Ooooh That Smell!
Raise your paw if you personally have been victimized by the infamous “black and white kitty”, otherwise known as Skunk.
There are two types of dogs:
Those who learn
Those who never learn
If you’ve been sprayed more than once, your support group is down the hall and to the left.
What is skunk spray?
Skunk spray is Thiol and Sulfur. Sulfur gives you that classic rotten egg smell and Thiol is what is added to natural gas in order to help detect a leak.
Skunk spray is Thiol, an organic compound with Sulfur as the principal component. Sulfur gives you that classic rotten egg smell and Thiols is what is added to natural gas in order to help detect a leak.
Did you know that a Skunk can have an accurate hit up to 20ft away? Yup. Good luck running away from that in time!
Skunks use their spray as a defense mechanism (an effective one at that), but their liquid stink does not come with free refills. A single spray can deplete their tool of defense for several days, leaving them vulnerable to prey.
Okay, but what do I do if my dog is sprayed?
The key is to neutralize the pH.
Skunk spray is alkaline, meaning that it is high on the pH scale. Oftentimes, you’ll find the following products in home remedies:
Dawn Dish Soap
Tomato Juice
Milk
Vinegar
Hydrogen Peroxide
This is because they are acidic and help neutralize the odor.
Tomato juice and vinegar contain acetic acid and milk contains lactic acid.
Step 1:
Do NOT bring your dog immediately inside (even if they really, really, reallyyyyy want to)! You’ve been warned, because if you do, you’ll have more than just a dog that smells like a Skunk. Wait a couple hours for your pup to air out.
Step 2:
Pick your poison. These are the three most common concoctions:
Option One
Ingredients:
1 Quart 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
1/4 Cup Baking Soda
2 TBSP Dish Soap
Instructions: Mix in a large bowl and apply while mixture is still foaming. The oxygen added by the Hydrogen Peroxide reacts with Thiols in the Skunk stink, which neutralizes the odor (SCIENCE ROCKS!). If you aren’t in a hurry, let the mixture soak for 10-15 minutes. Rinse and repeat.
Option Two
Ingredients:
2 TBSP Dish Soap
1 1/2 Cups Cider Vinegar
2 Gallons Warm Water
Milk
Instructions: Mix ingredients together in large bowl or pour into spray bottle. Pour or spray mixture over your pup and rub into the fur (we recommend wearing gloves, unless you want your hands to smell). Gently pour or spray milk onto the face, allow it to dry. Rinse and repeat.
Option Three
Ingredients:
16oz Hydrogen Peroxide
1 Large Can of Tomato Juice
2 TBSP Dish Soap
Instructions: Mix ingredients together in large bowl and apply mixture to your pup. Rinse and repeat.
Regardless of which option you choose, several applications will be required. Because as the saying “Time heals all wounds” goes, it’s going to take time (and plenty of baths) to heal your pup of the neighborhood Skunk’s stink.
Need a little help? Schedule an appointment with your groomer! We’ve got top of the line deodorizing shampoos.
Has your dog been sprayed by a Skunk? Let us know in the comments.
