skunk problem
 

Help - I have a skunk living in my barn under about 200 hay bales.
He has already sprayed my dog once and I think he has been harrassing the chickens/eating eggs/etc. I just had shoulder surgery so moving all the hay out is out of the question. Has anyone ever successfully trapped a skunk? I have box traps. If I put something over the trap maybe it would contain the spray and I could shoot him in the trap? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I also have cats/dogs/etc. so poison is probably not a great option.

Try this. Take a few tin cans punched full of holes (or stout hardware cloth), stuff them with moth balls, then nail the cans to support beams anywhere in the vacinity of the skunk. You want to position the mothballs so that the vapor will permate the area, but in a metal cage that the skunk cannot bury or push out. This will drive animals out of the area.

If you want to trap it, I'd suggest tying a long rope to the trap so you can drag it from a safe distance once the skunk is inside.

Coming from someone who has almost lost several of my hunting terriers to skunk underground/in bales, I hate the things. I would lock up the dogs and cats for the day/night, trap the bugger with an egg and some cat food, approach the trap very slowly with burlap sacking or something like that, cover it, and shoot it . Or you can leave it be for a while, then you can either slowly pick up, move and release the skunk miles away from your home, but keep in mind you are just giving someone else your problem, and in some states it is illegal to confine/move wild animals. And moving a skunk is not something that I would want to do! Call animal control if you need to, they probably deal with removal all of the time, say you have seen it out during the day and you think it might be rabid. Don't forget to patch the hole under the barn where it's getting in, or it's friends will take over his old den. good luck!

If you have animal control where you live call them and see if they will trap and remove it for you. If not, trap it yourself. Live trap with cheap can of cat food will catch it. Move slow with large dark blanket and cover, and slowly move trap outside. If you shoot it it will spray. If it is a hot sunny day it will stroke out in a few hours due to heat and die, remove soon afterwards or it's stink sack will leak. Not pleasant for the skunk but you can fill a garbage can full of water, and submerge trap, and it shouldn't spray. I wouldn't try to release it alive you may get bit or sprayed.

You might try a live trap rigged with plastic sheeting to cover it after you catch her. Have a hose rigged to run from the enclosed trap to your truck exaust. Take a break while she slips into that final nap, bag her up and bury deep...Glen

Check out David's homemade trap on this thread. I'll bet it would work great on skunks and since they can't lift their tail they can't spray. Just toss a plastic sheet over the trap and run the car exhaust into the trap for 15 minutes.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/sho...d.php?t=274426

I get paid real well to remove skunks
from barns and under houses. Don't
mind them one bit. Got a lil wash formula
that gets the "stink" off them and me,
so I can skin them to save the good stuff!
They are not too hard to get in a cage trap.
.
.
Hiswife, I been at this for a long time,
and I've never known a skunk to be a
threat to a dog or cat. They do sometimes
carry rabies, but cats and dogs get
vaccinated for that. A skunk is the greatest
mouser you'll ever have in your barn, but
it won't kill a dog.

A picture or two.........
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...d/IM000326.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...d/IM000331.jpg
Some of the perfume!
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...d/IM000332.jpg

DavidUnderwood
I beg to differ ... above ground skunking is one thing (my staghounds and collie are sprayed several times a year when the come across skunks on runs and walks) but below ground skunking is another thing entirely. It kills many terriers and other dogs hunting underground or in confined places such as haybarns behind bales. Along with my 15 years experience working terriers, here is a very good article that better explains what I am talking about.

Skunking
Susie Parsons

The Ortolano's recent loss of a terrier to a skunk brings back memories of the day Molly Harsh and I pulled my beloved male JR "Shubie" from a skunk hole ten months ago. For a situation gone bad, things could not have been better. We were driving a four wheeled vehicle, so had all our digging implements readily at hand. What's more, just the week prior I had put together a kit of medical supplies needed to treat shock, and these too were in the car.

Shubie entered a hole along a creek which bordered a large field. He quickly opened, barked for about two minutes, then stopped. I could hear him snuffling around, and to no avail, tried calling him out. I could smell nothing at the entrance. We located him at four feet and began to dig. As we dug I continued my efforts to call him out without success, and could hear less and less of his snuffling and breathing. At about two feet we broke into an empty, silent tunnel and located the dog another two feet down. Great, I thought, a multi-tiered sette. We continued to dig, and soon smelled the unmistakable aroma of skunk. My heart began to sink as the elements of the scenario added up; the time elapsed, the smell of skunk and the silence. I began to wonder how I would deal with pulling a dead dog out of that hole. We soon broke into the tunnel where the dog was. I would estimate that Shubie was in the earth for about 30 minutes after he stopped barking. I cannot express the relief I felt when I looked in the hole and saw my dog, ALIVE, staring blankly back at me from about twelve inches away. I tried to get him to crawl out, but he would not. I cleared away some dirt in front of him, but he still would not come to me. I reached in, grasping both front legs and pulled him out. I put him up on the ground next to the hole we had dug and he fell over. A quick look at his gums explained why he could not crawl those twelve inches to me. They were a dusky blue-purple color - he was in severe shock.


