≡ Menu
jaced.com

Deskunking A Dog!

First thing to know: tomato juice or vinegar is not recommended because it only masks the odor. What you need to do is neutralize the skunk oils.

Usually dogs take a hit in the neck area. Typically they are sprayed while provoking the skunk. The skunk unloads, the dog flinches, and the neck gets most of it.

First Aid

First, check to see if the dog was injured by the skunk in the brawl. If your dog is bleeding or appears to have been bitten, consult a vet immediately. Skunks may carry rabies. If vaccinated, your dog is safe from the rabies virus, but you are not!

Quick And Dirty Emergency Deskunk Potion:

1 quart of peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
2 tablespooons dishwashing liquid

Mix ingredients in OPEN container (like a shampoo bottle), pour on the dog. The odor will disappear almost immediately.

*WARNING*: Don’t try to store the solution in a closed container or make it up ahead of time. It creates a chemical reaction that only lasts a few minutes but it throws off massive quantities of oxygen so if you try to bottle it, it will explode.

For the responsible planners, here’s more detailed info:

What You Need

Have the following available to you at a moment’s notice:

* 1 quart (or liter) of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide, H2O2. Use fresh (unopened) hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Hydrogen peroxide eventually turns into water (H2O).
* 1/4 cup (50 ml.) of Baking Soda
* 1 teaspoon (5 ml.) of Liquid Soap
* 1 pair of plastic or latex gloves

The Bath

* Bathe the dog outside or, if it’s too dark or cold, in the bathroom with the door closed and window opened.
* Combine the ingredients in an open container (do not store in a sealed bottle–it will explode).
* Using gloves, wash your dog with lukewarm water and the mixture while the mixture is bubbling. Work the mixture well into the fur.
* Be sure to concentrate on the area that was sprayed.
* Keep mixture away from your dog’s face and eyes (it’s a harsh solution). (If your dog has been sprayed in the face, try Tricotine Liquid Douche Concentrate or any over-the-counter douche.)
* Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes or so before rinsing off.
* Rinse the dog with lukewarm tap water. Don’t wash the mixture into your dog’s eyes (use a washcloth to cover the eyes if you’re rinsing the head).
* After bathing, check your dog’s eyes. If they are red and watering, your dog may have taken a direct hit in the face. Skunk spray won’t blind the dog, but it’s very painful. Contact a vet.


How It Works

Dr. Caceci of Texas A&M University says:

Forget what you have heard about tomato juice–it doesn’t work. Skunk spray is mainly composed of low molecular weight thiol compounds. (“Thiols” are compounds with the “-SH radical” attached to a carbon atom.) In industrial applications, alkaline hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is used for scrubbing similar compounds from waste gas streams.

Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, when combined, become a “chemical engine” for churning out oxygen. That’s why it has to be used immediately after mixing. The soap breaks up the oils in the skunk spray, allowing the other ingredients to do their work.

1 comment… add one

Leave a Comment

Next post:

Previous post: