While skunks may look cute on TV, portrayed by Pepe Le Peu on the Looney Tunes, if you run into them in real life and cause them distress, they are anything but cute. When a skunk feels threatened it sprays their famous odor on the object of their fear. While most people may know to steer clear of these black and white animals, a strange dog does not.
If your dog happens to have a run in with a skunk that results in an unfavorable smell, you have your work cut out for you. First off, keep your dog outside. You do not want the stench of a skunk seeping into your home as it may linger longer than you like, creating more work for you to remove the smell from your house and your dog.
There are a few options when it comes to removing the smell of skunk from your beloved pet. Specialty rinses are available, but you may not be able to contain your dog while you make the run to purchase it. Especially since the longer you wait to remove the stench, the harder it becomes. If that is the case, there are some home remedies that help remove a skunk’s odor.
TOMATO JUICE
Before you begin, you may want to wear a gas mask and rubber gloves to help protect your senses and skin from getting in contact with the stench. Once you have these supplies, check to see if you have the following household items to get started: eye drops, dog shampoo, tomato juice or sauce.
Visually check your dog for any other signs of attack, lacerations or bite marks. Be sure to look at your dog’s eyes as well, as skunk spray can cause irritation of the eyes. If your dog’s eyes are red, and irritated; applying a few eye drops to each eye will help. Once you are sure there are no other signs of an attack, it is time to give your dog a bath saturated with shampoo. Scrub your dog well, and rinse. Now it is time for the tomato bath to combat the lingering smell of the skunk. Using tomato juice of tomato sauce, apply a generous amount to your pooch and allow it to sit for a good 20 to 30 minutes. By allowing the tomato juice/sauce to soak into your dog’s fur and skin, you will achieve better results of removing the smell. After the allotted soaking time, rinse and check to see how your dog smells. Repeat if necessary.
PEROXIDE/BAKING SODA
If you do not have tomato juice or sauce on hand or you did, and your dog still smells of skunk, there is another home remedy you can try. This solution is made of hydrogen peroxide (1 quart), baking soda (1/4 cup) and dish soap (2 teaspoons). By combining these ingredients, you will make a fizzing solution that will need to be rubbed into your dog’s dry fur immediately. Do not forget to wear your rubber gloves! Let the solution sit on your dog’s coat for a minimum of five minutes, or longer for severe cases. Follow this step by rinsing and drying your dog and testing the smell once again. If the smell remains after this, you can repeat and leave the solution on longer. Note: your dog’s coat may become lighter or bleached due to the peroxide, but this will grow out and your dog’s natural coat color will return.
After you have successfully removed the odor from your dog, take some steps to ensure your dog does not run into another skunk. If your dog escaped your property, look into installing an invisible fence to prevent future outings of this nature. If the skunk came to your property; create a less inviting atmosphere by keeping your trash picked up and contained. If you happen to have a vegetable, or fruit garden arm your yard by installing motion sensors on your outdoor lights (skunks do not like to be out in light). However, hopefully your dog will have learned his lesson the first time and turn away from future run-ins with the smelly animal!
For more than 10 years, Susan Wright, DVM, has been a veterinarian providing quality care to family pets. Dr. Wright is a dog bark collar expert and author. Susan writes articles that provide helpful tips, instruction and proper care advice to dog owners.