Help for a dog sprayed by a skunk!

If your dog has been sprayed by a skunk, you need help, and you need it fast!

That skunk-y smell is 1000 times stronger than you than you thought it was going to be.

Plus the actual spray is oily, sticks to everything, and lingers for a L-O-N-G time.

There are a few different ways to remove skunk odor from your dog....

• Proprietary or retail products that remove skunk odor
• Home remedies for skunk odor removal

If you`ve never had to deal with this situation before, you`ll also appreciate these tips...

• Tips for dealing with a skunk/dog encounter
• How to get that skunk smell out of your house

If you live in the countryside you might already be prepared for this eventuality, or maybe you`re reading this page so that you can be prepared.

Or maybe you`re standing in the back yard, in the dark, holding onto a very smelly dog and wondering what the heck to do next!

Either way you`re in luck, because there are some great remedies and products that will de-skunk Fido and allow him to avoid being exiled to the dog kennel for the next 10 days.

Read on to learn more.....

Products To Remove Skunk Smell From Your Dog

There are some great, ready-made concoctions that have been formulated to remove skunk odor from dogs.

Video: DOG SPRAYED BY SKUNK

Because skunks are nocturnal, most dog/skunk confrontations happen at night, or very early in the morning.

So, unless you`re lucky enough to live next-door to a big superstore that stocks lots of pet products, it`s best to think ahead and buy one (or more) before Fido meets the resident stink-bomb! 

Skunk odor removal products include shampoos, enzymatic odor removers, soaps and so on.

Here`s a look at the most popular and effective choices.....

You can also use this Nature`s Miracle skunk odor remover on clothing, flooring, furniture and carpets (and if you`ve let Fido through the door then you`re going to need to do all of that!).

One bath won`t be enough (unless the skunk simply `kissed` your dog with his spray), but you can get two good baths out of an 8 oz bottle.

Also leaves your dog smelling a whole lot sweeter!

Home Remedies For Skunk Odor Removal

If Fido has a run-in with a skunk when the stores are closed (or you live out in the boonies) and you don`t have any proprietary de-skunking products at hand, then you might need to improvise.

Luckily there are a few home recipes for removing that awful skunk smell from your dog`s coat.

Depending on how severely your pooch has been doused in skunk oil, these may not all be as effective as the products listed above, but they will help.

I can personally vouch for the effectiveness of the baking soda/hydrogen peroxide/dish soap combo!

One of my dogs had a run-in with a skunk in our new home.... while everything from the old home (including odor removal products) were still packed up in boxes!

Here`s a step-by-step guide to mixing and using this `potion` :

The Baking Soda/Hydrogen Peroxide Formula

This formula was devised by a chemist (Paul Krebaum of Illinois) and published in the Chemical & Engineering News in the early 1990`s.

It uses three common household products:

• Baking soda (1/4 cup)
• 3% Hydrogen Peroxide (1 Quart)
• Dishwashing liquid, `Dawn` if possible (1 teaspoon)

If you have a large or giant-breed dog you can add some warm water to this mixture to make it go further - it won`t dilute it`s effectiveness by much.

1. Use a bucket (NOT a bottle or covered container as this potion will fizz and expand).
2. Add the baking soda to the hydrogen peroxide, then stir in the dish-washing liquid.
3. Mix well and thoroughly soak your dogs DRY coat (do not wet it first).
4. Use a large sponge, or even a brush (but be gentle!) to make sure that the mixture is worked well into the coat down to the skin.
5. Leave on for 5 - 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with warm water.
6. You`ll probably need to repeat this whole cycle once or twice more. 
7. Okay, all done. Now you can dry Fido thoroughly... and breathe a sigh of relief!

The reason that this recipe works so well is because it causes a chemical reaction to take place between the components of the skunk oil, and the ingredients in the solution.

This reaction actually breaks down the oil and neutralizes the odor, rather than just trying to mask it.

That`s important because the majority of home recipes for getting rid of the smell of skunk oil rely on overpowering (or masking) it rather than removing it. 

An up-close-and-personal encounter with skunk oil will definitely convince you that even reducing the intensity and masking that awful stench is better than doing nothing at all.

Plus, you`re likely to have at least some of these things in your home already, so no midnight trip to the store required.

So here are a few of the other home remedies/potions that can help do just that...

Tomato Juice

You can use a combination of tomato juice and canned, diced tomatoes to help break down the oiliness of skunk spray.

Rub the mixture well into Fido`s coat, let it soak for 5 minutes, then rinse clean. Follow with shampoo, rinse and dry.

Listerine Mouthwash

The combination of antiseptic and mint (if you have the Mint Flavor rather than original) will help cut through the skunk oil.

Plus the same ingredients which freshen your breath will help make Fido`s coat smell a bit better.

Apply the mouthwash directly to Fido`s fur (but stay away from his eyes,ears and nose), allow it to soak for a few minutes, then shampoo, rinse... and repeat as necessary.

Lemon Juice

The acidic properties in lemon juice cut through the oil in the same way as the tomato juice or antiseptic.

Obviously you`d need a LOT of lemons to soak a dog`s fur, so this works best if you have bottled lemon juice in your refrigerator.

Just soak Fido in lemon juice (again stay away from his eyes, ears and nose), allow it to soak into his fur for 10 minutes, then wash out with warm water and shampoo. Rinse... and repeat if necessary.

And finally, a couple of human hygiene products that you might have on hand which can be used in a pinch include:

Feminine Hygiene Product - Medicated Douche

The medicated component, plus the fragrance, in a douche can help remove some of the skunk odor from your dog.

Simply mix (or use ready made) according to manufacturers directions and then soak your dog`s fur. Allow it to penetrate for 10 - 15 minutes. 

Then rinse, shampoo, rinse and dry.

Tea Tree Shampoo

Tea tree shampoo contains a natural oil that can help counteract the odor in skunk oil. It`s also good at cutting through grease, and neutralizing that nasty smell.

Mix shampoo with water and thoroughly soak your dog, then pour on and lather up with more shampoo.

Leave on for 5 minutes, rinse and repeat as necessary. Dry.

Lava Soap

This soap contains finely ground pumice which is abrasive, and is great for removing dirt, paint, oil and other stuff from skin (and here, your pet`s coat).

Using warm water and Lava Heavy-Duty Hand Cleaner with Moisturizers, lather it up and work well into Fido`s coat (you can use a brush to help with this, but don`t scrub too hard).

Then rinse thoroughly, and shampoo with gentle shampoo and rinse again.

This soap can leave a gritty residue in the fur which will irritate your dog`s skin if it`s not removed, so you may need to shampoo and rinse a couple of times to get rid of it all.

Okay, so that just about covers it for products and potions that you can use on a dog who has been sprayed by a skunk.

BUT there`s more to effective de-skunking than just knowing what to use.

A close encounter with skunk oil is a minefield of potential problems... and the nature of the oil makes it extremely difficult to remove, not just from Fido, but from clothing, flooring and more.

So, before you head off to de-skunk your dog, check out this page of tips and advice for skunk odor removal... it could make all the difference between the sweet smell of success, and the overpowering odor of failure!

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