That means if you are in an area where
skunks are known to live and move around, you
really want to wear shoes and not touch anything
without gloves on.
The effects of this are quite serious. It
affects your kidneys and liver, meaning that you
can be in real serious trouble if not treated
right away. This first manifests itself as
flu-like symptoms, but soon you can see things
like jaundice. Kidney or liver failure will
occur if not treated, and that will lead to
death.
Distemper – this is another common disease found
in skunks. This is easily spread to other
animals, most especially to dogs. This does not
affect humans, which is good news, but it can
cause a lot of problems for your pets. This is
contracted by coming in contact with the urine
or waste of the skunk. You should have your dog
vaccinated to make sure that it does not get
this illness.
Herpes B – you may not think of herpes coming
from a skunk, but this strain can most
definitely be spread by this animal. This is
commonly found in monkeys, but skunks carry it
too and it can be contracted through scratches
or bites.
Skunks also carry Brucellosis, Cat Scratch
disease, anthrax, and influenza. There are many
ways you can get sick from a skunk, so it makes
sense to simply stay away from them.
Read more about
Skunk Control in my educational articles. My years of experience means I have trustworthy advice from how to get skunks out of a
window well to how to
identify skunk tracks. Find out how to
kill skunks on your property, and learn what
wildlife rehabilitators do with skunks. Read on to find out why
skunks spray, and if they
warn before spraying. Find out, too, if skunks can
run out of spray, and how to
protect yourself from a spraying skunk. I can teach you how to keep skunks out of your
garden and your
garbage cans, and even how to
find and remove a dead skunk.
Learn more about these critters themselves - from where they
live, their
mating habits, and if they can
swim. Learn the symptoms of a
sick skunk and if they
shed their fur. I can teach you
how to know if you have a skunk under your house, and find out how to get skunks out from under a
shed or porch, and if you need to worry about a skunk under your home having a
nest of babies. Read on to discover what
equipment is needed to trap a skunk, and whether or not skunks are
dangerous to cats, dogs, or other pets.
I can let you know whether or not a
pest control company will remove a skunk, and my opinion on whether you should
hire a pro, or remove skunks yourself. Find out if skunks come out
during the day, and what you should do if you find an
orphaned baby skunk wandering about. I have advice on what to do if a skunk gets
inside your house, and whether
high pitch sound deterrent machines work against skunks. Read about whether or not skunks make
good pets, and if skunks
fight each other. Learn, too, how to use
one-way exclusion funnels to remove skunks without having to trap them.
