How to De-Skunk a Dog: I’ve Been Doing It All Wrong

in #animals7 years ago (edited)

Skunks CC birdphotos.jpg

Ah, the promise of springtime, coming soon to a neighborhood near me. Cherry blossoms bloom on the trees and their petals fall like snow. Bright green grass covers the hills. Birds sing cheerful melodies as the days get longer. And skunk smells permeate the neighborhood regularly as these animals enjoy springtime. They scamper around, chase after mates, and stink up the area with their spray.

If you let your dog run freely in my neighborhood in the evenings or early mornings, it’s not a matter of “if”, but “when”. Dogs surprise skunks, which are about the size of a cat. The skunks roam these streets at night, finding bits of garbage, bugs and grubs from peoples’ gardens, and probably a few birds eggs in the coming months. When they feel threatened, they spray as a defense against attackers.

Here is a video showing exactly what happens. It’s a great defense mechanism against predators:

And the poor dogs are covered in an overpowering odor that seems IMPOSSIBLE to eliminate. You can wash them and bathe them and shower them. You can shampoo those dogs or shave their hair.

Whatever you do, your house is guaranteed to smell like a skunk for days after a dog gets sprayed by a skunk. It’s IMPOSSIBLE to eliminate that smell.

Or is it?

Tomato Juice

For decades, tomato juice was the popular folk remedy to alleviate skunk odor. The method is simple: Wash the dog in tomato juice and it smells a lot better. As a kid, I remember my parents telling stories about washing dogs in tomato juice. Many dog owners kept some spare tomato juice in their pantries just for the occasion.

And then one rainy night when I was about 6 years old, our family dog went out to do her business before bed and encountered a skunk. She went after the skunk and took a direct hit of skunk spray. The scent was so strong that my eyes watered when I stood near the dog.

But a search of the pantry came up empty. No tomato juice. We’d gotten lazy. Fortunately, my father found a six-pack of V8 juice with tiny cans. If you’ve never had V8 juice, it’s a mixture of tomato, carrot, celery, and several other vegetables all juiced into one small can (along with way too much salt).

V8.jpg
Source: Campbell's Soup Company.

Also in the pantry were several industrial-sized tins of chunky tomato sauce.

My parents bathed the dog and brought in the weaponry. First, the V8 juice came out. The cans were tiny and the emptied six-pack of them probably only covered this dog’s neck. She was a large, furry retriever. Then, in the rain outside the house (because no one wanted a skunky dog in the bathtub), the tomato sauce came next. My parents poured canned tomatoes all over the dog, mashing chunks of tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions into her fur.

She smelled a little better, but still pretty skunky. It took days for the smell to dissipate completely.

Skunked CC Flickr by OakleyOriginals.jpg
A skunked dog getting the tomato juice treatment. Source: Creative Commons via Flickr by Oakley Originals.

Don’t Use Tomato Juice

Unfortunately, modern science tells us that this home folk remedy does not work. The best tomato juice can do is mask the smell temporarily. And it does so by playing a trick on our noses.

Tomato juice does NOT remove skunk smell.

When an intense odor (such as skunk spray) is all around you and you continue breathing it for a while, your sense of smell gets what’s known as olfactory fatigue. That means that your nose and mind will be influenced easily by another smell that comes along. The smell of tomato juice does just that: it pulls you in and allows you to ignore the saturation of skunk smell.

A Better Remedy

Mixing hydrogen peroxide and baking soda will create a far more effective solution to tackle the odor of skunk spray, per a recipe by chemist Paul Krebaum. Also, mix in a little liquid soap to help it clean.

PeroxideSoda.jpg

Here is the recipe:

1 quart (or liter) of hydrogen peroxide
One quarter (1/4) cup baking soda
1 teaspoon liquid soap

Mix together and spread over your dog’s fur, avoiding contact with eyes, nose, and other sensitive regions of the body. As you mix it, the solution will be actively foaming, so mix it near your dog. Try to keep it on the fur for at least 5 minutes before rinsing. Rinse thoroughly with water so that dog does not lick this solution from his/her fur. It’s not toxic, but you don’t want them eating it and getting sick.

I hope your dog doesn’t get skunked, but if it does, keep these basic ingredients in your home so you can brew up a batch. Or you can order a bottle of skunk junk and keep it handy; it's good but not as effective as the foaming recipe.

SkunkJunk CC Flickr by Mike Mozart.jpg
Skunk spray remover. Source: Creative Commons via Flickr by Mike Mozart.

