What To Do if Your Dog Gets Sprayed by a Skunk

Has your four-legged friend had an unfriendly encounter with a skunk? Don’t worry. Aside from the foul smell, skunk spray causes virtually no harm to your pet. Minimize your furry friend’s discomfort by cleaning your dog right away. 

The Tomato Juice Myth

If your curious canine is caught on the wrong end of a skunk, the consequences may result in slight irritation and intense smells. Contrary to popular opinion, tomato juice won’t eliminate the pungent odor or your dog’s discomfort. Instead of neutralizing foul smells, tomato solutions attempt to mask them. 

In lieu of dousing your dog in tomato juice, eliminate skunk spray residue with a hyper-cleansing doggy bath. Using a handful of household items, a dog sprayed by skunks can be odor-free in minutes. 

Discover how to get skunk smell off dogs below.

Washing Your Dog After a Skunk Spray

After getting sprayed, you may be tempted to rush your pup to safety inside—don’t. Keeping your pet outdoors reduces the chance of spreading oils from the spray throughout your home. 

A dog sprayed by skunks may be in distress. Do your best to keep your pet calm and check their vitals. Examine eyes, ears, and nose for signs of irritation and inflammation. If the spray has gotten into your dog’s eyes, flush with cool water to prevent vision obstruction. 

Skip the tomato juice-based solutions that claim to de-skunk your dog. The following odor-eliminating recipe won’t send you to the nearest store in a frenzy and features common household items. 

Odor Eliminating Shampoo Recipe: 

• ¼ cup baking soda
• 2 tbsp liquid dish soap 
• 32 oz of hydrogen peroxide*

*If you don’t have peroxide, use 32 ounces of white vinegar and 16 ounces of water.

Combine these ingredients and gently rub the mixture into the fur of your pet. Then, rinse and repeat until the stench is gone. Avoid distributing over the eyes, ears, and nose. 

If your dog is large (over 50 pounds), you may want to double or triple the recipe. 

Give your pup a thorough rub-down using his or her favorite dog shampoo. Although your pet was recently sprayed by a skunk, ensure this process feels like a typical bath. Be sure to clean the underbelly, underarms, and legs. Towel dry with The Absorber® XL, a non-abrasive tool that removes residual liquid from any surface.

How To Get Skunk Smell off Dogs on the Road

Were you away from home when your fur-baby was sprayed? You still won’t need tomato juice. Move your dog to an area with water so you can rinse the skunk’s oily spray from his/her coat. If you don’t have open or running water nearby, use bottled water. 

If you and your furry friend are traveling, or on a hike, you may find it helpful to keep the following items stored separately in your vehicle:

• Hydrogen peroxide
• Dish soap
• Baking soda
• The Absorber® XL
• Bottled water
• Spray bottle
• Funnel

Caution: Avoid mixing ingredients unless you’ll use them immediately. When combined and stored in a container, peroxide and baking soda will combust. Discard any leftover de-skunk shampoo.

How To Clean Your Clothes & Car

During the process of washing your dog, skunky residue may transfer to your clothing. Remove the stench by soaking your clothes in a semi-full bathtub of the de-skunk shampoo recipe mentioned above. 

Use the same solution to de-skunk your vehicle. Mix ingredients in a spray bottle and thoroughly saturate the interior of your car, then pat dry with The Absorber® Mini. You may need to repeat this method several times before the odor is completely removed.