I think Molly just got sprayed by a skunk...

[conorsmom2000]

This may sound dumb, but this has never happened before, so I'm not sure....

I let Molly out in the backyard a little while ago (it's still dark out). All of a sudden I heard her growl, then bark - Molly is not a barker at all, so you know something is up when she does. I ran to the back door and just as I let her in, I could smell a skunk. Molly immediately came in and went nuts rubbing her head on the carpet in the back room. Because we could smell the skunk outside (the back windows were open) Mike and I can't tell if we smell it on Molly as well.

She started to do the head rubbing thing on the throw carpet in the living room, so I got her to come to me to make sure she is okay. I looked at her head, which seems fine and then Mike had her go back outside (he checked to make sure the skunk was gone first), just in case she did get sprayed. I've been watching her through the window and she's still doing the head rubbing thing, as well as rolling around in the dirt.

So, my questions are, does it sound like she was sprayed and if so, how do we get this off of her? I can still smell the skunk in the house, so I'm worried she did get sprayed and it's in our carpets now! Help!

[FriendsofMickey]

:(
Sorry. I cannot help with the carpet, but I can help with the dog

Skunk Wash Repipe (per my vet)

1 quart Hydrogen Peroxide
1/4 baking soda
1 teaspoon liquid soap
Rinse with Water.


I would get her out of the house and keep her out for a while.


You will smell the lingering smell on her for a long well (everytime she gets wet).

If Molly is dark in color, this may discolor her? I am not sure... my dog is all white.

[alpro2]

If she was sprayed, Jen, you would know it. The smell would be horrible. My dog got sprayed about a year and a half ago. His face was covered in yellow ooz, and it stunk up the whole house. In fact, the inside of the house smelled of skunk for days on end; had to wash everything. Perhaps the skunk missed her, and she was close enough that the smell affected her.

There are several ways to wash Molly....you can obtain special shampoo at the vet,or you can use a vinegar and water solution. Snoopy smelled for months on end (especially when he got wet). It sounds though, that you got lucky with a near miss.

[FriendsofMickey]

Wanted to get the deskunk recipe out quickly but wanted to add:

My German Shepperd has been skunked twice (that is how I know about the lingering smell when wet).
Last time, I tried the tomatoe juice that you hear, it did NOT work. We sent him to a groomer after about a week and she got him smelling much better. He had grabbed and shook the skunk, so he was pretty bad.

Molly sure sounds like she has been skunked. The spray can cause eye pain for them. Hope she is better soon.

[CanadianWDWFan]

Jenn, Our dog got sprayed one night and let me tell you did he STINK! You know how bad skunk smells in the air, well he smelt like that and burnt hair. It was the most disgusting:sick: :ack: smell I have ever incountered. You would definately notice if Molly got sprayed. There is no missing that smell.

Skunks try to aim for the head and eyes so that is why she was trying to rub her head.

Rory was sprayed at about midnight one night and there was nothing open, except for the 24 hour grocery store. So we tried the old tomato juice remedy. Guess what it worked!!! Except our white and orange dog was pink and orange!:D

Remington makes a great dog shampoo that really works. We got this stuff after the first spraying. Good thing since he got sprayed again about a year after the first spraying.

[conorsmom2000]

Well, I'm still not sure if Molly got sprayed or not - I went outside to check on her, and she is covered in sand from rolling around in the back (we have sand by the pool). I could only smell the skunk if I bent close to her, but it wasn't an over powering, knock you out kind of thing.

I was going to post that I couldn't smell it in the house anymore, but I had to leave to take Con to school - when I came back, the skunk smell hit me as soon as I opened the door! So, now how do I get it out of my house? :( And, I'm worried it's on me since I touched Molly (the other Mom's at school swore I didn't smell, though!! :funny:)

Our friends wife is a groomer so I'm taking Molly to see her at 10 to see if she can help get the stink out of her. Thanks for all the info - I'm not sure what would happen if I used peroxide on Molly as she's a Black Lab! So, we'll see what the groomer says and go from there. I'll definitely save the recipe though, just in case!

