Oh no, your puppy got sprayed by a skunk, what do you do!
You might want to wash your dog off with water in the shower or bathtub, but this is the opposite of what you want to do. A skunk's spray is oil based, and will repel the water, as well as become more odorous.
Step 1.
What you can use water on is your puppy's eyes. Your first step should be to wash any of the skunk's spray out of your dog's eyes and mouth. If you leave the spray in there, it could irritate the dog's eyes.
Step 2.
Now you can remove the oil from your dog's coat. While tomato juice is the traditional treatment, there are far better treatments. If you do not have Skunk Spray Shampoo, one recipe you can use is;
1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution (found at any pharmacy or supermarket)
1/4 cup of baking soda
1 teaspoon of liquid dishwashing soap
Make sure to wear gloves while working on your dog's coat as to not get any of the skunk's spray on your hands.
An easier and potentially more available solution is watered down vinegar. Although this is not as potent as the baking soda recipe, it can still work.
Step 3.
After washing off the previous solution, use normal dog shampoo to remove any skunk spray that is left.
Step 4.
Dry your dog's coat well and keep them somewhere warm and away from furniture. If any of the skunk's spray got on your clothes, wash it as you normally would, and add half a cup of baking soda.
Warnings
Use the mixture described above immediately after mixing and do not store it. It can explode if kept in a closed container.
Be careful not to get the solution in your dog’s eyes.
Don’t leave the mixture on your dog’s coat for too long. Peroxide may bleach your dog’s fur.
Don’t use a hydrogen peroxide solution stronger than 3%, it can irritate your dog’s skin
It may be impossible to get rid of the odor completely, especially if your dog is sprayed in the face.
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