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Luckily, it's easier than you think to get rid of dog smell in your home, according to experts. If any lingering skunk odor remains, repeat the washing process using the same odor-eliminating detergent or laundry additive. There are many methods documented on the internet of ways to remove the skunk spray from your dog. Lots of them are old wives’ tales and some can even do more harm than good. It is best to stick to the vet-approved tried and tested methods. Launder any affected outdoor fabrics in a washer set to the hottest setting with ½ cup of baking soda and laundry detergent.
Treatment for Skunk Spray
If the peroxide is left on their fur too long, it could bleach their coat. Follow that up by washing your dog with regular pet shampoo and rinse thoroughly.” Once your pet is thoroughly rinsed, he should be squeaky clean and ready for a good towel dry. You can use a homemade recipe if you cannot purchase an over-the-counter skunk odor remover. The thiol chemical in skunk spray is not water-soluble, even with soap. A combination of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide will oxidize the thiols into water-soluble sulfonates and neutralize the thiols. The hydrogen peroxide will lighten the fur of black dogs to a bronze color and bleach fabric or clothing.
How to Remove the Skunk Stench
Several pet cleaning products on the market are specifically designed to get rid of skunk odor on your pets. Many of these products contain something called neutroleum alpha that targets skunk odor and typically masks the smell. They’re good for a quick fix, but it’s still best to bathe your dog as described above ASAP. Picture this, one minute, you’re enjoying a hike with your best furry friend, and the next, you’re surrounded by an unpleasant odor. You’ve been the target of a frightened skunk, and now you, your clothes, and your poor pooch can’t get rid of the smell. If your pup smells like a skunk, you probably find yourself longing for the days he smelled like a wet dog.
How long does skunk smell last?
Rinse your pup, making sure to get all of the solution out of his coat. Finally, give your pup a regular bath with dog shampoo and dry him off completely. If you haven’t got any skunk shampoo at home or can’t get to a shop, you can attempt to make a shampoo at home. The ingredients you will need are 3% hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and baking soda. There are many different solutions recommended, but if you want to make one yourself, a mixture that includes hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and mild dishwashing soap may be the best bet. The spray can also be irritating to the dog’s skin and may cause rashes and excessive scratching.
Therefore, if your pooch runs through your house before you can get rid of the smell, you’ll likely end up smelling the scent in your home for a while. Keep in mind that you cannot store this solution in a closed container. It’s best to dilute it with water and pour it down the drain when finished. Also, don’t leave the hydrogen peroxide on your pet for more than five minutes, as it can lighten their fur color. While skunks might use their spray as a defense mechanism, the odor left behind is more offensive than anything. The extremely foul smell can last for three weeks, and the longer it sits, the harder it is to remove.
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For example, diabetic alert dogs can tell when their owner’s blood glucose levels are off because of changes in volatile organic compounds in their owner’s exhaled breath. And dogs have been shown to detect various types of cancer simply by sniffing samples of a patient’s tissue or even just their breath or urine. To get rid of wet-dog smell, dry off your dog thoroughly and as quickly as possible. “Wet-dog smell is the result of residual moisture on the skin interacting with the substances produced by all of those glands mentioned earlier,” says Dr. Sprayberry.
Skunked again – literally - MPR News
Skunked again – literally.
Posted: Fri, 29 Oct 2010 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Air purifiers are one of the best ways to reduce pet odor and get rid of dog smell in your house. By removing dander from indoor air, they remove one of the main carriers of dog smell that cannot be addressed merely by vacuuming and other traditional cleaning methods. After a run-in with a skunk, most dogs will be fine as long as they are bathed appropriately and have their eyes washed out if necessary. Some dogs are unfortunate enough to swallow or inhale some of the spray, if this is the case, they may develop a cough or experience gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting and diarrhea.
Although there’s nothing you can do to stop dogs from producing odors, there are many steps you can take to keep the smell of your dog from becoming the scent of your home. Layering the following approaches as much as possible will help keep your home its freshest. We love our dogs … but that doesn’t mean we have to love the stinky smells that accompany them.
Also, check your dog carefully for any evidence of wounds as skunks are common carriers of the rabies virus, which can be transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. Because skunks are typically active at night, a daytime encounter should raise additional red flags about the possibility that your pup was exposed to a rabid, or otherwise unhealthy, skunk. If you don't see any evidence of injury, you may not need to worry about taking them to the vet.
Anemia occurs from the skunk spray’s chemicals damaging red blood cells. Anemia may be more likely after a heavy spray, multiple exposures or ingestion of the spray. The dog may become weak, turning their mucous membranes into a chocolate color. Skunks are most active during dawn and dusk in the warm weather months. Skunks are notorious for their defense mechanism — a spray with an unmistakably pungent odor. Pet owners seldom witness their pets being sprayed by a skunk, but the smell is uniquely unpleasant.
Also, ensure you act quickly, as the longer skunk spray sits, the harder it is to get rid of it. Plus, it can also cause side effects like irritating the eyes and nose and nausea. So, make sure to check your dog’s eyes for any redness and flush his eyes with cool water. One of the most common reasons someone might be dealing with skunk smell is an encounter between the family dog or cat and a startled skunk.
This can cause your dog to react in much the same way a human would react to tear gas. According to Dr. Pitt, symptoms include red eyes; sneezing; wheezing; hacking; and face rubbing, Temporary blindness is another potential side effect. Over-the-counter products (such as Nature's Miracle Skunk Odor Remover) are a quick fix, but if you don't have that on hand, you can prep the solution below.
Skunks are most active during dawn and dusk, notes Loftin, so it’s best to reduce walks in the woods during those times — unless, of course, you’re looking for a stinky surprise. This DIY mixture should not be made ahead of time and stored, but is luckily very quick and easy to put together if you have the ingredients on-hand. In some cases, the nausea is so pronounced that dogs show signs of excessive drooling and profuse vomiting. Some dogs may be more likely to have a skunk encounter based on their temperament and geographic location.
So it’s best to err on the side of caution and wash or treat your dog several times to remove skunk oils. The next thing you’ll want to do is remove the skunk smell from your dog. You may have heard that a tomato juice bath is the best solution, but really, it just masks the odor and doesn’t completely eliminate it.
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