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The incidence of dog sprayed by skunk in eyes often happen more times than we can actually control.
Skunks are often happy minding their own business as they search and stuff their belly away. Startle a skunk, however, and they may launch an odor offensive that may burn your skin.
Getting rid of the troubling skunk color is one thing, but are there any medical issues to be concerned about if your pet is sprayed by skunk? The answer is often “no,” but there are some things to watch for if your pet has been sprayed in the eyes or shows signs of injury.
Your dog jets past you straight into the house, maybe whimpering and hiding, or in sheer panic mode…racing around, rubbing his face and smearing that smell on the kids, on the carpet, on the couch.
He’s scared, he’s irritated and he stinks!
Dog Sprayed by Skunk in Eyes – What To Do If Your Dog Gets Skunked
Act Fast:
The dog will is sad and possibly hurting. The smell no doubt is a horrible one. You may not be prepared (in the way you want). But the longer you wait to remove the stink, the harder it will be to remove it.
Contain The Dog:
It smells, I know, but grab your dog and get him back outside into a protected, fenced-in space — or wrap him in a beach towel and put him in a room that is easy to clean (no rugs, chairs, carpets, drapes, sofas, or beds).
Look For Bites Or Injuries:
Check your dog for scratches and bites. If the dog has been bitten or has a serious scratch or deeper cut from his tangle with the skunk, take him to the vet ASAP.
Check His Eyes:
If your dog gets sprayed by a skunk in the eyes at point-blank range, it will have a soaked face and watery, red, irritated eyes. If you suspect that your dog was sprayed in the face, bathe his eyes immediately with cool water.
Gently flush for 5-10 minutes until the redness subsides. You can also use your eyewash solution.
Grab Your De-Skunking Mixture:
If you have it on hand, apply a skunk odor removal product—like NATURE’S MIRACLE® Skunk Odor Remover or SKUNK-OFF® (we will list the products below). Follow instructions exactly for safe and effective use. If you don’t have a store-bought product on hand, you’ll need to mix your own quickly from these standard household products.
NATURE’S MIRACLE® Skunk Odor Remover
GRAB A PLASTIC BUCKET AND MIX TOGETHER:
- 1 quart (32 oz.) of 3-percent hydrogen peroxide
- 1 teaspoon liquid dishwashing soap
- 1/4 cup baking soda
Mix ingredients well. The solution will fizz.
NEVER SUBSTITUTE ingredients with “like” products because the chemical reaction of substitute products will not be the same and may be dangerous to your dog or you.
This recipe is for a 30-40 pound dog. If your dog is bigger, double or triple the recipe. It doesn’t hurt to have more than you need as you may want to bathe the dog twice, or more! But DO NOT STORE this concoction. USE IT IMMEDIATELY; it can explode if left in a bottle.
SKUNK-OFF®
Soak Dog In De-Skunking Mixture, Rinse, Repeat:
Allow the solution to remain on your dog for at least 5 minutes or longer if a strong odor persists.
But don’t leave the solution on him too long as the peroxide can bleach his fur (don’t worry, your dog’s coat may become slightly lighter as a result of the solution, but he won’t become a platinum blond…and his natural color will return over time). Rinse him thoroughly with lukewarm water. Repeat as necessary until odor is gone.
Shampoo, Rinse, And Dry The Dog:
Now, is the time to bath him with his normal dog shampoo. You’ll need to do this once or twice, maybe more until the scent fades. After shampooing and rinsing, dry him off thoroughly with a hair-dryer or towel.
Allow the dog relax somewhere comfortable where he will not get too hot or too cold. If possible, don’t let your dog get wet for a while after you’ve cleaned him up from a skunking. Moisture seems to reactivate and may worsen the odor.
Give Your Dog A Treat:
He’s been a lot and maybe he’s a little shy and embarrassed. Hopefully, he’s learned a lesson and will never try to find that skunk again.
Clean Yourself And Your Space:
Wash your arms and hands well, applying some of the de-skunking mixture if necessary. If your dog rubbed some of the stink onto your furniture or clothes, use regular laundry detergent mixed with a half-cup of baking soda to wash your clothes.
