Our dogs get into all sorts of hijinks when we’re not actively watching them. Among the worst is when you let your dog outside to do their business and they return smelling like pungent musk. Your dog got skunked! Skunk oil is infamously noxious and permeates nearly everything nearby when they spray, including your poor dog’s coat. Methodical cleaning, nerves of steel, and maybe a gas mask will be necessary to get your dog smelling like themselves again. Scroll down below for the details on how to do it.
How to Treat a Skunked Dog Step-by-Step
1. Keep Your Dog Outside
Resist that impulse to bring your dog inside to clean them after getting sprayed by a skunk. Trust us, you don’t want that stink in your home! If you catch them before they come inside, temporarily contain them on a leash or in your yard while you plan your next steps.
Also, check their eyes for any redness. If your dog’s eyes are visibly red and inflamed, immediately flush their eyes with cool water before doing anything else, and make sure you follow up with your vet after the next steps.
2. Thoroughly Wash and Dry Your Dog
Time to break out the water hose. The best soap for battling skunk is specially formulated skunk shampoo that breaks down the oils that produce the smell, but you may not have ordered that in advance. In that case, it’s best to use a vet-approved homemade skunk recipe.
Homemade Skunk Spray Remedy for Dogs
Ingredients
- 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide
- ¼ cup baking soda
- 1–2 teaspoons Dawn dish soap or dishwashing liquid
Instructions
- Put on gloves so the skunk spray doesn’t get on your skin. We also recommend putting on old clothes that you’re okay with getting ruined.
- Mix the ingredients in a bowl and then immediately apply the solution to your dog’s coat once it starts to bubble.
- Lather the mixture through your dog’s coat, focusing mainly on the spot where they got sprayed. Be sure to avoid the eyes.
- Let the mixture sit on the coat for 5 minutes, then thoroughly rinse with warm water. If the odor is still present, repeat as necessary.
- Bathe your dog with a pet-safe shampoo
- Towel dry your dog with an old towel and allow them to finish drying in a warm area.
- Discard all of the unused solution.
However, if your dog loves the outdoors, it might be a good idea to keep dog-friendly shampoo on hand in case of situations like this.
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3. Clean Your Clothes and Other Affected Areas
You may or not realize it yet, but you now might reek of skunk after handling your skunk-sprayed dog. You’ll want to avoid touching anything with your clothing when you go into your home, carefully removing it, and throwing it directly into the washer—if you haven’t decided to just throw it away, that is. However, a regular cycle with detergent and a healthy scoop of baking soda should do the trick to remove any skunk odor clinging to your clothes.
A skunk’s foul musk is extremely difficult to remove once it comes into your house, and it will haunt your furniture like a ghost. If your dog got inside before you washed them, you’ll need a special cleaner to fully remove it. A good enzyme cleaner is essential for pet owners to clean up accidents, and it has a neutral odor that won’t offend delicate noses.
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4. Visit the Vet
A light run-in with a skunk with no apparent eye irritation or other negative signs probably doesn’t call for a trip to the vet. But if you notice serious signs like inflamed eyes, drooling or trouble breathing following the incident, definitely consult your vet as soon as possible. It’s likely not anything life-threatening, but on occasion, there can be lasting damage to the eyes if directly sprayed.
You also want to make sure your dog is fully checked for any physical wounds. It’s possible they had a physical altercation with the skunk before they got sprayed, and infected injuries are far more dangerous than a little skunk musk.
Is Skunk Spray Dangerous to Dogs?
It can be, but it’s usually pretty minor. Skunk spray right to your dog’s face can cause blurry vision, acute vision loss, eye redness, and possibly cornea damage. It’s often described as similar to tear gas, so it’s definitely not pleasant for your poor pup. The spray is also known to be irritating to the mouth, throat, stomach, and lungs if inhaled.
In severe cases, skunk spray can harm your dog’s red blood cells and cause anemia. Repeated and heavy exposure are more likely to cause this, and it definitely merits a visit to your vet. Obvious signs of anemia include pale gums, fatigue, and weakness.
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What Makes Skunk Odor So Pervasive?
The skunk’s signature scent comes from a specialized gland underneath their tail. When a skunk is threatened, they’ll spray a foul oily liquid made of chemicals called thiols and thioacetates. This liquid is very sulfuric, hence the strength of the odor and the irritation it causes. Thankfully, skunks only have a limited amount of this spray, and it takes them another day to generate more when they run out. Skunk odor can persist for days or weeks if not properly cleaned, so make sure to do a thorough job.
An important thing to note is that skunks are most active at dawn and dusk when the weather is warm. And while they are usually pretty docile, they will spray when they feel threatened, and it can shoot as far as 7–15 feet. If you’ve got a nosey pooch, it might be best to keep them indoors during these times, if possible.
Conclusion
Our poor dogs just want to make furry friends and end up being tear-gassed with skunk spray. Help your dog out after their ill-fated excursion outside with a thorough bath, and maybe consider keeping a closer eye on them in the future! Skunk spray is rarely dangerous on its own, but it does have the ability to cause some damage if severe.
Featured Image Credit: Geoffrey Kuchera, Shutterstock
