Being sprayed by a skunk is a horrible experience.  Many people are extra horrified when they are sprayed, or at the thought of being sprayed, because they think the skunk is spraying from his anus.  This is not so.  The skunk is actually spraying from two glands that are on either side of the anus.

Some people even believe that the spray is pee.  This is not true.

A very basic explanation of what is in skunk spray is that it is made of thiols and thioacetates. Thiols are the things that provide us with that awful smell.  . Thioacetates are the dangerous things provided to us in skunk spray.  They  can possibly cause red blood cells to burst, temporary blindness, nausea, diarrhea and more. Although we hate the smell, thioacetates are the real threat to a pet's health.  A skunk's smell is inconvenient.  But a skunk spray can also be dangerous.