You can also use the de-skunking solution on furniture and clothing—but be aware that some bleaching may occur. Test for colorfastness on a hidden area before applying to the affected area of any fabric.
Give Yourself A Treat:
Cleaning a dog sprayed by skunk in eyes is not fun. It can take several hours or more to clean the dog, the house, and yourself. And be prepared…because even after all that cleaning, a skunk smell can take 6 weeks to completely fade. In the meantime, you and your family may have to do extra cleaning and washing and cleaning. But keep a sense of humor and remember–now you have a funny story to tell about that time your dog got skunked!
Skunk Spray on Dogs – How to prevent Dog from Getting Sprayed
To help avoid meetings between your dog and skunks, try to prevent skunks from being attracted to your property.
Do not leave food outside, including fallen fruit from tress and bird seed. Ensure garbage cans are secured.
If you’ve continuous encounters with skunks, consider placing moth balls and ammonia-soaked rags around your property.
Plus, keep your dog within eye shot and keep him from running into wooded areas unattended. And if your neighbourhood is shared with these stinkers, take your dog outdoors only on a leash – majorly at dawn and dusk when skunks are more likely to be active.
KEEP THESE ITEMS ON HAND…JUST IN CASE!
- hydrogen peroxide
- liquid dish soap
- NATURE’S MIRACLE® Skunk Odor Remover or SKUNK-OFF®
- PURALUBE® or Mineral oil
- Large towels
- baking soda
- rubber gloves
- plastic gallon bucket
Have You Heard Of These Alternative Folk Remedies?
Tomato juice
This true and tried remedy is an old favorite. The acid tomatoes contain seems to cut through the oily base of the skunk’s spray.
Get giant bottles of tomato juice and douse the dog in it. Let it sit in his fur for 15-20 minutes. Then gently rinse off and suds your dog in shampoo and dry him off.
You may have to repeat these steps many times. Be warned that a white dog may be temporarily orange after this procedure. Also, make sure your dog doesn’t shake tomato juice everywhere…it stains.
Massengill
For small to medium pets, use 2 ounces of Massengill douche with one gallon of water. For large dogs, double the recipe.
Pour the mixture over the dog until he is thoroughly soaked, wait 15 minutes and then rinse. Follow with a bath using the dog’s regular shampoo.
Vinegar
Mix two parts water with 1 part apple cider vinegar, and set the solution aside (the size of your dog affects the total amount you’ll need to mix).
Thoroughly wet your smelly dog’s coat with water. Then work the vinegar solution through the fur. Let the solution sit for about 5 minutes; then rinse thoroughly.
Vanilla Extract
Try dousing a skunked dog with about a cup of vanilla extract mixed in a gallon of water. Let the dog soak in the solution for about 10 minutes before applying dog shampoo and rinsing. Rinse well; you do not want your dog to become a sweet, sticky bee attraction.
OTHER FAQ
Can Skunk Spray Hurt A Dog’s Eyes?
Yes, dogs are often sprayed on or around the head. Not only does skunk spray smell extremely foul, it will cause vomiting or nausea if swallowed and will act like tear gas if it gets in the eyes. If your dog gets sprayed directly in the mouth or eyes, seek immediate veterinary treatment.
Can Being Sprayed By A Skunk Hurt My Dog?
Aside the itching and burning it causes to your dog’s skin, they’re also bitten. If you smell skunk spray on your dog, be sure to look for bites. Even small bites can lead to infection and possibly Rabies.
What Do You Do If Your Dog Gets Sprayed By A Skunk In The Eyes?
Wearing rubber gloves, wash your dog with this solution (1 quart (32 oz.) of 3-percent hydrogen peroxide, 1 teaspoon liquid dish washing soap and 1/4 cup baking soda) immediately after they’ve been sprayed. (If you don’t have peroxide, baking soda, and liquid soap on hand, use vinegar diluted with water.)
How Long Does It Take For Skunk Smell To Wear Off A Dog?
It penetrates clothes, fur and skin, making it last for weeks. Research shows that a skunk’s odor will last 14-21 days if left untreated. The longer you wait to wash it off, the harder it will to be free of that nasty odor.
Now that you know how to act when your dog sprayed by skunk in eyes goes berserk, kindly share
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