How to Remove Skunk Smell from Dogs

This page shows you how to remove skunk smell from dogs effectively, just in case your curious dog gets sprayed by a skunk!

If you live in a place where skunks are abundant, be sure to bookmark this page :-) Chances are, your dog may one day come home with a terrible odor - he's been sprayed by a skunk!!!

Dog sprayed by skunks is no laughing matter because the sulphuric spray is not only extremely foul smelling, but it can also blind a dog for up to two days if it hits the dog's eyes. In addition, it is very difficult to get the spray out of a dog's coat.

If your dog has been sprayed by a skunk, therefore, it is very important to act quickly so that the skunk spray (which is actually an oil) can be neutralized before it gets soaked into your dog's coat.

How to Remove Skunk Smell from Your Dog - Some Tips

Here are some points that you may want to bear in mind next time you are faced with a dog sprayed by a skunk:

If at all possible, keep your dog out of your house if she has been sprayed by a skunk so that the odorous skunk oils cannot get into your house.
If you let your dog into the house before realizing that she has been sprayed, at least prevent her from laying in her bed (or worse - your bed!) or getting too close to your furniture.
Before trying to remove skunk smell from your dog, change into some old clothes so that the skunk oils do not get on to your nice clothes. It is extremely difficult to remove skunk oils from clothing.
Understand that you need to wash your dog several times. For the first wash, just shampoo the area that has been sprayed. If you wet the whole body, the skunk oils may spread all over the dog. So, just shampoo the affected area, apply treatment, and then shampoo the whole dog once or twice more.

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How to Remove Skunk Smell from Your Dog

The key to removing skunk smell is to actually neutralize the odor - not to mask it with some kind of deodorant. If the skunk smell is not neutralized, it will stay on your dog (and your house) for a long time. The smell will be especially noticeable on damp rainy days or if your dog gets wet.

To remove skunk smell from your dog, it is best to clean the sprayed area with a shampoo before the skunk's spray dries on the fur. After cleaning, try one of these methods:

De-Skunking Product

The easiest and most effective way to remove skunk smell from your dog is to use a commercial product such as Triple Pet Skunk Insurance . This product breaks up the sulfur compounds in the skunk's spray, so the odor does not come back, even if the dog gets wet. If you live in a "high-risk" area, it is advisable to have a bottle of this product in your house as a precaution.

Tomato Juice or Tomato Paste

If you do not have a de-skunking product in your house, try using tomato juice or tomato paste to neutralize skunk odor.

Shampoo the affected area and rinse thoroughly, towel dry the fur.
Generously apply tomato juice to her fur. Use tomato paste around the face area to prevent any liquid from getting into her eyes or ears.
Let the juice/paste soak on the fur for at least 10 to 20 minutes and then wash thoroughly.
Repeat if necessary.

Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda

If the tomato juice treatment cannot neutralize the skunk odor completely, it's time to do it "the chemist way".

Shampoo the affected area and rinse thoroughly, towel dry the fur.
Mix 4 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide with one-quarter cup of baking soda, and one teaspoon liquid soap.
Apply to the dog's wet coat while the mixture bubbles, taking care not to let the mixture get into her eyes or mouth.
Leave it on for three or four minutes then rinse thoroughly.
Repeat if necessary.

Some people have reported success in neutralizing skunk odor by first using the tomato juice, followed by the hydrogen peroxide/baking soda bubbly mix.

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Information on this site is for educational purpose only.
It is not intended to replace the advice and treatment of a veterinarian.
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