From Wild Heart Ranch
Meet stinky! By the way, I’ve been sprayed in the eyes by a skunk. Yes it feels like he looks. Poor guy. -Annette
I thought of skunk spray as extremely smelly of course, but now I’ve learned it is a pretty harsh eye irritant as well.
This poor owl, though unable to smell a skunk, still lost out by taking a direct hit to the eyeballs, leaving it unable to fly. Thankfully it was found and brought in for treatment.
The Great Horned Owl is one of the few predators of skunks, due to them having no sense of smell.
Another thing I learned is that skunk spray can, in rare cases, be deadly to dogs. Toxic Skunk Syndrome can occur when a dog ingests skunk spray by being shot in the mouth. The chemicals damage red blood cells and cause a deadly form of anemia.
Thankfully for the owls, they don’t have to smell it, but I’m sure it’s one heck of a job for the rehabbers! Washing a pokey and smelly anger ball doesn’t sound like a good time.