# argh gonna scream! SKUNKS AND VETS ADVICE PLS!



## madsmum (Jan 24, 2009)

SOOOO peved right now. got my first skunk not long ago but before i did i did all my research and called my local exotics vet to make sure that they would treat skunks- the receptionist said yes no problem as there was a few skunks on the books and the vet treats allsorts of crazy animals so is very experienced. so i was happy i could provide care and a vet would sort him out should i need it....

well pissed now as have just made an apointment to take my 12 week old yourksire terrier dog and 12 weeks old skunk together for the first needles and the vets called back and said he wont have a fully loaded skunk in his practice! apparently the other skunks have been de- scented as are older! now its gonna cost me a fortune to get him seen in the home- im also really concerned as i need to get his gonads cut off as he is a house skunk and i want him done so he doesnt get all frustrated when he grows up. 

So if he wont give him a needle in surgery i very much doubt he's gonna be able to nip round and cut his boy bits off in my living room! any advice would be very much greatfully received.

i know the debate about descentsing and many think its cruel but surely it should be allowed for pet skunks and i must not be the first in this situation- oh and a word of warning to other new skunk keepers- dont be stupid like me and make sure you say fully loaded- duh i didnt even think as to me getting needles she should have known he was a baby and wouldnt have been done cos of the law change in 2007. 

Im gonna take my boy to go stink whoever made the law!


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

Dont know if this will help, but its a link to the RCVS website & the find a vet search engine

RCVS Online / Find a Vet

You can specify that you want Exotic Animals.

Good luck & hope you find one that will treat your little skunkie - thankfully my vet is not bothered about them being fully loaded :2thumb:


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Not sure which vet you use but I know Mcveys deal with exotics as a friend of mine works there as a fully qualified veterinary nurse
*Warbreck* House Veterinary Centre

11 Warbreck Rd
Liverpool, Merseyside, L9 8EE

Get Directions

0151 525 5064

Also Village vets in Woolton deal with exotics too


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

madsmum said:


> SOOOO peved right now. got my first skunk not long ago but before i did i did all my research and called my local exotics vet to make sure that they would treat skunks- the receptionist said yes no problem as there was a few skunks on the books and the vet treats allsorts of crazy animals so is very experienced. so i was happy i could provide care and a vet would sort him out should i need it....
> 
> well pissed now as have just made an apointment to take my 12 week old yourksire terrier dog and 12 weeks old skunk together for the first needles and the vets called back and said he wont have a fully loaded skunk in his practice! apparently the other skunks have been de- scented as are older! now its gonna cost me a fortune to get him seen in the home- im also really concerned as i need to get his gonads cut off as he is a house skunk and i want him done so he doesnt get all frustrated when he grows up.
> 
> ...


 
i think you should ask your vet if he would descent it for you...... see how much he knows about the law :lol2:


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## madsmum (Jan 24, 2009)

Shell195 said:


> Also Village vets in Woolton deal with exotics too


 yeah but as i found out today he will 'not have loaded skunks on the premisis!'


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## madsmum (Jan 24, 2009)

xXFooFooLaFluffXx said:


> i think you should ask your vet if he would descent it for you...... see how much he knows about the law :lol2:


 i really tried! he knows all! gutted as i even asked if he knew anyone and he said he did but was more than his licence worth to tell me!lol i couldnt even bribe him! all he would say was the midlands- jesus how many vets must that be and i dont suppose they will admit it even if i called them! so im in catch 22- wont treat as fully loaded but wont unload due to law! any ideas? x


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

id do a bit of research, maybe ask some legal people on here, id have thought it was against some sort of vet ethics to refuse an animal treatment due to a natural part of it?

pm Azazel777, shes really good with the law and might be able to tell you if he can refuse you on the grounds that the skunk isnt descented


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

I got this off the glider forum (we have a section for skunks and a list of fully loaded skunk friendly vets):



> Dr. Katherine Reed
> Myerscough Veterinary Group
> Princess Avenue
> Clitheroe
> ...


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

i think our vet would treat a fully loaded skunk if you dont mind comin to bury!


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## madsmum (Jan 24, 2009)

think i would travel anywhere- the vet i contacted wouldnt refuse to treat him just wouldnt allow him in the practise as he said if he let off they would have to close and redecorate and i was the one who mentioned a home visit but then realised it would cost alot more and still wouldnt solve my problem when i want him castrated.


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

madsmum said:


> think i would travel anywhere- the vet i contacted wouldnt refuse to treat him just wouldnt allow him in the practise as he said if he let off they would have to close and redecorate and i was the one who mentioned a home visit but then realised it would cost alot more and still wouldnt solve my problem when i want him castrated.


 
they wouldnt have to redecorate!! tell your vet hes an overdramatic queen who shouldnt even be a vet if he wont practice on certain types of animals!!!

my vet is illergic to rabbits! can you believe it! a vet illergic to a bloody animal! yet he still saw all my bunny babies when he could have passed them to someone else. if you want his number and address just pm me, hes in bury so its a bit of a drive but i think its well worth it cos hes a fab vet n would do anythin for anyone! ive just cleared a £400 bill i had run up cos he said i could pay him when i had it, and he even takes oney via paypal!!!


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## Alkaline (May 2, 2009)

If you can travel try Katherine at Myerscough, she has treated my skunk a few times. He is descented but they treat the entire skunks at the wild boar park so shoiuldn't be a problem. I _think _they use a seperate building though, so don't just turn up!


