A Guide to Skunk-Odor Removal

Skunks. I have a love/hate relationship with the skunks in my area. Every year they wander onto our property and spray my dog! Then, we have to work to not only get the smell off the dog but anywhere else that was hit in the crossfire! This happens at least two times a year and for the life of me I can't understand why my Lab can't get it through his head that if - or in his case, when - he confronts one of these skunks they are going to lift that beautiful tail and let him have it!

Over the years I have learned a few tips on what to do and what to use when a skunk makes his presence known.

REMOVING SKUNK ODOR FROM ANIMALS

The first time it happened, we tried the old tomato juice bath I remembered using on our dog when I was a kid. While I remember it working then, it did NOT remove all the skunk smell from Jake! He did smell better but now it was a more diluted smell of skunk mixed with the smell of tomato. Not much better. I made another trip to the grocery and picked up 8 more cans of tomato juice washed the poor dog three more times before he was tolerable.

About two weeks later it happened again and this time I called the Washington Animal Control Association (WACA) for a better solution. They explained that the tomato juice was more of a masker than remover and the fact he was wash three times probably did the most good. He gave me a "solution" they have had good success with. It was easy to make and I already had all the ingredients on hand. Best of all, it worked! I have since used it not only on the dog but one of our cats (now that was fun experience) and it worked wonderfully each time!

Here is the mixture:
2 quarts of hydrogen peroxide (3%)
½ cup baking soda
10 drops of liquid dishwashing soap

Put on heavy rubber gloves and mix together in a bucket: OUTSIDE. I have found the easiest way to get through this is to first wet down the animal with warm water.

Next, shampoo the dog with the solution, making sure it gets down to the skin, avoiding the eyes, ears and mouth area. I always put cotton in Jake's ears first. If the animal was only sprayed in one area, you can use the solution on that area only and use regular dog shampoo on the remainder.