We took him back to the car, and while Molly held him on her lap, I set an intravenous catheter, started some fluids and injected some steriods. Within a few minutes his gums went from blue-purple to a pale pink-white, and he was still having some difficulty standing - still in shock, but improving. We loaded up our gear and drove to Molly's veterinarian's office, which was closed, so we headed back to Molly's house. Shubie's gums were now a pale pink, and he was able to stand - more improvement. While I started the tomato juice bath, Molly put a call into her vet, who quickly answered. By this time Shubie was looking much better. I explained to the vet what had happened and he felt that there was nothing more to do for Shubie. Happily, he recovered completely.


It is important for all who read this to understand that I am a physician, and before going to medical school I was a veterinary technician for eight years. I in no way condone the treatment of shock by those other than veterinarians. More harm (death) than good can easily be done if one is not trained to administer such treatment. I did so because I am trained and practiced in this area, and have described the events of that day only to point out how vital immediate treatment was to the survival to my dog.
Sadly, the Ortolano's account of their veterinarian's initial lack of concern over their dog being sprayed by a skunk was not the first of which I have heard. One must understand that vets often get calls about dogs being sprayed by skunks, and the biggest concern is usually how to get that foul odor off the dog. But there is a major difference between a dog getting sprayed above ground where there is plenty of fresh air, and a dog getting sprayed in the ground where the air is limited, especially if sprayed in the face. There are a number of theories as to the physiologic mechanisms which effect a dog skunked in the ground, but it is clear to me that the ultimate result is shock.

What is shock exactly? It is a sudden derangement of the intricate mechanisms which normally control vital body functions such and blood pressure and circulation. When shock occurs the body tries to compensate by restricting blood flow to non-vital organs such as the extremities, digestive organs and liver, while maintaining blood flow to vital organs such as the heart, lungs, brain and kidneys. This mechanism can buy the animal (be it human or beast) time for the shock to be reversed, but there is a point of no return. If the cause of the shock is quickly removed the animal will likely recover spontaneously. However, if the shock is not soon reversed, blood flow to the kidneys is sacrificed. As the blood continues to circulate to the heart, lungs and brain, vital nutrients including oxygen, salts and sugars are used up, and toxins build up. This occurs because the liver and kidneys, which function in the provision of vital substances and the clearance of toxins, respectively have been bypassed. The brain is very sensitive to low levels of oxygen and sugar and to toxins, and the kidneys suffer damage when subjected to extended periods of low blood flow. As a result individuals who initially survive a period of profound shock may later show signs of brain and kidney damage, and eventually die. That is why it is essential that the shock victim be treated as soon as possible.

part 2

I believe that in dogs sprayed underground the cause of shock is continuous exposure to the noxious stimulant from which they are unable to escape the skunk spray. This theory is supported by the fact that dogs who get out of the hole quickly and do not take a direct hit in the face almost always do well, while those trapped underground do poorly. The more quickly the cause of the shock is reversed, the more quickly the animal recovers.

Many of us who hunt have had the misfortune of having had a dog skunked in a hole. Most can attest that the majority of dogs come out of the hole, throw up a few times and stink for a couple of months, but suffer no major consequences. This is why most veterinarians are not terribly concerned when they receive a call about a dog who has been sprayed by a skunk. However, dogs who take a direct hit in the face and/or cannot get out of the hole do poorly, and even die. Most veterinarians have not dealt with such cases because very few of their patients spend afternoons chasing animals underground. After discussion with some of the veterinarians in the club, it was agreed that practicing veterinarians need to be alerted to the seriousness of this situation and the need for immediate treatment. A letter was drafted to the American Veterinary Association but was not sent. Why wasn't it sent? It was felt that not all veterinarians would necessarily agree with our practice of intentionally putting our dogs down holes to chase after quarry. To some this is a blood sport. In the face of increasing anti-blood sports sentiments, perhaps it would be best not to draw attention to our terrier work. For this reason it was decided to handle this situation within the club. Therefore it is suggested that the owner of the skunked dog make an assessment of the dog's condition and see that appropriated treatment is not delayed. Here are some suggestions for dealing with the unfortunate terrier who faces a skunk underground.

