How to De-skunk Your Dog or Cat – A Top Remedy

If you have dogs and live in a place populated by free-roaming skunks – such as in a rural area, there’s an exceedingly good chance that eventually, your pet’s curiosity will get the better of him or her. Before the worst happens, you need to be sure you have a good de-skunking tool on hand. Skunks are nocturnal, so if you let your animal out after dark, chances are that’s when he or she will encounter one.

Just picture it: the clock has just struck 3 and your dog – let’s call her Phoenix – is champing at the bit to get outside and do her thing. Half asleep and dragging around with cobwebs for brains, you put her outside and wait, blinking in the darkness. There’s a cry and, concerned, you run toward her, only to have your olfactory system inundated by one of the most pungent, horrid animal smells known to anyone who hasn’t spent their life in a cave. Must be a skunk.

Most people would freak out and run around the house, rummaging through their pantry, medicine cabinet and who knows where else, wracking their still-fuzzy brain for some helpful tidbit. You must have the presence of mind to not be ‘most people’. Animals can sense fear, and in this unpleasant situation, your poor dog would freak out as badly as you. This would in turn only make the whole affair into a bigger mess than it needs to be. She would probably run into the house for safety, which is the last thing you want her to do. Keep calm; this will help sooth her, so that what comes next won’t be as traumatic, and you can get her clean all the sooner.

The chemical composition of a skunk’s spray is alkaline in nature. This means it has a high pH. Therefore, simply applying soap and water won’t work. The same goes for perfumes and other heavily scented cover-ups. To be truly effective, you need something with as low a pH as the skunk’s spray is high. Water, which has a pH of 7, is considered neutral. You ‘could’ pick up some overpriced stuff from a store – with ingredients you don’t recognize and probably can’t pronounce. Or, you can save money and use things from around the home. They’re cheaper, and just as effective.

First thing’s first, though. Do not let your pet back inside. Skunk spray is pervasive and it will get in/on everything, which means your carpet, furniture, clothes, you name it.

Barring the aforementioned expensive store bought stuff, home remedies are easily had. If you have fresh tomatoes on hand, tomato paste/sauce or any one in conjunction with another will work. Tomatoes are acidic, and this counters the spray. Some also advocate the use of vinegar. Don’t think of it as trading one stink for another. If not, try this recipe:

• 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide
• ¼ baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of shampoo or other mild detergent (like those for washing wool. These do not have the synthetic perfumes of most cleaners).

Whatever you have, and decide to use, cover your pet to a fare-thee-well (being certain to avoid getting it in her eyes!) and rub liberally and vigorously. You have to leave it on for a bit. Some say to leave on for five minutes, some say more. A little research in this area goes a long way. Rinse/repeat as necessary.

With this simple solution (no pun intended) in hand, when (not if – because it will happen eventually) your outdoors-loving pet gets sprayed, you can help the poor girl out, and soon enough, she’ll be as good as new.