by Lorraine Houston, Speaking of Dogs
The other morning I let two of my dogs out in our backyard to take care of 'business'. As I plugged in the kettle the familiar smell of skunk wafted through the kitchen window. I didn't make the connection until I looked through the curtains and saw Nina rubbing her face in the grass and that's when it hit me. Oh yes, it was undeniable, she had been skunked!
Over the years I have been through this a few times as I'm sure many 'dog people' have.
My mind raced as I thought of what I had on hand to use on Nina's coat to combat the skunky odour. Tomato juice, toothpaste? I didn't have tomato juice unless I could squeeze enough juice out of the one small plum tomato left over from Sunday night's barbecue. When I was working at the Humane Society we recommended toothpaste and it works, but I didn't have enough toothpaste to lather a small Chihuahua, never mind a 50-lb. Border collie mix with long thick hair.
I checked her eyes immediately and gently rinsed them with clear water and left her outside until I could get the bathtub ready. The only thing I could find was herbal dog shampoo so I lathered her neck, forehead and chest. She looked so indignant, embarrassed if you will. "How could this have happened?" her soft brown eyes were asking me. I assured her this happens to the best of dogs and those striped creatures can be tricky, very tricky. After a good rinse she didn't smell quite as bad, but because I had ran her through the house to get to the bathroom, the whole house was pretty stinky. A good airing never hurt any house. This particular day was so windy that when I opened the windows I created a wind tunnel effect in my kitchen which sent unpaid bills, homework and other such paper material whirling around the room like a mini tornado.
I had to get to a pet supply shop but made a quick stop at the drug store. As I was waiting to make my purchase I noticed the woman behind me switch lines despite the fact that I was the only one in my line. After a morning of being in a "skunk house" it occurred to me that perhaps I had an odour. I smiled at the cashier and struck up a friendly conversation about my dear dog getting sprayed by a skunk that morning hinting that I too may have a similar smell. She cheerfully explained that she had such a sinus cold she couldn't smell a thing! That was good enough for me, so I trekked off to the nearest pet supply store, returning home armed with a specially formulated de-skunking shampoo and neutralizing spritz.
Success! I could barely smell the skunk anymore, very impressive indeed. I decided I needed to learn more about dogs and skunks, so I searched the Internet and came up with some good information that I will share.
Little did I know that my own cupboards held a homemade recipe for de-skunking a dog. In fact, this same concoction came up over and over again, with few variations. Before you mix it up and start lathering be warned that this solution must NOT go near or in the dog's eyes!
1 quart of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
1/4 cup of baking soda
1 teaspoon of liquid soap
Combine these ingredients in an open container (do NOT store in a sealed bottle, it may explode!)
Wash dog with lukewarm water and this mixture
Let stand for approximately 10 minutes
Rinse thoroughly with clean water
Tomato juice is still being debated. Some say it works wonders, while others argue it only masks the odour and is of little use. A note of caution with regards to dogs with white fur; be prepared for a colour change, most likely somewhere between pink and orange.
Nowhere did I see the toothpaste idea! Years ago I used toothpaste on our beloved whippet mix 'Bingo' and it worked like a charm. Maybe it is a well-kept secret.
Highly recommended were the commercial de-skunking products that can be purchased at pet supply stores. There are a wide variety of shampoos, rinses, foams and sprays that are ready made and easy to use. Always read labels before applying.
Make a trip to the veterinarian immediately if:
And please KEEP RABIES VACCINES UP TO DATE!
The other morning I let two of my dogs out in our backyard to take care of 'business'. As I plugged in the kettle the familiar smell of skunk wafted through the kitchen window. I didn't make the connection until I looked through the curtains and saw Nina rubbing her face in the grass and that's when it hit me. Oh yes, it was undeniable, she had been skunked!
Over the years I have been through this a few times as I'm sure many 'dog people' have.
My mind raced as I thought of what I had on hand to use on Nina's coat to combat the skunky odour. Tomato juice, toothpaste? I didn't have tomato juice unless I could squeeze enough juice out of the one small plum tomato left over from Sunday night's barbecue. When I was working at the Humane Society we recommended toothpaste and it works, but I didn't have enough toothpaste to lather a small Chihuahua, never mind a 50-lb. Border collie mix with long thick hair.
I checked her eyes immediately and gently rinsed them with clear water and left her outside until I could get the bathtub ready. The only thing I could find was herbal dog shampoo so I lathered her neck, forehead and chest. She looked so indignant, embarrassed if you will. "How could this have happened?" her soft brown eyes were asking me. I assured her this happens to the best of dogs and those striped creatures can be tricky, very tricky. After a good rinse she didn't smell quite as bad, but because I had ran her through the house to get to the bathroom, the whole house was pretty stinky. A good airing never hurt any house. This particular day was so windy that when I opened the windows I created a wind tunnel effect in my kitchen which sent unpaid bills, homework and other such paper material whirling around the room like a mini tornado.
I had to get to a pet supply shop but made a quick stop at the drug store. As I was waiting to make my purchase I noticed the woman behind me switch lines despite the fact that I was the only one in my line. After a morning of being in a "skunk house" it occurred to me that perhaps I had an odour. I smiled at the cashier and struck up a friendly conversation about my dear dog getting sprayed by a skunk that morning hinting that I too may have a similar smell. She cheerfully explained that she had such a sinus cold she couldn't smell a thing! That was good enough for me, so I trekked off to the nearest pet supply store, returning home armed with a specially formulated de-skunking shampoo and neutralizing spritz.
Success! I could barely smell the skunk anymore, very impressive indeed. I decided I needed to learn more about dogs and skunks, so I searched the Internet and came up with some good information that I will share.
Little did I know that my own cupboards held a homemade recipe for de-skunking a dog. In fact, this same concoction came up over and over again, with few variations. Before you mix it up and start lathering be warned that this solution must NOT go near or in the dog's eyes!
1 quart of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
1/4 cup of baking soda
1 teaspoon of liquid soap
Combine these ingredients in an open container (do NOT store in a sealed bottle, it may explode!)
Wash dog with lukewarm water and this mixture
Let stand for approximately 10 minutes
Rinse thoroughly with clean water
Tomato juice is still being debated. Some say it works wonders, while others argue it only masks the odour and is of little use. A note of caution with regards to dogs with white fur; be prepared for a colour change, most likely somewhere between pink and orange.
Nowhere did I see the toothpaste idea! Years ago I used toothpaste on our beloved whippet mix 'Bingo' and it worked like a charm. Maybe it is a well-kept secret.
Highly recommended were the commercial de-skunking products that can be purchased at pet supply stores. There are a wide variety of shampoos, rinses, foams and sprays that are ready made and easy to use. Always read labels before applying.
Make a trip to the veterinarian immediately if:
- your pet has been bitten or scratched by a skunk
- you have seen or suspect direct contact with a skunk
- the eyes are red, inflamed and/or watery
- you are concerned about any of the above (it is better to be safe, than sorry!)
And please KEEP RABIES VACCINES UP TO DATE!