What To Do If Your Dog Sprayed By Skunk?

Being animal lovers, we find all the creatures just remarkable. Really nature has blessed us with fortune.
Just have a look at the variety of animals and their unique qualities: cats’ definition of elegance, dogs loaded with infinite cuteness, magnificent peacocks, majestic lions, furious cheetahs, and skunks.

Wait, Skunks!

Yeah, they are lovely and look pretty due to the lavishing black and white coat, but it’s better to maintain distance from them. See, we love skunks, but one cannot deny the consequences of their piquant sulfuric spray.
Did you know that;

Skunk’s spray can cover an area of up to 10 feet!
And, guess what? You can recognize skunk’s spray’s smell up to 1.5 miles.

Skunk spray is nothing but their defense mechanism against predators. Whenever a skunk feels in danger, they release a sulfurous liquid and blast it over the predator.

Hence, these cute petite skunks are not that petite. Instead, they like to leave their impression wherever they go!

No one can forget an encounter with a skunk, well, at least till you get rid of the smell of that skunk fart. So, no matter how cute a skunk seems, it’s advisable to keep your distance from them!

We know this, but who can explain this to your pets? Especially dogs, you just cannot control them.

If they are in the mood to play, they will play. If your dog wants your attention, it will get your attention no matter how hard you try to ignore it. Likewise, you cannot just capture your dog inside your house. Your pup will move out to play, and it’s common for them to get injured or stuck in scenarios like; being stung by a bee or sprayed by a skunk.

See, a dog sprayed by skunk in the face, is indeed a worst-case scenario!

No matter how much you love your four-legged friend, trust us, you won’t be able to even breathe when a skunk sprayed a dog. For a condition like this, one should know how to get skunk smell off dog?

Therefore, In this article, we will prepare you in advance regarding; how to handle the situation if your dog sprayed by skunk.

Firstly, Calm down! We know your dog might be too smelly to bear around you. However, you need to relax and get a mask and gloves to get started and clean your pup!

Keep in mind to retain your pup outside your house as they might bring the pungent skunk spray smell inside.

Now do not try to wash away skunk spray, Directly! As it would be of no use! You need to follow a proper cleaning procedure to eliminate the skunk spray smell.

• How to get rid of skunk smell?
  • How to Remove the Skunk Smell From Dog
• How long does skunk smell last?

How to Get Rid of Skunk Smell?

Let us clear you, Skunk smell removal can take hours, and it might be a chance that a single treatment won’t work. So you have to practice multiple attempts. It’s better to buckle up as the process will take some time. Nevertheless, you can do this at your home.

However, if you think you won’t be able to manage this all alone, it’s better to take your puppy to the vet immediately!

If you are willing to clean your dog on your own, the process goes as;

Firstly, Check out if a pet skunk got into your puppy’s eyes! If so, clean your puppy’s eyes as the skunk residues would be too painful to endure for your puppy. Once you clean it, you can now move to other parts of the dog’s body.
Special skunk removal products like skunk spray, remedy soap, skunk shampoo for dogs are available in the market. It would help if you always keep them in your home for emergencies. Basically, these products break skunk oils and mask skunk smell.
Instead of direct application, apply these products firstly over a cloth piece and then carefully spread it over the skunked areas of the dog’s body.
Look out on the product bottle if it’s mentioned that it’s ok to use it around the eyes and over the face; only then apply it on your pup’s face. Still, you need to apply these with extra care; the product ingredients can be irritable for the dog.
Also, check for how much time you should leave skunk spray removal over the dog’s body. Avoid leaving these products on the dog’s body for an excess amount of time.
Once you have applied the deskunking products, wash your dog with water and bathe them with a regular shampoo or soap that you use for your dog’s regular bathing.
At last, pick a clean towel and dry your pup with it.
As explained earlier, proper cleaning and smell removal might take more than one attempt. So you need to follow the above procedure numerous times.

If I have no skunk-removing product, how to remove the skunk smell from dog?

Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide mixture:

Prepare a mixture of 1-quarter of 3% hydrogen peroxide + one teaspoon of dishwashing soap + 1/4 cup of baking soda.

After washing with water, apply this mixture over the dog’s body and leave it for about 18 to 20 minutes (Avoid usage on injured parts and eyes).

Once done with this, bathe your dog with regular dog shampoo and dry it with a clean towel. (Use a fresh mix every single time and avoid storing the mixture as it can be explosive)

Tomato Juice:

When you have nothing to use, neither skunk removal products nor ingredients for Hydrogen peroxide mixture, Tomato juice can be a great alternative.

Blend some tomato and use it for skunk spray removal. Leave tomato mixture for 10 to 20 minutes after bathing your dog with water. Now, regular dog shampoo will remove the skunk spray smell. Your dog might get an orange tinge after tomato juice application, but it would be temporary and vanish after a few baths.

How Long Does Skunk Smell Last?

Skunk smell can last 20 to 21 days, which is quite normal. However, following a proper cleaning procedure can remove the smell quite early.

Precautions to avoid future encounters;

• Don’t let your pooch go outside the house alone at night, as skunks are nocturnal animals and are pretty active during moonlight.
• Don’t leave leftover food outside the house, as it might lure skunks to your home.
• Leave the lights outside your house on at night, as it will keep the skunk away from your yard.
• You can also use water sprinklers to keep skunks or any other wild animal away from your house.

We hope we have cleared your query; how to get rid of skunk smell on dog?

We tried to make the process simple and easy to exercise for you. You can also seek a vet if you want professional help regarding this. One encounter can be a bit of bad luck for your pup. However, if you spot skunks sometimes in the neighborhood, it’s advisable to consult a pest control agency to get rid of skunks.

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