With two large German Shepherds and a lovable but nosy mutt "it" could happen soon. One of these days, while checking under a wood pile or shed , at least one of the dogs will encounter a peppermint kitty and he will let them have "it". Skunk spray , one of the most obnoxious smells, works quite well for the sprayer. The sprayed upon however have burning eyes, nausea, and owners who no longer want them as close companions.
There are a number of commercial preparations, none of which I have found to be worth their price. So grab a glass of tomato juice and drink that as you prepare the following recipe:
- ONE QUART OF 3 PERCENT HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
- 1 CUP BAKING SODA
- 1 TEASPOON OF LIQUID SOAP
This needs to be used shortly after mixing and should not be stored, as it gives off oxygen gas, which could case a closed container to burst. For large or long haired dogs, you will need more batches. Don't hesitate to repeat the process if odors linger.
Accoding to Wikipedia:
Skunks have two glands, on either side of the anus, that produce a mixture of sulfur-containing chemicals (methyl and butyl thiols) that has a highly offensive smell that most people describe as a combination of the odors of rotten eggs, garlic and burnt rubber. The odor of the fluid is strong enough to ward off bears and other potential attackers, and can be difficult to remove from clothing. Muscles located next to the scent glands allow them to spray with high accuracy as far as 2 to 3 metres (7 to 10 ft).
The singular musk-spraying ability of the skunk has not escaped the attention of biologists: the names of the family and the most common genus (Mephitidae, Mephitis) mean "stench", and Spilogale putorius means "stinking spotted weasel". The word skunk is a corruption of an Abenaki name for them, segongw or segonku, which means "one who squirts" in the Algonquian dialect
Keep in mind that skunks go into inactivity during our long Minnesota winters and winter is always just around the corner.
ENJOY!
Kathleen Lordbock- Home Staging and Interior Redesign in the Brainerd Lakes area
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I always thought you had to bathe in the tomato juice... (education courtesy of the Brady Bunch)
Winter and Road Construction, The 2 seasons in Minnesota. Interesting subject. I always wondered how those little guys sprayed that horrible smell. Now I know how and what.
Thanks I enjoyed that.
Kristine- Bathing in tomato juice may help you, but I have found it useless for the dogs. (& messy)
Pam - We are definitely in the road construction season now.
Kathleen...I was sprayed myself by a skunk, right in the eyes...worst pain I ever had. My vision was effected for over a week. After burning my clothes, and using the tomatoe juice in two ways, One was drinking it with 50/50 mix of Vodka, then I shampooed my hair with it. After that I used GASOLINE. Yup, takes the smell out real quick, but I wouldn't go sitting next to the campfires for a while after words. "CAUTION IS NEEDED when using gas. I used to trap a lot, so the smell was one I was always trying to get rid of. DO NOT use it on you pets either.
This was the only way I was allowed to come back into the house. (MOM'S RULES)
Of course at todays prices, Gas is an expensive alternative!!!
William - now you have an alternative recipe to try that isn't quite so flamable.
Those little stinkers are powerful!!!
Kathleen ~ Great advice, thanks for sharing your recipe. I thank when you do drink that tomato juice you should add some vodka to it :-)
Wish I had read your post the day you wrote it. On the morning of June 17, Blaze, my 15 year old Golden Retriever got skunked. I immediately bathed her with whatever pet shampoo was handy. About ten minutes into the wash, rinse, wash, and rinse again cycle, my wife showed up with the three ingredients you suggested. She got the information somewhere on the internet, mixed in with a whole mess of other fixes and luckily picked this one at random. We were almost out of peroxide, so couldn't make a very large batch. Used it only on her head, which was the skunk's main target. It worked very well. In the future, we will always keep an ample supply of peroxide and baking soda handy, at least in the non-hibernating months. We will also keep a supply of tomato juice to mix with vodka and administer orally to all non-canines involved in the remediation. It definitely clears tha airways.
Been chased before but never skunked. The smell is utterly atrocious. I give them a WIDE berth.
Barbara - Well at least the tomato juice is good for you.
Kathleen, I don't think we have skunks here in FL. Isnt that a happy thought? Horsies OK?
Mike - well at least you have the correct recipe now & it is the best I have found.
I keep large supplies on hand as we live on rural acreage and have 3 dogs.