skunk smell

[jfreeman GSP]

I would like someone that has gone through thier dog getting into a skunk and what works to get the smell off, I have heard tomato juice or vinegar, this would be a real problem I would think if you are traveling and staying in a motel with your dog.
Thanks Jimmy

[Greg Jennings]

Tomato juice doesn't work. Vinegar doesn't work.

Mix 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide, 1 cup of baking soda and 2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid, preferably Dawn, together. Sponge on, soap up, rinse off. Repeat till all the mixture is gone. Do not get it in their eyes. Then give dog a regular bath. You'll be good to go.

You cannot make the mix ahead of time. But you can make a "kit" and keep it ready. That's what we do.

I know it works...six times.

Edited: I formerly had it as 2 *tea*spoons. Changed it to the correct tablespoons.

[BigShooter]

You can buy skunk deodorizer shampoos with enzymes that do a good job of getting rid of the odor. They are available at places like PETCO or Petsmart.

[PkerStr8Tail]

Tomato juice doesn't work. Vinegar doesn't work.

Mix 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide, 1 cup of baking soda and 2 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid, preferably Dawn, together. Sponge on, soap up, rinse off. Repeat till all the mixture is gone. Do not get it in their eyes. Then give dog a regular bath. You'll be good to go.

You cannot make the mix ahead of time. But you can make a "kit" and keep it ready. That's what we do.

I know it works...six times.

I had a buddy with a Lab that got hit by a skunk and used the above mix and it worked great. After the treatment you couldn't smell the skunk at all. The Hydrogen Peroxide oxidizes the Mercaptans in the spray that you smell.

[tommyboy72]

I used what Greg recommended and I also added vinegar to the mix. I used a small bottle of peroxide, a small box of baking soda, a small bottle of vinegar, a giant squirt of Dawn and filled the tub with warm water and washed them with the water in the tub.

[jfreeman GSP]

thanks all, sounds like it ought to work. I hope I don't have to find out.
Jimmy

[Dave Quindt]

Paul Krebaum is the chemist who developed this recipe; his website with lots of info available here: http://home.earthlink.net/~skunkremedy/home/

A few observations:

1. Keep fresh peroxide around; it does go flat. Once it's flat, it doesn't work to kill the odor; trust me on that.

2. Any dishwashing soap will do; in fact the more simple Ivory-type soap works better than the heavy grease cutting soaps like Dawn; or at least according to the website. I use whatever I have available.

3. I mix a small batch and double the baking soda, which makes the stuff a bit thicker. Keep a small paintbrush handy and use that to paint this stuff on the ears, muzzle and head, where the dogs tend to catch much of the spray. The thicker liquid keeps it from running into the dog's eyes and mouth.

4. I would not ever mix vinegar or any other product in with this recipe; this is a chemical reaction and any foreign item might throw off the formula.

When used correctly with the right ingredients, this formula is almost foolproof; I've had dogs sprayed in the evening and sleeping in bed with me that night, smell-free.

FWIW,
Dave

[GDale]

I have used the scent eliminator or scent blocker stuff you buy in a spray bottle and had it work pretty well til the get wet again then it comes back a little.

[twofeathers]

And for yourself I found the H.S scents, scent away I use for deer hunting worked also.

[Ron R]

Tomato juice doesn't work.

If must depend on what kind you use. I had a dog get prayed as bad as a dog could possibly get it (the dogs head was inches from the skunks hind end) and was amazed at how well the tomato juice worked. It was made by cambels and came like a 6 pack of beer. I did'nt really expect it to work but it did. Again, this is a first hand experience that has worked for me and I'm sure that the other stuff works just as well. I would definately use that juice again because it is'nt realistic for me to always be prepared for a skunk attack knowing that I could just stop at any store and pick up some juice. It does and has worked for me.

Ron

[SD Pheasant Slayer]

Cash has a thing for skunks and got it three times this last season. I'm a huge supporter of the peroxide baking soda recipe. I tried tomato juice the first time and then bought a bottle of the expensive shampoo designed specifically for skunks when the tomato juice didn't work. Neither method worked even remotely as well as the above recipe.

[Greg Jennings]

http://www.humboldt.edu/~wfw2/deodorize.shtml explains why tomato juice, vinegar and some others seem to work.

[Shadow]

I'm going to copy Greg's and post-it on the fridg- while I haven't had mine sprayed by a skunk- yesterday I went into this old barn- smelled something- looked arround- yikes- nice skunk looking at me- backed out thinking- if I had the Britt's loose

[Ron R]

http://www.humboldt.edu/~wfw2/deodorize.shtml explains why tomato juice, vinegar and some others seem to work.

My nose has officially been insulted by Greg and by the Skunk

I hate science, can't I be right just one time.

Ron

[Greg Jennings]

Ron, I just don't want you to tomato juice down a freshly skunked dog and then have your wife throw you both out when you come into the house

I promise you then H2O2 + NaHCO3 + dishwashing liquid works!

I've going to replace the Dawn in my kit with Ivory after reading Dave's post. That Dawn dries out the dog's skin!

Greg J.

[Dave Quindt]

I'm going to copy Greg's and post-it on the fridg- while I haven't had mine sprayed by a skunk- yesterday I went into this old barn- smelled something- looked arround- yikes- nice skunk looking at me- backed out thinking- if I had the Britt's loose

BUY FRESH HYDROGEN PEROXIDE!

Greg wrote:

I've going to replace the Dawn in my kit with Ivory after reading Dave's post. That Dawn dries out the dog's skin!

You think that's bad; you should see what my liver roan female looks like after a few treatments - apparently she always wanted to be a bottle blond!

[BigShooter]

People are always asking how you identify an exceptional dog. One criteria I use: a dog that encounters a skunk once and never gets sprayed again. Now that's a quality I want to breed for.