If your dog has been sprayed by a skunk then you’ll need to move quickly (or things get much worse).
It happens at the most inconvenient time, you just got home from work, or maybe it’s the middle of the night, or whatever the case may be you need to deal with probably the most devastating thing to ever enter your nostrils.
Chances are the smell is absolutely unbearable, and your dog isn’t very happy about it either. While a groomer can take care of the mess for you it’s not always feasible, so here is the home made skunk remover.
Fast Home Remedy for Removing Skunk Smell
“The longer you wait, the harder it will be to get rid of the smell“
2. Begin by getting on some old clothes, rubber gloves, etc. and opening windows if you can.
3. Apply some sort of eye lubricant or eye wash into your pooch’s eyes to protect them from any drips of the skunk bath.
4. Mix together 4 cups of Hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup of baking soda, a tablespoon of dishsoap, and a bit of water to create a mixture. Make sure you keep this out of your dog’s eyes and nose, as well as their ears! It may fizz a little, this is normal.
5. Do not get your dog wet before applying the solution or things will be ten times worse. Spread the mixture on the entire dog and really work in into the fur.
6. Rinse very well, and repeat as needed to remove the smell as much as possible
7. Clean out your dog’s eyes again with an eye wash to be sure nothing is left that can irritate the dog.
Things to note:
- Hydrogen peroxide can cause a very slight lightening effect, which may cause your pooch to be a bit lighter colored. Don’t worry; this will go away within a few days.
- The smell will never totally be gone, it will dissipate slowly with time, and water will make the smell worse so keep that in mind.
- Do not use any higher grade of peroxide as it can cause damage / irritation.
- There are commercial skunk removers out there, some work well and others are not nearly as effective. If you wish to purchase a commercial shampoo, speak to a professional groomer, not a pet store. The groomers will know exactly which brands work best and how to use them.
And if all else fails call an emergency appointment at your nearest professional groomer, they deal with this sort of thing commonly so don’t feel bad.
Getting the Smell Off You and Your Clothes
So the dog has been taken care of, now what about everything else? The exact mixture your made in step #4 can be used again for you! So hop in the shower and use the same mix (it’s completely safe).
As for your clothes, take them off immediately and throw in the washing machine on the Hottest setting or hand wash with Hot water, use strong laundry soap. The smell might not go away immediately but will over time.
Still Stinky After Following the Steps?
The smell won’t go away completely after you run through these, but it should be greatly reduced. If you still find it unbearable then it’s time to call the Dog Groomer and let them have a go. They will have the tools and supplied to deal with this problem (as they probably have many times before).
creative commons licensed (BY-ND) flickr photo by vladeb
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