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## brittone05 (Sep 29, 2006)

Ring Rob McNulty in Hoylake over this side of the water hun - he is an exotics and has said in the past he is happy to treat fully loaded ( would have to check again though)


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## JPReptiles (Dec 2, 2007)

The vets i use is here in manchester but is good with exotics and will treat skunks. It's called ashliegh?

I can get contact details if needed.

John


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

am i missing something?

you have a skunk that needs de-scenting?


what's the problem?... take it to a vet.

again... maybe i missed something... if so,... never mind...: victory:


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## JPReptiles (Dec 2, 2007)

HABU said:


> am i missing something?
> 
> you have a skunk that needs de-scenting?
> 
> ...


Its not legal to de-scent them over here lol.

John


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## Demonique (May 5, 2007)

Mephitis said:


> Its not legal to de-scent them over here lol.
> 
> John


Is it legal to de-scent them in Ireland? Because if it is and I lived in the UK and had a pet skunk I'd travel to Ireland to get them de-scented just to spite the UK government.


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## JPReptiles (Dec 2, 2007)

Demonique said:


> Is it legal to de-scent them in Ireland? Because if it is and I lived in the UK and had a pet skunk I'd travel to Ireland to get them de-scented just to spite the UK government.


Yes it is legal to get them de-scented in ireland.

John


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

Mephitis said:


> Yes it is legal to get them de-scented in ireland.
> 
> John


 
Does that apply to both Northern & Southern Ireland?


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## JPReptiles (Dec 2, 2007)

carlycharlie said:


> Does that apply to both Northern & Southern Ireland?


Im not 100% on that one Ken.

John


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

Mephitis said:


> Im not 100% on that one Ken.
> 
> John


Is there a way of finding out? would it be legal to bring them over if you got them de-scented there?


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## JPReptiles (Dec 2, 2007)

farmercoope said:


> Is there a way of finding out? would it be legal to bring them over if you got them de-scented there?


I think they can be legally brought over here after being de-scented. But i am not sure how you would do that?

John


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

Mephitis said:


> I think they can be legally brought over here after being de-scented. But i am not sure how you would do that?
> 
> John


by going and collecting them yourself on the ferry? you wouldnt need a passport or anything.

i was wonderin if they were descented in southern ireland as southern ireland isnt part of the uk is it? so im assuming northern ireland would have the same descenting laws as us as its part of the uk? or am i just talkin silly talk? im crap at all that stuff so may be wrong. Though then i did ask Ditta if that were the case wouldnt a quarentine period apply if they were comin from southern ireland but she said as its an island and rabies free it shouldnt apply


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

Looking on DEFRA website about the Animal Welfare Act I found this

*Are the laws different in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?*

Yes, although there are many similarities. 
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 applies only to England and Wales. Secondary legislation and codes of practice made under the Act can be made separately for England and Wales, although there will be many elements of both that are very similar or the same. 
More information about the secondary legislation and codes of practice that apply to animal welfare in England can be found here (secondary legislation page). More information about animal welfare in Wales can be found here.
The Scottish Parliament passed its own Animal Health and Welfare Act 2006, which applies to the whole of Scotland. More information can be found here.
The principal legislation relating to Northern Ireland is the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1972, which can be found here.


So, going by that you would need to check the Northern Ireland rules on descenting. If they can be done over there then you should be able to bring them into England/Wales without quarunteen - I know parrots get bought & sold over in NI & they simply get transported in cars via the ferry.


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

Intresting, would certain solve problems if Northern Ireland is able to de-scent as you could just take them in cars on the ferry, like with other animals surely?


couldnt find anything on the welfare of animals page, very confusing for me! lol


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## loulou (Jan 18, 2006)

you guys do know the difference between the descenting op before 12 weeks old and after don't you.

If you wanted to get a pet skunk descented it needs to be done before 12 weeks old as you will find even if it is legal in Ireland very few knowledgeable vets will descent a skunk after 12 weeks old as it then becomes a much more major operation.


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

loulou said:


> you guys do know the difference between the descenting op before 12 weeks old and after don't you.
> 
> If you wanted to get a pet skunk descented it needs to be done before 12 weeks old as you will find even if it is legal in Ireland very few knowledgeable vets will descent a skunk after 12 weeks old as it then becomes a much more major operation.


 
I knew it was best done at a younger age 4-8 weeks kind of thing. However, if the skunk is going to be spayed/neutered would that not be a good time to descent as well or is it a tricky op after 12 weeks - maybe the vets dont like the smell after 12 weeks :whistling2::lol2:


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## madsmum (Jan 24, 2009)

if done when very very young (under a few weeks) its a simple scrape type thing but if done older its very dangerous as can cause a wealth of problems- including lack of bowl control plus other more dangerous probs. also on an animnal over 12 weeks the very very few black market vets that would do this would charge in excess of 600- more than the price of the skunk. I only know all this as i had a fully loaded skunk who continually scented small bursts of smell when excited- not even a full spray but it was enough for my hubby to go ape shit at me as i promised he wouldnt smell so i had to take him back to the breeder and it broke my heart- but now i have my little girl petal life is perfect! !:2thumb: 


Rather than ireland and taking risks why not just buy from the uk? I have a lovely little girl who was trained by her fabulous breeder to be smell free! she does have the wiff of vegies round her mouth but thats about it!


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

you cant train a skunk to be smell free! lol!!!




Lou, yes i do know the welfare side of things and know that skunks was de-scented before 12 weeks, maybe i shouldn't wonder then lol


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## madsmum (Jan 24, 2009)

farmercoope said:


> you cant train a skunk to be smell free! Lol!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


obviously but you know what it means


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