Dog's are very curious by nature and love to chase balls, squirrels, butterflies, cats, birds, people, quite frankly anything that moves, even skunks. When a dog encounters a skunk it rarely bodes well for the dog, only to get him in a stink of trouble with Pepe Le Pew. If you and and your dog live in a rural or suburban area populated with skunks then the odds are stacked stinkingly high against you.It can be quite a chore to remove powerful skunk stench from your dog's fur. Contrary to popular belief, washing your dog in tomato juice does very little to eliminate skunk odor. Tomato juice only mask the unpleasant odor for a short time and can stain light colored fur. So, save those cans of tomato juice for a cold rainy day when you have the sniffles. Since skunk spray is extremely oily, the best way to eliminate is to get rid of the oily base. It is important to act fast! So we have a home remedy solution that will get the job done and your dog smelling good again.
First things first, as soon as you realize your dog has been skunked its important to give your dog a once over. Grab some rubber or latex gloves, old clothes and canvas your dogs body for bites or scratches since this smelly creatures can carry rabies. For this reason it is important that your dog is up to date on his rabies vaccinations. If your dog has been bitten, scratched, has eye discharge or redness or any injuries seek vet help immediately before proceeding with the bathing process. Once you realize your dog has not been injured now its time for the fun part, the bathing process.
Try a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and regular dish soap which works wonders to neutralize the obscene odor. The sooner you apply the solution to your dog's fur, the better your chances of completely eliminating the smell. So you don't bring the smell indoors it is probably best to set up the bathing station outdoors. If your are going to bathe your dog indoors open your bathroom windows for some fresh air, trust us you will need it. Before you start bathing your dog apply it is recommended that you apply eye lubricant or 1-2 drops of mineral oil in your dogs eyes to protect them from any solution that may splish, splash or drip.
The De-skunk Solution:
1. Use about 1 qt of 3% peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda and a drizzle (1 teaspoon) of dish soap.
2. Mix it well and add a cup of water if need. Before applying the mixture place cotton balls in your pets ears to protect the inner-ear from the solution that could easily drip in.
3. Do not pre-soak your dog with water. Lather up your dog right away, apply it liberally. Massage the solution in your dogs coat starting with the head, then wash towards his back and end with the legs and feet.
4. Let it soak into his fur for 10 minutes. Rinse out the solution completely with lukewarm water- always being careful around eyes, ears and mouth. Towel dry him off. Continue the entire process on a daily basis until the odor is removed. It is not recommended to use a heat source for drying since the deskunking mixture will leave the skin and fur in a very dry condition. A heat source will cause even further drying of the skin. Apply a conditioning treatment in about a week to treat the dryness.
5. Discard any leftover deskunking solution because it becomes combustible when stored.
Important tip: In order to avoid smelly encounters with skunks do not leave food outside (i.e bird seed feeders, fallen fruit from trees or dog's dish). Make sure garbage cans are well-secured with a tight lid. But most importantly keep your dog within eye view so they are not tempted to run into the woods unattended only to come home smelling like a stink bomb.
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