What Are the Treatments for a Dog Sprayed by a Skunk?

Dogs are curious about other creatures and, unfortunately, it's not uncommon for a dog to come home reeking from the defensive spray of a skunk. In addition to a very strong offensive odor, skunk spray can irritate your dog's eyes and the membranes of his mouth and nostrils. Treatments include alleviating discomfort and then removing as much of the smell as possible.

  1. Eyes and Mouth

    • According to "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats," skunk spray is very painful to a dog's eyes. Rinsing them with the same type of saline eyewash solution made for humans may offer some relief. Plain water from a low-pressure garden hose can help rinse residual skunk spray from the dog's mouth.

    Bathing

    • Before trying to counteract the odor, remove as much of it as possible from the dog with two or more washings, using a gentle shampoo, made especially for dogs or a de-skunking shampoo, found in pet supply stores. Rubber gloves will prevent the washer's hands from absorbing the smell.

    Neutralize

    • After washing away as much spray as possible, the dog's coat may respond to a solution that acts as a neutralizer to the skunk odor. The "Hound Health Handbook," suggests pouring tomato juice over the dog and allowing it to soak in for 10 minutes or more before rinsing. Alternately, substitute an over-the-counter vaginal douche solution for the tomato juice.

    Homemade Remedy

    • A home remedy that may assist in removing the smell of a skunk from a dog's coat involves mixing ¼ cup of baking soda and 1 tsp. of liquid dish soap into 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide. Massage into the dog's coat after shampooing and rinse it off after 5 minutes.

    Precautions

    • If the dog paws at his eyes or continues to squint after flushing his eyes thoroughly, call your veterinarian.