Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog developed severe anemia after skunk spray exposure
By Zaks, Karen L et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2005·Department of Microbiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Heinz body anemia in a dog that had been sprayed with skunk musk.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old pit bull was brought to the vet because he was very tired and had black feces. The vet found that his mucous membranes and urine were discolored, leading to a diagnosis of methemoglobinemia, a condition that can cause severe anemia. The only unusual thing in the dog's history was that he had been sprayed by a skunk the day before, which may have exposed him to harmful compounds in the spray. After three days, the dog's anemia worsened, but with treatment, he was able to recover.
People also search for: dog lethargy black feces · pit bull skunk spray effects · methemoglobinemia treatment in dogs
Abstract
A 5-year-old pit bull-type dog was examined because of lethargy and black feces, and a presumptive diagnosis of methemoglobinemia was made on the basis of grossly visible brown discoloration of the mucous membranes and urine. Heinz body formation was seen on examination of blood smears, and severe anemia developed 3 days later. The dog did not have any history of exposure to toxins or drugs that have been associated with Heinz body formation. The only remarkable historical finding was that the dog had been wandering loose the day prior to initial examination and returned home smelling strongly of skunk spray. Skunk spray contains thiols and other compounds that are strong oxidizing agents. It was speculated that the methemoglobinemia and Heinz body anemia were a result of exposure to these compounds. Skunk interactions with dogs usually have malodorous but otherwise harmless results. However, findings in this dog suggest that more serious consequences may develop in isolated cases.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15882003/