Remove Skunk Odor and bath– an unconventional remedy for dogs and their owners.
Remove Skunk | De-Skunking your dog.
Removing Skunk| Skunk bath remedy.
– 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide
– 1 teaspoon of dish detergent
– Wet down dog with water
– Begin applying the solution to various areas, working into fur
– Work through fur for about 5 minutes
– Quick rinse
– Wash with dog shampoo ( Mobile Pet Spa, our grooming service can do that).
– Rinse thoroughly
What is Skunk Smell?
Ever wondered why do skunks smell so bad? It is all chemistry. There are a number of species of skunks in the world. But the most common is a Striped Skunk, with a white line on top that splits into two. It can be found all over the United States. The species name is “Mephitis mephitis” which literally means : “foul stench” or “noxious vapor”. Which is a defensive spray ( causes: watery eyes, nausea, stinky scent).
Skunk’s spray contains a special chemical called “Thiols” or “mercaptans” ( this term is very well know and used by the United States military in chemical warfare training believe it or not!) it is made of Sulfur and a Hydrogen Atom, binding together at molecular level, because of their structure. “Yep! “, you would say, “try to remove skunk odor if you can”! Yes, the smell is horrible, and Mobile Pet Spa is very familiar with remedies, but let us tell you a bit more about this chemical compound…
Actually, there are three different Thiols in skunk spray and two of those are the main contributors to the awful odor. But the other molecules that the spray contains called Thioolcetates ( please don’t ask me where the name is coming from, but just trust me it makes a lot of sense). Those compounds don’t have a strong scent , but they become Thiols when they exposed to water. And that explains why a pet sprayed by a skunk starts to smell skunky again after a bath. See where I am going with this?
Now, skunk musk is produced by Anal Scent Glands ( no offence to skunks, lol). When a skunk sprays a nipple like protrusion called papillae is exposed and squirt the musk at the target ( your dog or whoever) and it can go up to ten feet…..and very accurate at targeting their mark. Adult skunks usually give warning signals before they spray , that is a good news , sort of. Striped skunks usually raise their tails way before they are spraying, and spotted skunks can do a handstand ( you better believe that one.. a handstand).