Getting Rid of the Skunk Smell on Dogs – American Kennel Club
When I posted a recent blog titled Maryland Skunks are Looking for Love, ActiveRain Ambassador Debb Janes commented on the difficulty of cleaning up a dog after the pet had been sprayed by a skunk. If you have this experience, you may wish to try the recommendation from the American Kennel Club.
Rule number one. Do not bring the dog in the house if you can avoid it. As long as the skunk oil remains on the dog’s coat, it will remain in the air that you breathe. Getting a proper remedy to remove the oil as soon as possible is the key to fresh air.
- ¼ cup of baking soda.
- 1-2 teaspoons of mild dishwashing detergent like Ivory Snow.
- 1 quart of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide solution.
- Mix in a bucket and use immediately.
- Work the foaming mixture well into the coat.
- Leave on for five minutes.
- Rinse with warm water.
- Follow with dog shampoo if desired.
The quicker you can get the dog in the tub the better the result since the oil hasn’t saturated into the hair yet.
Use Caution
Be careful around the dog’s eyes as this is a potent formula. Don’t use a higher than 3% hydrogen peroxide solution as it may burn. Mix it fresh, use it and discard it. If you store this mixture in a closed container it will explode. The hydrogen peroxide may bleach the coat (think bleached blond) so be careful on those black dogs. The less time the solution stays on the less likely for bleaching. But ultimately the choice is yours – a bleached beauty or a wrinkled nose.
Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA USA
Canon PowerShot G11 camera
Photograph by Roy Kelley
Roy and Dolores Kelley Photographs
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