Sources:
Early story on Krebaum’s recipe: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1994-11-25/news/9411250251_1_common-striped-skunk-skunk-spray-smell
Village Veterinary’s Guide: https://www.villageveterinary.com/de-skunking/
Don’t Grab the Tomato Juice: http://blog.theanimalrescuesite.com/skunk-tips-for-dogs/

Top photo: Creative Commons from birdphotos.com . Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide photo from greenideareviews.com.

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Any ideas for deskunking a car that hit the skunk?

@donkeypong i am here to personally say thank you on behalf of @Africaunchained Community project which you have been supporting, i just dont know were to say the thank You from but i must say we there appreciate your effort and wish you success in all your doings. You have stood out in respect to this platform in particular to be a man of love showering support to any one who you think needs support, sir you have done pretty well. Thanks

Literally!!!

Ill try this next time although lets hope there isnt one.

I have personally never experienced the smell of a skunk! I'm sorry for your dog :-( so cute.

Me neither! I heard tomato juice or vinegar takes it off but... I think that stuff stinks pretty bad anyways.

That one isn't mine, but I love the picture also. My current dog is a nervous little dude who is too scared to go near a skunk (or a cat).

No good doggo deserves to be punished like that by a stinky skunk :-( Here's an awkward pic of my doggo sneezing, mine doesn't like people a lot at the beginning, he's kind of shy but opens up to you after a while.

photo_2018-01-23_03-40-52.jpg

You're not missing much with skunk odor. So powerful that it will get in your car if you drive by a dead skunk.

Where is it that they don't have skunks?

We don't have skunks here in Australia! No porcupines either, which is just as well because I'd probably go poking my nose in one!

It’s not toxic, but you don’t want them eating it and getting sick.

Are you sure? Hydrogen Peroxide is definitely toxic! I can't imagine the baking soda neutralises the toxicity?

Hahahaha, poor dogs gun' get skinned by poisonous house remedies.

Many vets will actually suggest giving it by the teaspoon to dogs that ingest certain things....like if they get ahold of a pill bottle as mine did once. My catahoula got ahold of some pills for my back out of my bathroom.....dont leave em sit by the sink where your pooch can see.....I called the vet and they said to give him two teaspoons and walk him for 5 to 10 minutes. If he doesnt throw it up, give him another. She assured me that it wouldnt harm the dog. It worked too!

Some people actually use hydrogen peroxide in a small proportion in their diets. I wouldn't do so, but it is not impossible to ingest. I guess I meant that eating a small amount won't be dangerous, but might make a dog sick.

Thanks for explaining, that makes more sense!

Regardless, I shall make sure to steer clear if I ever see a skunk, particularly if it has a french accent and a last name of Le Pew.

Last thing you need is hijinks with the stink.

Or some funk from that skunk!

I always thought that date-raping rodent must confuse so many young minds. His behavior today would earn him a place in the Weinstein house of shame.

we have a huge problem with skunks in sa but I never knew this would work,just keep it out of the eyes mouth and he should be fine

Clever huh.

Hahaha.....we do not have skunk in my area but we do have a certain kind of long-mouthed mice which equally has a very upsetting odour. Whenever it is in the neighborhood, you notice immediately. And whenever it comes into the yard, whatever it comes in close contact with also takes on the smell. Maybe this is our own local skunk.

I am yet to encounter a skunk, but when I do, I will remember this recipe that you shared on this post. But sometimes our dog goes rummaging in trash cans and comes back smelling like shit. I'm just thought that I should perhaps use the formula to get it clean again. Thank you sir for sharing.

Hahahahaha. I had never heard the tip for tomato juice. Then again, we don't have skunks in Venezuela. The annecdote about olfactory fatigue reminds me of the book The Perfume. I loved that one.

Thank you for the tip lol. I'll try and remember the creation process of it if I ever go to a country where there are skunks and get my dog pissed on by one. That would be terrible and I pity the owners of such dogs who don't have the knowledge you have gathered through practice.

Your post is very enjoyable to read. Thanks for writing it and sharing it with us. :)

I think I'd rather eat my tomato juice instead. Hard to believe something can smell so bad that bathing in tomatos would be worth it!

We don't have skunks down here in Venezuela, but we have a lot of stray cats and i sometimes have to defend my cute doggo from them because sometimes they jump on him when he decides he wants to stay outside for the night!

Oh yeah, the smell of a skunk is so much nasty and unbearable that it's simply not possible to be with it and especially when it comes from your pet, nature has come up with such protection for skunks :) Your method with hydrogen peroxide, I think, will be the optimal solution and we will manage to remove this smell! Thank you @donkeypong