What to do if your dog gets skunked

Pee-ew! Your dog just got sprayed by a skunk. Here are some fast tips to quench the stench and make sure your dog is okay.

First, give your dog a quick visual check to decide if the spray got in their eyes or mouth. Skunk spray is a very noxious substance, so a direct hit to these areas calls for a direct visit to the veterinarian. The signs will be obvious, like extreme drooling, vomiting or red, puffy eyes. 

If your dog is smelly but otherwise unbothered, then you’re good to handle things on your own and move on to the next step: the bath.

Skunk spray has a way of only getting worse when it gets wet, so a regular shampoo is no good. Tomato juice is also unhelpful and will only make a huge mess in your house. Your best bet is to bathe your dog with a commercial shampoo designed to remove skunk odor.

But what if your dog was sprayed in the middle of the night, when you can’t go buy a shampoo? Luckily, you can make de-skunk shampoo from products around your house. 

Mix 3 to 4 parts 3% hydrogen peroxide to 1 part baking soda, along with a teaspoon or so of dish detergent, and apply the mixture to your dog while it’s still bubbling. 

HOWEVER, there are a few key warnings to keep in mind about this homemade de-skunk solution:

• Never use this solution near your dog’s eyes, and be careful when applying it around the mouth.
• Peroxide may bleach your dog’s fur, an effect that is especially noticeable on black or brown dogs.
• Peroxide may also bleach any other material it comes in contact with, like your clothes, towels or furniture.

You can give your dog a second bath with regular pet shampoo to get all the homemade solution off your dog and leave them with a pleasant shampoo-y scent.

Because skunks can carry the rabies virus, it’s important that your dog is always up to date on their rabies vaccine in case of a skunk encounter. 

Easily check your pet’s vaccine status with your myVCA account. >>