09/20/2024
How can I get rid of skunk odor on my dog?
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a skunk will spray your dog. Most commonly, dogs are sprayed on or around the head. Not only does skunk spray smell extremely foul, but it can also cause nausea or vomiting.
If your dog gets sprayed directly in the eyes or mouth, seek immediate veterinary treatment.
If your dog swallows the spray, it may cause severe anemia.
If it gets in your dog’s eyes, it acts like tear gas, causing excessive tearing, burning and redness. It can damage the delicate cornea of the eye and cause temporary blindness.
If the spray is not causing your dog serious distress, you can take matters into your own hands. To neutralize the odor associated with skunk spray, you need to break down the oils so that they can be washed off the fur or skin. You also need to change the chemical structure of the volatile compounds so that they become substances with little to no odor. Despite the old wives' tale, tomato juice does not work as an odor neutralizer; it only makes a big mess! Nor does vinegar work effectively.
There are several commercial products to neutralize skunk spray but if you don't have this on hand, homemade recipes involve a combination of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish detergent in varying amounts. The most common recipe is 3-4 parts hydrogen peroxide to 1 part of baking soda, with about a teaspoon of dish detergent.
The dish detergent breaks down the oil so that it can be washed away, while the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda act as oxidizing agents. To be effective, the solution must be used while “fresh”, or still bubbling, and must be applied directly to the sprayed areas while avoiding the eyes!
