It’s bound to happen at some point or another. You send your pup out into the yard to use the bathroom at night, or they startle the unsuspecting animal while on a hike, and wham! Your dog gets hit with nature’s stink bomb. And as the skunk continues on its way, you’re left with a surprised and smelly pooch. What’s the best course of action after your dog is sprayed by a skunk?
First things first – evaluate how and where they were sprayed. Were they a few feet back when the spray hit (meaning it likely is covering the majority of their body), or is the affected area more concentrated? Knowing where the smell is likely strongest will inform where to concentrate your efforts later when bathing your pup.
It’s also important to know what part of their body got sprayed. Most likely your pooch was sprayed in the face, since dogs greet each other and other animals by sniffing their behinds! If this is the case, you need to immediately check their eyes–skunk spray is an irritant, and as with most foreign substances it can cause a lot of pain when it gets into their eyes. Use a saline solution to rinse them on-site if possible (many first aid kits will include a small bottle). In a pinch, regular cool water will do until you can get saline at home. Be careful if trying to hold and rinse your dog alone, since they’ll be confused and upset.
Once you’ve rinsed your pup’s eyes well, act quickly to prepare a bath for them. The longer the stinky oil remains on their coats, the longer it will linger! Use a hose or outdoor tub, since bringing them indoors means your house will quickly smell as well. Filling a baby pool or large tupperware container with water works well. Have a helper join you if possible–it’ll make handling your dog much easier.
Contrary to popular belief, tomato juice isn’t very effective at removing the odor left behind by skunk spray. Unless you have a store-bought de-odorizer, you’ll want to quickly mix up an at-home formula so that you can wash off the oil as soon as possible.
Option 1: Mix apple cider vinegar and water in a 1:2 ratio. Make sure every part of the sprayed area is evenly covered, and let sit for about 10 minutes. Then rinse the mixture from their fur and bathe them using your regular dog shampoo. This method is very safe, and easy to mix because it has just one ingredient (besides water). However, it may not be as effective as Option 2.
Option 2: In a bucket or large bowl, mix 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup of baking soda, and 1 tsp of dishwashing soap. Quickly work this mixture through their fur; avoid letting it touch your dog’s skin too much (it can cause dryness) and do not let it get in their eyes. Leave the mixture on for only a few minutes before rinsing it off–peroxide has bleaching properties that could lighten your dog’s fur. Rinse thoroughly, then shampoo and rinse again. This method, while a bit more complicated to make, is extremely effective for de-stinkifying your pup!
Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training is here to help you with all your pup training and obedience needs. And although we can’t help you with skunk spray, we can trach your dog how to heel, stay and come on command. If you are in the Sarasota. Bradenton or Parrish area, we’d love to help.
