If your dog has had an altercation with a skunk, the first thing you need to do is to check for injuries. Make sure there are no bites or scratches. If there is any possibility of the latter, get your dog to your veterinarian immediately. Skunks can carry rabies, and you want to make sure your dog and you are safe.
If the skunk has just turned your happy dog into an anti-air freshener, your next step is to clean them up. We strongly encourage you to avoid trying tomato juice. In our experience all this will do is make more of a mess and give your dogs coat a pinkish tint. While there are several specialty products made for removing skunk odor, we have found that the following home products do the best job. It is what we use when you bring your dog to us to be “de-skunked.”
In an open container, mix the following:
- 1 quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide
- 1/4 cup of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of a liquid dish detergent, such as Dawn
(This amount of mixture will handle a dog the size of a beagle)
Wet your dog with water.
- Work the solution into the dog’s coat with a bath puff and let it set for a bit.
- Rinse the dog’s coat with water.
- You may need to repeat if the skunk odor is still strong.
You may want to use a conditioner, formulated for a dog’s skin and coat, to restore the proper moisture to the coat and skin. When done, dispose of any remaining solution. DO NOT PUT THIS SOLUTION IN A BOTTLE!!! Once mixed, the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda is no longer stable.
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