Dogs are friendly and curious creatures that often get themselves into to tricky situations. Dogs like to make friends and when they see a skunk, they don’t always know to beware! It is not uncommon for household pets like dogs to get a little too close to a skunk in the backyard and end up sprayed and stinky! Learn what to do if your dog is sprayed so that they can recover and get back to smelling normal in no time.
A skunk squeezing below a chain link fence
Skunk Spray
To begin, you need to know more about skunk spray. Known as mercaptan, this spray is part of the skunk’s self-defense mechanism. When it feels threatened, the skunk will raise its tail and spray in the direction of the threat. The spray stinks, as you know, but it also burns if it gets into the eyes. The target, your dog, can be left blind for up to two days after the spraying takes place. This can make your pet feel confused and scared. You must act quickly to assist in helping your pet feel better as well as smell better!
Bathing
Before you handle your smelly dog, put on clothing that you don’t mind throwing away. The skunk spray is oil-based and can be hard to remove from pet fur as well as clothing. Do not let your pet lay in their bed or skunk oil will become trapped in the fibers making it stinky as well.
Burying heavy gauge screen into the ground to prevent skunks from living below a deck
Leave the dog outside if you can to avoid the oils getting inside your home. Find out where the skunk sprayed your dog and you may be able to just trim the hair of your pet to remove the affected area. Use paper towels to soak up the oil from the dog’s coat before you begin the washing process. Only wipe where oil is present and avoid contaminating any clean areas of your pet.
Only clean the sprayed area of the dog. It is easy to spread the oil to more areas that were previously unaffected. You will probably have to provide more than one bath to your pet to remove the oil fully.
To help combat the smell you can use a special mixture created from household products. 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide 3% can be mixed with ¼ cup of baking soda and a teaspoon of liquid detergent. Mix this thoroughly and rub into the dry coat of your dog. Avoid the eye area. Let sit for 20 minutes then rinse. This can help to remove any remaining smell and can be repeated if needed.
Once you have handled the cleaning of your pet, you must consider why the skunk was near your home. Are the skunks living somewhere on the property? If you feel you might have a skunk problem, it is recommended that you contact a skunk removal service. A wildlife control company will be able to assist with assessing your home to see if skunks are present below your porch, deck or shed. Removal can then begin to ensure that your pet is not attacked in the future with skunk spray!
Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control handles all pest removal needs including skunks. Contact the office today when you think skunks have invaded your property.
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