Dog Sprayed by Skunk

How to Clean Your Dog after being Sprayed by a Skunk

A common dog owners question: How to get the skunk smell off my dog?

Dogs will be dogs and that includes smelling bad after having wondered outside to play in nature. However, there are those rare occasions when he ventured into something a little more on the yucky side – a Skunk!

Dog’s get “skunked” on more than one occasion, especially when they have the luxury to wonder free on a large outside property. You have never smelled skunk? Do not worry, you will be able to tell immediately. The scent is horribly penetrating to the nose and if you think it is bad for us imagine how your dog feels after having been the target of skunk spray!

If your dog ever gets “skunked” then be sure to follow the tips below to help clear both your dog and the air:

1. Be sure to look first at your dog’s eyes to check for saturation of the skunk spray. “It won’t make him blind, but it’s very painful,” says Veronika Kiklevich, D.V.M., who is an instructor and head of community practice division at the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Pullman. Veronika advises to wash out the dog’s eyes with water.

2. Wash your dog thoroughly, but do so only outside! If you wash your dog inside of the house then the nasty smell of skunk will be around for weeks. Be sure to wear rubber gloves or latex gloves. Pet shampoo of any kind will do the job, but be sure to repeat the wash about 2-3 times.

3. It’s time for tomato juice! Experts are not sure just how it works, but pouring tomato juice on your dog and rubbing it in does wonders for chasing away that skunk smell. After your dog is washed and totally dry, you literally pour the tomato juice on and rub it in thoroughly within the coat. Let is soak for about 30 minutes or as long as you can keep your dog still. WARNING: If your pet has white fur, then be prepared for a “pinkish” looking animal roaming the house for a little while. But do not worry, this will fade.