By Kelly Marshall
A skunk's spray is one of the most unpleasant odors there is to a human's nose. Putting your dog outside in the yard, hearing a commotion and finding out a skunk has sprayed your pet is not only terrible but also very smelly. A skunk's spray is yellowy oil, which they spray or mist from up to almost twenty feet away when they feel like they are in danger. Many dogs end up sprayed because they try to defend their property and the skunk usually wins.
The first words of advice are ‘do not bring your dog inside after it has been skunked' as it will take forever to get the smell out of your house. The skunk odor will permeate anything porous such as beds, sofas, towels, untreated wood and plasterboard. Check your pet's eyes to see if the skunk got spray in them. If it did your dog's eyes will appear red. This sometimes causes temporary blindness that usually lasts from ten to fifteen minutes. Rinse your dog's eyes with a saline solution or use eye-drops for a human or olive oil, to help relieve the eye irritation. Take your pet to the veterinarian if the dogs' eyes continue to be red or irritated.
The treatment you use on your dog is far more effective if you do it before the skunks spray has had a chance to dry on your pet. The first order of business is putting on old clothes and rubber gloves, that you will not feel bad about, if you throw them away after. Do not shampoo the whole dog, just the area affected, as you do not want the odor spreading onto the rest of your pet. Before you grab the tomato juice, be aware that it will not remove the skunk odor, just mask it.
Here is a concoction that successfully works at eliminating that terrible skunk odor on your pet. In a large open bowl or container, pour in one quart of three percent hydrogen peroxide, one teaspoon of any type of liquid dishwashing soap and one-quarter cup of baking soda or sodium bicarbonate. When mixed together, the mixture foams and this is the best time to use it. Hydrogen peroxide is available in drug stores and some people feel that joy dishwashing detergent works the best. There are commercial skunk deodorizer removers available but they do not always do a good job.
While the mixture is still foaming, wet down the area of the dog that the skunk sprayed. After leaving the lather in the fur up to ten minutes, use tap water to rinse this area thoroughly. Repeat this if necessary. For dogs sprayed in the face by a skunk, very carefully apply the mixture with a cloth, making sure to keep it out of your pets' eyes, nose and mouth. Make this solution only when you need it and always discard the unused solution, after you mix it together, as it will explode if covered or stored.
If the skunk sprayed your house or fence etc, there are commercial products available to remove the skunk odor. To keep skunks from wanting in your yard, make sure the garbage pails lids fit tightly, do not keep dog food outside and close any spaces that makes a comfortable place for skunks to live, such as under cement steps.
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