Skunk Got The Pooch? Here’s What To Do

It’s that time of year, when spray-happy juvenile skunks wreak havoc on pooches everywhere. Here’s our popular recipe to get rid of the stink.

BE PREPARED | Sometimes it’s impossible to determine the genesis of an urban myth, but there is good reason to believe that David Cassidy and the rest of the Partridge Family clan either started or fanned the flame of fallacy by suggesting tomato juice removes skunk scent from dogs. The truth is it doesn’t, though it might temporarily mask the odour. In a now famous 1970 television episode, the family dog, Simone, and all the kids wound up bathing in gallons of the red stuff after a run-in with a certain Pepe Le Pew. Eeeew.

With skunk season now in full force and the air filled with the scent so familiar to Metro Vancouverites, Frugalbits decided to put together what we call a (pre)-Catastrophe Kit. The ingredients are small (and inexpensive) and the instructions are few, but preparing a deskunking kit in advance will save you time and stress should an altercation ensue.

We asked Michelle Sevigny, founder and head instructor of Dogsafe Canine First Aid, a company that offers canine first aid courses and safety workshops to dog owners and dog professionals, for her recipe and instructions for deskunking.

Michelle Sevigny’s recipe for deskunking a dog

4 cups (1 litre) hydrogen peroxide, 3% strength (Make sure to use 3% hydrogen peroxide, not 10% strength, which is used for dying hair. You can find 3% in the pharmacy and it will say 3% right on it)
1/4 cup (75 mL) baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 mL) liquid dish soap, any brand
Saline eyewash
Rubber gloves
An old shirt
Protective eyewear, any kind

Leash the dog outside so he can’t run away while you prepare the deskunking mixture. You might need to do the wash-down in the bathtub, but it’s better if you can keep the smell out of your house.

Mix the peroxide, baking soda and dish soap together. Put on your old shirt, gloves and eye protection (if the dog shakes, you don’t want to get spray in your eyes).

Normally, dogs get skunked in the face, but unless there is immediate concern about cuts on the face, do the fur first, then the eyes.

Wet the dog’s fur. Completely cover the dog with the peroxide mixture, applying like shampoo. Leave this mixture on for five to 10 minutes. Rinse. Repeat applications and rinsing until the smell subsides. If skunk spray has gotten into the dog’s eyes, flush the eyes with a saline eyewash.

Depending on how thick a dog’s coat is and how much spray was released, you may need to go to a groomer for a more intensive cleaning. If there is redness or swelling anywhere around the dog’s eyes or mouth, it’s best to follow up with a veterinarian.

To find out more about Dogsafe Canine First Aid, visit www.dogsafe.ca