# Help! Skunked!!!



## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

My son's dog was skunked in her face in their yard last week! They washed her eyes with eye solution and bathed her in a mix of hydrogen peroxide/baking soda/Dawn dish soap 3X so far. She seems fine for about a day or 2 then the odor returns . Any suggestions??? I'm dog sitting for them next week and am a bit concerned my house and Luna (from playing with her) will start to smell. Lastly, they think skunks are living under their deck. They called animal control and all they said was to try to close the opening to the den???


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Lynn*



LynnC said:


> My son's dog was skunked in her face in their yard last week! They washed her eyes with eye solution and bathed her in a mix of hydrogen peroxide/baking soda/Dawn dish soap 3X so far. She seems fine for about a day or 2 then the oder returns . Any suggestions??? I'm dog sitting for them next week and am a bit concerned my house and Luna (from playing with her) will start to smell. Lastly, they think skunks are living under their deck. They called animal control and all they said was to try to close the opening to the den???


Lynn: I feel for you, after having been through this with Smooch and Snobear!!

I hate to tell you this, but for us the smell hung around for about 3 months, in the house and in the yard. It gets in your nostrils and then you smell it whenever you are in the house. I don't think that Luna will smell from playing with her, unless they rub faces. As far as the skunks living under the deck, it would seem to me that someone would have to get them out of there, like a wildlife control company. My neighbor has her deck blocked with lattice, but they chew their way in. We have a deck that is all open on the bottom, and Ken put low voltage landscaping headlights underneath it, so that no animal wants to go under there. What they washed her with sounds like what we used. We also used another Shampoo, specifically for getting skunked, that we bought at PetSmart.

http://www.petsmart.com/dog/stain-u...-odor-remover-zid36-24866/cat-36-catid-100109

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/de-skunking_dog.html

We found out after the fact, that you shouldn't get them wet right away, but get the solution you mentioned above and put it on them for 15 mins. or so before washing. There's a lot on this if you google.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I'm so sorry.......

I know several members have posted about their dog's being sprayed before, I did find this thread from a few years ago, hopefully some of the members will post what they have used and has worked. 

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...at-do-about-skunk-smell-if-stores-closed.html

Check online to see if there are any companies in your area that removes wildlife. I see a company in my area occasionally, I guess they capture them and relocate the animals but not sure.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Here's a more recent thread-

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...ion/373066-my-perfect-record-skunks-over.html


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

Karen519 said:


> Lynn: I feel for you, after having been through this with Smooch and Snobear!!
> 
> I hate to tell you this, but for us the smell hung around for about 3 months, in the house and in the yard. It gets in your nostrils and then you smell it whenever you are in the house. I don't think that Luna will smell from playing with her, unless they rub faces. As far as the skunks living under the deck, it would seem to me that someone would have to get them out of there, like a wildlife control company. My neighbor has her deck blocked with lattice, but they chew their way in. We have a deck that is all open on the bottom, and Ken put lights underneath it, many spotlights, so that no animal wants to go under there. What they washed her with sounds like what we used. We also used another Shampoo, specifically for getting skunked, that we bought at PetSmart.
> 
> ...


Thanks Karen - Unfortunately they did get her wet before using the solution. I think your instinct is to wash the smell out. I'll give them the hints about the deck. Once they get rid of them they definitely need to make sure they don't come back.


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Here's a more recent thread-
> 
> http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...ion/373066-my-perfect-record-skunks-over.html


Thanks Carolina mom - I read through the threads, sounds like we need a little patience. Also, I think they'll need to call an exterminator to get them out.


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## wdadswell (Dec 17, 2015)

Lynn my daughter's doxie got sprayed in the mouth, last year. Thank God, not the eyes! I used skunk off, which helped and rinsed her mouth many times. The smell stayed for eons!! I get skunks, every once in a while, that try to move under my shed and was told the same thing. They are not allowed to relocate them. They don't stay, thank goodness, but have had to deal with multiple sprayings over the years. The smell is worse after, when they get wet again. I used to stuff my last golden's hair down the hole. They soon left.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Lynn*



LynnC said:


> Thanks Karen - Unfortunately they did get her wet before using the solution. I think your instinct is to wash the smell out. I'll give them the hints about the deck. Once they get rid of them they definitely need to make sure they don't come back.


Lynn: We also hosed our dogs down immediately. The smell goes away slowly.
The lights under the deck have been wonderful. They stay on all night.
Before I let the dogs out I take a big flashlight, and stand on the deck and look around before letting them down.
I do this morning, noon and night~


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

Nature's Miracle Skunk Odor Remover - got it at Petsmart, works really well.


