A friend's dog was sprayed by a skunk. How can she get the odor off?

Answer 1

Has your dog (or cat or other pet) been skunked (sprayed by a skunk)? Here's a skunk remedy I found while searching the web.

Tomato juice or vinegar is not recommended because it only masks the odor--it doesn't remove the smell.

Usually dogs take a hit in the neck area. Typically they are sprayed while provoking the skunk and turn their head, while being sprayed, in order to avoid it.

--First Aid
First check to see if your dog was injured by the skunk. If your dog is bleeding or appears to have been bitten, consult a vet immediately. Skunks may carry rabies. If vaccinated, your dog is safe from the rabies virus (but you are not!).

--What you need
Next go to a drug store and get the following, if needed:

1 quart (or liter) of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide, H2O2.
Use fresh (unopened) hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Hydrogen peroxide eventually turns into water (H2O).
1/4 cup (50 ml.) of Baking Soda
1 teaspoon (5 ml.) of Liquid Soap
1 pair of plastic or latex gloves

--To Use
Bathe the dog outside or, if it's too dark or cold, in the bathroom with the door closed and window opened.
Combine the ingredients in an open container (do not store in a sealed bottle--it will explode).
Using gloves, wash your dog with lukewarm water and the mixture while the mixture is bubbling. Work the mixture well into the fur.
Be sure to concentrate on the area that was sprayed.
Keep mixture away from your dog's face and eyes (it's a harsh solution). (If your dog has been sprayed in the face, try Tricotine Liquid Douche Concentrate or any over-the-counter douche.)
Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes or so before rinsing off.
Rinse the dog with lukewarm tap water. Don't wash the mixture into your dog's eyes (use a washcloth to cover the eyes if you're rinsing the head).
After bathing, check your dog's eyes. If they are red and watering, your dog may have taken a direct hit in the face. Skunk spray won't blind the dog, but it's very painful. Contact a vet.

--How it works
First a quote from Dr. Caceci of Texas A&M University:

Forget what you have heard about tomato juice--it doesn't work. Skunk spray is mainly composed of low molecular weight thiol compounds. ("Thiols" are compounds with the "-SH radical" attached to a carbon atom.) In industrial applications, alkaline hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is used for scrubbing similar compounds from waste gas streams.
Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, when combined, become a "chemical engine" for churning out oxygen. That's why it has to be used immediately after mixing. The soap breaks up the oils in the skunk spray, allowing the other ingredients to do their work.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I have always been told to use tomato juice but not true. You should use the following mixture.
Skunk Smell Remover
1 quart 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
1/4 cup Baking Soda
2 tbsp Dish Detergent. The stuff for washing dishes in the sink, not something for dishwashers.
Mix the ingredients in a large bowl, because it will boil up like Vesuvius. We are, after all, making an oxygen generator. Wash the dog with this while it is still foaming, because it is the oxygen which reacts with the thiols in the skunk stink to neutralize the odor. If it sits around, it will loose it's efficacy because the oxygen boils off. Don't try to store it in an airtight container, because it will blow up. The brew also works for clothes, humans and unlucky cats.

Answer 4

Perhaps the odor should NOT be got off, because the dog is supposed to learn, from the experience, to leave skiunks alone.

Do you know for a fact it was a skunk?
Some humands have the stuff, to use on people and animals, that harrass them

Has the friend tried bathing the dog, thoroughly?

Maybe this needs to go to vet.
Maybe the dog has a "thing" about skunks.

Answer 5

Lots of tomato juice and several baths. 1st cover the dog in tomato juice let it set for a minute or two then bathe the dog. Repeat as needed. Also the clothes you wore to bathe the dog needs the same treatment.

Answer 6

tomato juice is a old wives tale, and does little more than make your dog smell like a skunk and tomato! see second link

Depending on how bad he got it you can look at the site below for some tips that worked for a cousin of mine (down there the call'em pole cats though).

A local vet can apply a anti stink agent but this is best done by the vet.

And finally some links to those that think a skunk is OK as a pet, YIKES!!!

Answer 7

Tomato juice does NOT work. All it does is make a sticky mess and turns white fur pink.

The best home remedy is to take a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, add a tablespoon of baking soda, and a teaspoon of liquid soap like Dawn. Mix it all up in a bottle with a little water.

Wet down the dog

Pour on the peroxide mix, paying particular attention to the face and chest area as that's where most dogs get sprayed (do NOT get it in their eyes)

Let it sit for 10 minutes

Rinse

Repeat if necessary

The components in the peroxide will break down the components in the skunk odor.

Another alternative is to buy a package of douche and mix it up in a gallon of water. Apply as above, being sure to avoid the eyes.

Answer 8

Skunk musk is an alkaline compound, so anything with a mildly acidic Ph will do. Apple cider vinegar, Tomato juice or sauce, anything that is mildly acidic.

Answer 9

If you ever watch Mythbusters, they tested tomato juice and said it didn’t work. They also said that commercial skunk remover didn’t work. If I remember correctly, a paste made of dish soap and baking powder worked best. Good luck!

Answer 10

Once again. TOMATO JUICE. Soak about 30 minutes you may need to repeat this. Use something to cover the nose lots of luck and best wishes.