1)Assess the situation. Once the dog is out, whether dug to or out on his own volition, examine him. Look at his overall appearance. Is he having difficulty walking/standing? Is he throwing up? What color are his gums? Looking at a dog's gums gives you an idea of the status of his circulation. As shock progresses gums will go from healthy pink, to pale pink, to white, to blue-purple. This is a reflection of the body shunting blood away from non-vital peripheral tissues. In advanced shock the gums are bluish because the oxygen in the blood remaining in this tissue has been used up. If you are not familiar with the appearance of normal gums, look at your dogs gums so you will be. A dog whose gums are slightly pale, vomits once or twice and is having a little difficulty walking will likely recover completely within a few minutes. The dog will usually salivate a great deal, and may also have a bout of diarrhea. This behavior is typical of a dog who has been sprayed but gets out of the hole quickly. Let the dog rest, allow small drinks of water and treat areas of skin which have been sprayed (see below). Keep a close eye on the dog - he should recover to normal behavior and gums should return to a healthy pink within about 30 minutes or less. The dog should be seen by a veterinarian if full recovery is not achieved, or if he seems to recover but then deteriorates. The dog that has been trapped in a hole and/or sprayed in the face is more likely to be in serious condition. Gums may be very pale or blue-purple, dog may be staggering or unable to stand, may be staring blankly and may vomit several times. This dog should receive veterinary care immediately. Treat the areas of skin which have been sprayed as soon as possible, but do not delay getting to the vet.

2)When contacting a veterinarian about a dog you feel must be seen INSIST the dog be seen immediately! Tell him/her that the dog was down in a hole when sprayed and could not escape from the fumes, and that you know of dogs in similar situations who have DIED, because they went into shock. Tell the veterinarian what color the dog's gums are, if he is having difficulty walking/standing, if he is staring blankly, and how many times he has vomited. This information will help the vet understand that the dog really is in serious condition.

3)Neutralizing the spray on the dog's skin can be accomplished in a number of ways. There are some good products available for this purpose. "Skunk Off" is reputed to be the best, and is applied directly from the bottle to the affected areas without dilution, so it is easy to use. It is available in a small bottle which can be included in your hunting gear to be used in the field. Another good product is "Odor-eze", however requires making a solution with water, so may not be as practical for use in the field. Tomato juice works quite well, but may leave a pink hue to your white terrier. Whatever method you choose, neutralizing the skunk spray as quickly as possible is extremely important - remember that it is the what initiates shock. The more quickly it is reversed the more quickly the animal can begin to recover.

I wish there was no need for this article, but as long as terriers are hunted in this country skunks will pose a very real threat. I hope that this information will better prepare hunters for dealing with future misfortunes.




Addendum:

The purpose of this article was to arm people with the knowledge to recognize shock in dogs and the ability to covey the seriousness of the dog's condition to veterinarians. It was not written to encourage people to administer intravenous medications to dogs themselves. Here are a few reasons such treatment should only be carried out by those trained in veterinary medicine.

1)Dogs have a maximum of six veins available for intravenous access. All are small and often difficult to access with a catheter. A failed attempt at giving an intravenous injection, even with a needle, will cause a vein to collapse, making it inaccessible even to those who are good at setting I.V's. If an owner ruins a dog's veins in the field and then takes the dog to a veterinarian, the vet won't be able to do much for the dog. In addition, valuable time will have been lost.

2)Not all dogs will need aggressive therapy. Many dogs have been sprayed by a skunk, suffered a mild degree of shock, and recovered spontaneously with removal of the noxious stimulant and some rest. Different dogs react differently. The decision to administer aggressive therapy is based on clinical judgement. Veterinarians study four years to acquire such judgement.

3)Administering intravenous fluids and medications when not indicated can kill a dog. The fluid collects in the lungs resulting in pulmonary edema. Basically the dog drowns.


4)The field is a dirty place. If sterile technique is not used when giving an I.V. bacteria can be introduced into the dog's bloodstream. This can result in a severe infection which is more often fatal then not. It would be a shame to cause such an infection in a dog that did not even need an I.V. in the first place.

5)Practicing veterinary medicine without a license is illegal.
If your treat another person's dog you can be prosecuted.

Intravenous medications should not be administered by individuals who are not trained in veterinary medicine. I have discussed this issue with Linda Otto D.V.M., who agrees that individuals who choose to do so are taking a substantial risk.

Please carefully read the portions of the article pertaining to the physiology of shock and the recognition of shock in dogs. All veterinarians know how to treat shock. It's up to you to recognize it in the field and communicate effectively with your veterinarian so that he or she will realize that your dog really is in need of immediate care. Look at a healthy dog's gums so you know what's normal. Your understanding of shock, ability to recognize it and communication skills can save your dog.

Here is a recipe for skunk shampoo Dr. Otto provided:

1 quart peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tsp dishwashing liquid

As with any shampoo, be sure to apply ophthalmic ointment to the dog's eyes before bathing. This will protect the dog should the shampoo get into the eyes.