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

wdadswell said:


> Lynn my daughter's doxie got sprayed in the mouth, last year. Thank God, not the eyes! I used skunk off, which helped and rinsed her mouth many times. The smell stayed for eons!! I get skunks, every once in a while, that try to move under my shed and was told the same thing. They are not allowed to relocate them. They don't stay, thank goodness, but have had to deal with multiple sprayings over the years. The smell is worse after, when they get wet again. I used to stuff my last golden's hair down the hole. They soon left.


Oh my gosh Wendy! I'll try the Skunk off too. I'll save Luna's hair from my swifter, I'll have enough in a few days to fill the hole  haha!


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## wdadswell (Dec 17, 2015)

Lynn, I just checked the bottle. It was Nature's Miracle skunk odour removal and like Laprincessa said, it was at Petsmart. My daughter had a rough time of it. Her little girl likes to sleep next to her face. I will have to ask her, how long she had skunk breath for. The rest of her body smelled fine, after her bath though, but she has short hair.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

No matter what you use they will stink for a month or two when they get the least bit damp.

Be glad it wasn't a porcupine


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

GoldenCamper said:


> No matter what you use they will stink for a month or two when they get the least bit damp.
> 
> Be glad it wasn't a porcupine


Thank you Golden Camper. Yes, I'm glad it wasn't a porcupine . You're clearly a glass half full kind of person


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## BrianO (Apr 7, 2016)

When we had a skunk living under our deck, we put moth balls there and the skunk left. Skunks usually keep more than one den in their territory and will leave if they find one unsuitable. If your dog can get to the moth balls, put the moth balls in a wire cage or dog proof airy container. The smell will still drive off the skunks.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Brian*



BrianO said:


> When we had a skunk living under our deck, we put moth balls there and the skunk left. Skunks usually keep more than one den in their territory and will leave if they find one unsuitable. If your dog can get to the moth balls, put the moth balls in a wire cage or dog proof airy container. The smell will still drive off the skunks.


What a great tip!


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## Max209 (Mar 25, 2016)

My last 2 Goldens both got skunk sprayed at very close range. Several theories out there about "de-skunking", but I believe it boils down to simply chemistry of acid/base. Regular soap is basic (high ph) and does very little for de-skunking. The old wives tail of tomato juice has worked for me and I believe it is the acidity (lower ph) that degrades the skunk spray. When bathing the dog with tomato juice it's best to use lots of tomato juice first WITHOUT SOAP because soap neutralizes the acid in the tomato juice. After 2 rounds of tomato juice with thorough rinsing each time, then do a thorough shampoo. Important to gently get their face too as that's usually ground zero for the skunk's aim. Tomato juice is very messy and kind of expensive when you are using it by the gallon - vinegar is also weakly acidic and works as well as tomato juice; but tomatoe juice tends to leave a sweeter residual odor than vinegar.


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## Bentman2 (Sep 30, 2013)

Yep Karen519 and others are right, if they get the least bit wet, it is on like donkey kong. I never let Bentley out in the night, off lease, because of that reason. It is easier to leash him and take the light because I have been out 3-4 times this year, already, just to smell a skunk. These dogs have no sense of skunks and will get sprayed again and again and still not learn. Good luck with cleaning them.


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

Max209 said:


> My last 2 Goldens both got skunk sprayed at very close range. Several theories out there about "de-skunking", but I believe it boils down to simply chemistry of acid/base. Regular soap is basic (high ph) and does very little for de-skunking. The old wives tail of tomato juice has worked for me and I believe it is the acidity (lower ph) that degrades the skunk spray. When bathing the dog with tomato juice it's best to use lots of tomato juice first WITHOUT SOAP because soap neutralizes the acid in the tomato juice. After 2 rounds of tomato juice with thorough rinsing each time, then do a thorough shampoo. Important to gently get their face too as that's usually ground zero for the skunk's aim. Tomato juice is very messy and kind of expensive when you are using it by the gallon - vinegar is also weakly acidic and works as well as tomato juice; but tomatoe juice tends to leave a sweeter residual odor than vinegar.


Thanks Max209 well give it a try. Mi always thought the tomatoe juice was just a old,wives tale


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

Bentman2 said:


> Yep Karen519 and others are right, if they get the least bit wet, it is on like donkey kong. I never let Bentley out in the night, off lease, because of that reason. It is easier to leash him and take the light because I have been out 3-4 times this year, already, just to smell a skunk. These dogs have no sense of skunks and will get sprayed again and again and still not learn. Good luck with cleaning them.


The dogs definitely go out on leash now until we get a handle on this, morning, noon & night!!!!


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