Skunk stories are a common topic among all dog parents, however unpleasant they may be.You can find cases of a dog being sprayed by a skunk pretty easily in rural, as well as, urban areas. Dogs, performing the role of our best friends, never give up on their territory which leads to skunks utilizing their stinky weapon, the infamous oil sprayed by a skunk.The smell that comes off dogs from a skunk spray is easily recognizable and undoubtedly unbearable. At times, it has been noticed that if not cleaned properly, the smell tends to stay in your dog’s fur for months. The skunk spray consists of an oil known as the skunk oil, and it can infiltrate the sanctity of your house with its fumes in no time. However, it is a valid point to wonder what actually causes this stinky smell? The reason behind this smell lies in its composition of sulfur-based organic compounds named thiols. This is the same smell which you experience from rotten eggs. Moreover, it is known that the oil of skunks also contains a substance known as thioacetates, which gives that skunk smell its incredible unbelievable staying capacity. As an interesting fact, these thioacetates initially stay dormant, but transform into thiols in no time when they come into contact with water or humidity, worsening the smell!If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about how to get rid of skunks and what do skunks eat here on Kidadl.What to do if dog got sprayed by skunk?In case your dog is sprayed by a skunk, time is of the essence. You cannot waste any time as it only leads to the smell intensifying. Do not let your dog enter inside, and keep your dog in the open and immediately get ready to bathe your dog outside in the backyard. Remember to keep the windows of your bathroom open to let the smell out. A common mistake dog parents make after dogs are skunked is they wash their dog with water, do not do this! You first of all need to use dry paper towels to clean the area of your dog’s fur where there is excess oil. Now, it is time your pet bathes in a solution made of hydrogen peroxide mixed with liquid soap and baking soda.It is recommended that you avoid letting your pet inside your home after getting skunked as it might lead to the odor spreading to every room in your house. If possible, clean your pet out in the open. If you think you dog has been sprayed in the face by a skunk, check its eyes for redness and if any redness, splash cold water on your dog’s eyes immediately to protect them from any serious damage. Skunk shampoo available on the market isn’t required and a homemade mixture will do just fine. To neutralize and permanently get rid of skunk smell from your pet, use a hydrogen peroxide solution mixed with liquid soap and baking soda. However, before you begin bathing your pets, you must keep a few things in mind. Always bathe your pets, especially dogs, wearing rubber gloves or latex gloves post a skunk attack in order to minimize contact and avoid any irritation in your eyes later on. The supplies you will require include:40 fl oz (1136.5 ml) of 3% hydrogen peroxide1/4 cup of baking soda1 teaspoon of liquid dishwashing soapMix all these ingredients thoroughly and keep the mixture ready for use. Do not keep this mixture in a container for any future use as the container might possibly explode due to the chemical reaction, and could quite possibly hurt your pet. In the beginning, use a dry towel to clean any extra oils present on your dog’s skin. Now, use a vet recommended eye dropper to protect its eyes from soap or any other mixture. It is now time to bath your dog with the earlier prepared mixture, rubbing it all over your dog’s body gently. Apply some additional treatment on the area where the oils were directly sprayed as getting rid of the smell from that area is more difficult. Let the solution stay on your dog’s coat for five minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water. Finally, dry your dog with a soft towel. If you still detect a foul odor coming from your dog’s coat, repeat the procedure, apply the mixture once again, and wash your dog thoroughly. Repeat this process as many times as required since you cannot store the solution for any future use. Once you get rid of the skunk smell from your dog’s coat, let it dry for sometime. Then, immediately ensure that your dog’s eyes aren’t reddened and are in fine condition.How long does skunk smell last on a dog?We are all very well aware of the pungent skunk smell on dogs after it is attacked and also how quickly it spreads. It has been noted in some cases that when the dog has been left untreated after the skunk spray, the odor has stayed for a duration of approximately three to four weeks. This long duration of the skunk spray is due to its chemical composition, which contains some specific substances which make the smell last this long.In order to remove this smell as quickly as possible, use the mixture of hydrogen peroxide with baking soda and dawn dish soap. Dawn dish soap, when combined with the above mentioned materials, helps to remove the pungent skunk smell on dogs. There are various other methods to eliminate this smell, such as special skunk shampoo available in supermarkets but remember to shampoo your dog at least twice in order to get rid of the skunk smell completely. It is a common myth that washing dogs with tomato juice removes the skunk smell on dogs. In reality, it just covers the smell temporarily and does not remove the smell from the coat of your dog on a permanent basis. Among a bunch of tips, one you might have heard from your grandmother could be bathing your dog in a Bloody Mary mix. As fancy as that sounds, it only masks the smell.How to remove skunk smell from dog without hydrogen peroxide?At times, it might so happen that you do not have the ingredients required for preparing the hydrogen peroxide solution to bath your dog. In such circumstances, there are other methods you can use to get rid of the skunk odor as quickly as possible. There is no point in delaying your dog’s bath as you are very well aware how unbearable the smell is.Hydrogen peroxide is often known to cause vomiting and it is not always available at pharmacies. You could possibly use a viable alternative to get rid of the skunk odor from your dog. Mix two parts water with one part apple cider vinegar and prepare a solution. Once you have cleaned your dog’s body with a dry cloth around the spray area, wet your dog completely and apply the mixture in the required quantity and then rinse after approximately five minutes. You might need to repeat the process multiple times as it is not as efficient as hydrogen peroxide mixed with 1/4 cup baking soda, but it does get the job done eventually. Do not forget to use gloves while applying the solution on your pet’s body. Apply in a larger quantity on the area where the skunk sprayed directly.How to remove skunk smell from dog using tomato juice?Arguably, one of the most common and an age old method for getting rid of the skunk smell on a dog is using tomato juice. This method might be less effective than using 40 fl oz (1136.5 ml) of 3% hydrogen peroxide because it takes longer, but in the case you are unable to source the other materials, this method is quite good. The materials required to carry out this procedure consist of a vet verified dog shampoo from a pet shop, a pair of rubber gloves, and tomato juice. Before employing this method you must remember that if your dog is white in color, then it might temporarily turn an orangish shade due to the orange tomato juice.As you begin the process, first bathe your pet with the store bought dog shampoo and dry it off completely. Apply the tomato juice and cover your dog completely, saturating the entire coat. You need to give the juice 10-20 minutes to soak and then rinse it off completely and wash your dog once again with shampoo. It might take some time to completely eliminate the smell but it is known to work as an alternative to the best known method, hydrogen peroxide solution.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how to remove skunk smell from dog, then why not take a look at how to make dog toothpaste or Boxer Bulldog facts.
Skunk stories are a common topic among all dog parents, however unpleasant they may be.
