How good is your memory? Some people have such a great memory that they can remember their earliest years of life. Others live day to day and have trouble remembering what they had for breakfast. Regardless of how good or bad your memory is, we know there is one thing that you will never forget, and that is the smell of skunk. Unless you lack a sense of smell, you have a vivid understanding of exactly how these pests stink up a place. The question we have today is, are skunks just smelly, or do they pose a real threat to homeowners and their pets? Here is everything you should know about skunks on your property and what to do if these pests make their home in your Plano yard.
Why Skunks Stink
All skunks are born with scent glands located just underneath their tail. These glands contain an oily, pungent-smelling substance that is made of a sulfur compound called thiols. A skunk may use this spray any time it feels threatened. Before spraying, this pest may first stamp on the ground to ward off foes. It will then raise its hind section and tail and release a spray of this nose-offending liquid. Not so fun fact: the human nose can smell the spray from a skunk up to three and a half miles away. You can know how close a skunk is to your home by how pungent this odor is.
Is A Skunk's Smell Dangerous?
A skunk’s spray is not just smelly; it also poses a real threat to health, especially for animals like dogs. Studies have shown that the oily liquid these pests spray is very similar to onions and garlic, two foods that are poisonous to dogs. As for humans, a skunk’s spray may cause nausea and vomiting if ingested and will act like tear gas to the eyes, nose, and mouth, causing increased salivation, nasal drainage, and tears.
Do Skunks Carry Disease?
Causing a stink isn’t the only threat skunks pose around properties. These pests also carry a considerable amount of dangerous diseases, viruses, and parasites. Two diseases skunks carry that you might have heard of include leptospirosis and canine distemper. Skunks also carry pests like fleas and ticks. These smaller blood-feeding bugs are carriers for their own list of dangerous diseases, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and murine typhus.
Can You Get Rabies From A Skunk?
Want to know what is worse than a skunk? A skunk with rabies. Uninfected skunks act more rational and are less likely to spray but instead will look to run or give warning signs before attacking. On the other hand, a skunk with rabies is experiencing neurological issues that cause it more anxiety and confusion. These increased sensitivities make them more dangerous and liable to bite in addition to spraying. If a rabid skunk bites your dog, cat, or family member, they run the risk of becoming infected themselves.
What To Do If Skunks Nest Around Your Home
There are many pests that people try to handle on their own. Of all these creatures that cause trouble around properties in our area, skunks are the ones we recommend you take the most precautions around. If you suspect these pests have established a nest on your property or are looking for some advice to keep them out of your yard, give us a call today. The experts at DANCAN The Pest Control Expert will walk you through how to deter these problematic pests and schedule an appointment to remove them from your property. Our wildlife control services are custom-fit to meet our client needs, and our methods are designed to keep you and our team safe from dangerous pests like skunks. Contact us for trustworthy pest control in Frisco.