Susan Parsons

If Dr. Parson's recognizes the danger of getting sprayed in a confined space why in the heck did she let her dog go in the skunk hole?

David,

If those skunks were prime they should have gotten top dollar with so little white. I've heard prices as high as $18 for skunks in the past few years but that spike in fur prices might be over already.

the dog was probably hunting groundhog, fox, coon etc, not intentionally hunting skunk

We had skunks for a while. They would eat out of the cat and dog bowls on the patio. The cats and dogs would back off and just look at them. I've been within 12 inches of them many times and have never been sprayed. As long as they don't feel threatened they won't spray.

A while back, however, we lost some chickens and didn't know what was getting them. Then one night I found a skunk in the henhouse. My hens went ballistic! I ended up shooting it in the coop as it wouldn't come out and I was afraid it would kill the baby chicks. The stench in the henhouse was pretty horrible for a few weeks but finally disappated.

I would not trap a skunk to release it. I would find a good place to sit outside the barn about dusk, close to where he will enter/exit.

Wait for him then shoot him when he emerges.

If you shoot the skunk in the spine it paralyzes the spray muscles and most will not spray.

Hey.

Use a Havahart trap and submerse trap with skunk in a barrel of water to drown it. Skunks need to stand on their front legs to spray...

RF

That's not the case. They only need to be able to raise their tail. Skunks spray with all four feet on the ground just fine. I tried stepping on the tail of one once. I missed. He didn't.

Thanks for all the responses. I have been using a box trap the last couple nights with tuna one night (caught my cat), then bacon (didn't catch anything), then last night used bacon and a can of wet cat food (no animal in trap this AM). I will try sitting outside the barn with light and gun in hand and hopefully get it shot one night this weekend.

I too am having skunk problems. They are tearing up the yard, make it a chore to let dog out at night, and one charged me. I made the decision a week or so ago that they had to go. So, went out with .22 pistol, but man it's very very difficult to shoot something covered in black fur with a pistol and the light of a flashlight. Could not get a clean shot. After several more nights of frustration I had had enough - saw one in the front yard so I hopped in the truck, went mach 2 with my hair on fire across the front yard and squashed him. He didn't get me, but the truck was a bit stinky for a week. I have since purchased a .22 rifle with scope and box of subsonic rounds, so I'm now out for his buddies. Speaking from experience, I do not recommend others go the truck route .... Like many things, it seemed like a good idea at the time!

Put the cage trap in a feed sack
with the front exposed. Then you can
pick the trap up and do whatever you
wish with the lil critter!
The formula at the end of that article
works like a top! Takes almost all the
fragrance off.
You can sell the hides for fur, but
often will get more for taxidermy.
The glands and the perfume can also
be sold. So can the fat and skulls.
All things considered, a skunk is worth
100 to 125 dollars to me. I have a freezer
just for them and their parts.

God, here we are all hysterical again about skunks! ROFL!! I am disappointed that none of you bother with the archives here as we've discussed this many times. David Underwood has a good head on his shoulders and knows what he is dealing with and how to handle things....for a hunter.

For those of us who are not after pelts and who appreciate what a good mouser and eater of insects the skunk is, but don't want our dogs running afoul of one we can handle things a bit differently but quite safely for us, our pets and the skunk. Do check the archives as I've written this out more than once and in more detail.

Suffice to say you can set your live trap, with a good bait, AND A BIT OF WATER, cover it with a light sheet, what ever. Check the trap EARLY in the AM with all your pets put away, pick up it up gently, put it in your auto and take the skunk out and release it for heaven's sakes.

I've trapped many a skunk, both on my property and at the nieighbors and never once has one sprayed me or my car. They are not looking for trouble you know. They just want to make a living like the rest of us but will try to protect themselves if they feel their lives are in danger...wouldn't you?

LQ

So you've moved skunks in live traps without them spraying in your car?

I caught one last spring that was stealing goose eggs but didn't think I could relocate it and I sure wasn't going to put it in my trunk so I drowned it. I think I'll build one of those wooden livetraps like in Davids picture.

The box I described is for rabbits.
For a skunk, you might wanna use 1X8's.

I had figured on scaling it up a bit. Do you have air holes drilled in the sides?

Nope! Give a wabbit a lil hole, and
he will make a big ol hole!
You won't make your box all that tight.

about a month ago a friend of mine had one liveing under there house. Her husband thought about it and decided that if choc. kills dogs I wonder if it would kill a skunk? He said his five had about half a box of choc. from her birthday and so he put them under the house and then closed up the hole. He checked two days latter the choc was gone and sure enough the skunk was dead. All he had to do was get a long stick with a hook on it, pull it out and discard it. Make sure you don't put the choc. where any other animals can get at it.