Never a dull moment here! :D

[kakn7294]

It sounds as though Molly did startle a skunk and caught the peripheral spray - not a direct hit which is of course much better for her (and you!). The peroxide, baking soda, and soap (Dawn dish soap is highly recommended) shouldn't bleach Molly's fur. For the house, there are several things you can try:

A commercial solution usually available at places like PetSmart and Petco or at a feeding supply store.

A mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger on a metal baking sheet in the oven on 250 (some people recommend leaving the oven door slightly open but I would be too concerned for the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning).

Set around bowls of coffee grounds and burn candles.

Boil vinegar on the stove - some people add apples or use apple cider vinegar - smells bad in it's own right, but better than the skunk smell!

If it's truly in the carpet and you can't get it out, call a professional carpet cleaner and see what they recommend. Good luck to you - and :pixie: that Molly won't give you any more trouble!

[Tinkerfreak]

We always used coca cola and charcoal. You crush up the charcoal and mix coca cola in with it and rub it all over her. The charcoal will soak up the smell just like a charcoal filter does. We had read about this in our magazine Gun Dog and tried it when our spaniel got sprayed and it worked. The only place we could still smell it was her nose because she got sprayed right up there. We had tried tomato juice in the past and it just did not work. It was a bit messy well alot messy really because she kept trying to shake the stuff off and it is black. It washed off the shower really easy though. My Dad just used it on his Brittany Spaniel and you could not even tell she had been sprayed. My dog is gone now and we miss her alot but think of her every time we smell a skunk and laugh about her being such a smart dog but it took her 5 years to learn to stop chasing the black and white striped kitties!!!

[DisneyDudet]

If you do what to use Dawn or dishwashing soap, this will dry out their hair (gets grease of hands.. and animal hair.. all too well) and it can make their skin VERY dry, so be aware.

Try the tomato juice.... it worked for my dog! And my grandmother's!

[conorsmom2000]

It sounds as though Molly did startle a skunk and caught the peripheral spray - not a direct hit which is of course much better for her (and you!). The peroxide, baking soda, and soap (Dawn dish soap is highly recommended) shouldn't bleach Molly's fur. For the house, there are several things you can try:

A commercial solution usually available at places like PetSmart and Petco or at a feeding supply store.

A mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger on a metal baking sheet in the oven on 250 (some people recommend leaving the oven door slightly open but I would be too concerned for the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning).

Set around bowls of coffee grounds and burn candles.

Boil vinegar on the stove - some people add apples or use apple cider vinegar - smells bad in it's own right, but better than the skunk smell!



Kathy, thank you so much!! I just did a google on this subject and came up with the same advice!

I just came back from the groomer's and she said the same thing - that Molly probably didn't get hit with a direct spray, but enough of a spray to stink and to make the house stink. When I got home, Mike was here and he had taken the ottoman and the throw rugs outside - he's renting a steam cleaner on his way home to help with that.

I currently have cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger roasting on a pan (I too don't want to keep the the door open - I open it every few minutes or so just to let the scent escape, then shut it). I don't have apple cider vingegar or apples even, so I just have regular vinegar boiling with some cinnamon sticks in it.

I don't have coffee grounds either, but I will try the vinegar/cinnamon in bowls around the living room (she was only in the back room and the living room). I threw out the bandana she was wearing and bought her a new collar so we can throw the old one out when I pick her up.

Now I want to soak in a hot bath and pray that I don't stink too! :blush:

Mike is so upset with this and how the house smells, but I just have to laugh - what are you gonna do??? :D

[drummerboy]

Did I ever tell you about he time in seventh grade when I picked up an injured skunk on the way to school? Wish I'd known those recipes then.

[conorsmom2000]

Did I ever tell you about he time in seventh grade when I picked up an injured skunk on the way to school? Wish I'd known those recipes then.

Oh, Ken....your parents must have loved you!! :funny::funny:

I've only had one run in with a skunk myself - ironically, the night before we got Molly! We were picking her up at a breeder's in upstate NY and we had to leave at 5 in the morning. Conor was 4 at the time and we had my cousin babysitting all day so we could suprise him.

