HOME REMEDY TO NEUTRALIZE THE SMELL

Skunks are part of life when you live in our Downingtown, PA, suburbs. Occasionally our dogs will have the misfortune to tangle with one of these “black and white kitties” and results can last a very long time! If your dog has been sprayed by a skunk, you need to first assess the damage. Are there any wounds on the dog? This is very important because skunks are common transmitters of the rabies virus. Be certain your dog is current with its rabies vaccine and give us a call at the Animal Clinic at Thorndale to schedule a booster if the encounter was closer than just being sprayed. If there are open wounds on your dog, be extremely careful in handling them because the rabies virus may be present in the wounds or blood/saliva surrounding them and could enter open wounds on your skin. If your dog has been hit directly in the eyes, it is important to flush them out with water as quickly as possible so permanent damage is not done. Call your veterinarian if there are bite wounds or eye injuries.

Once you have the initial “crisis” under control, it is best not to let the dog contact any surfaces in your house. If it is warm enough, keep the dog outside and do your bathing before the dog is allowed back in the home. The skunk spray can rub off on surfaces and the odor will permeate and linger. We carry a product called Skunk-Off. It comes in shampoo and wipe on formulations. The following “home remedy” has been used (by us) with good success. Keep in mind that for several weeks after the encounter, whenever the dog gets wet, the lingering odor will be accentuated. Keep the faith. It will eventually subside.

The Recipe is:

1 Quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide

¼ cup of baking soda

1 teaspoon of liquid soap (Dawn works well but any dish soap will work)

Use rubber or latex gloves.

This recipe will clean a dog about the size of a beagle. Adjust the amount to the size of your pet. Normal bathing procedures should be used to protect your pet’s eyes. Scrub the animal’s coat thoroughly and let the solution stand for 10 minutes before rinsing. Follow the bath with a thorough rinse. You will not get the entire odor off of the animals face, but it will wear off in time.