I was so excited I couldn't sleep that night - and this is back when I smoked occassionaly, so at 1 in the morning, I'd gone outside for a cigarette. I sat on our stoop, and at one point, I put my head and arms on my knees and closed my eyes for a minute. Suddenly I heard something next to me....I slowly look up and I am practically nose to nose with a skunk! (who looked equally terrified). I kind of forgot how to act because all I could think was that if I got sprayed, I wouldn't be able to go with Mike to get the puppy. Without meaning to, I screamed at the top of my lungs (I won't say what I screamed.... :blush: ) Suddenly I saw the tail go up and I screamed again - and then I have never moved so fast in my life! I was up and back in the house in split second, still screaming, with my cousin staring at me in utter shock as to why I'm screaming my head off at 1 am! :blush: The skunk did spray but didn't get me!

My cousin still loves to imitate me at family dinners! :D

Molly is home from the groomers and smells much better - the groomer said she must have gotten some of it between her eyes because her eyes were so red - she said she gently flushed them and they look much better now. All in all, though, between the Skunk, being outside all morning (she's not used to us not letting her in when she's ready to come in) and the groomers, she's a little traumatized and passed out in her crate!!

[JessicaRabbit]

Poor Molly and poor YOU - skunk smell is AWFUL!

It does seem like Molly got a bit of the spray - that happened with Jon's cat once and he bathed him in tomato juice and it worked (though the cat wasn't too happy about it!).

I don't know if you have carpeting and whether or not Molly rolled around on it (and getting the skunk smell on it) - but you can try sprinkling baking soda on the carpet and letting it sit for a bit and then vacuuming it up - the baking soda soaks up the smell (but every time you vacuum you'll get a faint whiff of skunk).

Hopefully it isn't too cold in NJ today and you can air out your house a bit.

I'm so sorry this happened to Molly! I hope both she and your house are smelling better in no time!

[RenDuran]

Molly has had quite a time of it lately! Glad she's smelling sweet again!

[conorsmom2000]

I don't know if you have carpeting and whether or not Molly rolled around on it (and getting the skunk smell on it) - but you can try sprinkling baking soda on the carpet and letting it sit for a bit and then vacuuming it up - the baking soda soaks up the smell (but every time you vacuum you'll get a faint whiff of skunk).

Sue!!!!!! I'm so glad you wrote - I owe you a long post about the job situation!! :mickey:

Thank you for posting about the baking soda - Mike was on his way to get a steam cleaner when he came home and said "do you really think we should be getting the carpet wet?" Um, probably not. We have carpet in the back room and throw rugs every where else and Molly definitely rolled her head on them, as well as the ottoman which smells awful. I had just said to Mike that I think baking soda might help but I wasn't sure - so I was about to google it when I saw your post! :thumbsup: So, thank you! We will try the baking soda and continue airing out the carpets before we steam clean them.

It's in the mid 50's today so it's not too brutal having all the windows open, but it's a raw, drizzly kind of day. It just started to rain more so the carpets had be put in the garage for now - ugh!

Can I just say, though, Molly came home sporting a halloween bandana and a pumpkin on her new collar with hearts all over it - she may be smelly, but she's stylin'! :D

[Stitchahula]

Ok let me first say that the baking soda mixture does work you do need to leave it on for about 20 minutes. You should first wash the area with dawn dish det. dilute it aboute 20-1 or you will be rinsing forever then you can either use the baking soda mixture or white vinegar leave it on for about 20-30 minutes be very careful around the eyes. Skunk spray is an oil so once it get absorbed into the skin or hair/ fur) it needs to just ware out which is why it is so hard to get rid of the smell and it comes back when the dog is wet. As for the eyes it does sting them you can check with your vet for ointment if they seem to be really bothering the dog also I usually recommend to my clients that they check about getting a booster on their rabies just in case after all it is an exchange of bodily fluid. The reason why it always seems to get the dog in the face is not because the skunk aims but where the dog has it's head usually trying to sniff where most dogs love to sniff. Which is why they get it in the face,eyes, and mouth. Watch out for puppy kisses because their breath will stink and sometimes get you stinky too. Oh also when giving them a bath wear some clothes you don't care about and use rubber dish washing gloves if you've got them(the stink will end up on you). Tomatoe juice is a really good way to spend alot of money and possibly dye your dog orange the only reason why it sort of works is because of the acid in the tomatoes which you get more of if you use vinegar and it's alot cheaper. I've been a groomer for about 10 years now and know you can never remove all the skunk spray but you can get rid of the most of it if you can catch it soon enough. Good luck.