Our question this week was:

My dog was sprayed by a skunk, what should I do?

"Over the years, various products and recipes have been tried to diminish skunk odor. Some are more effective than others. Suggested methods for removing the odors include:

Many people have tried masking the skunk odor with perfumes and shampoos, but this rarely works since both the cover-up odor as well as the skunk odor can still be detected.

Bathing in tomato juice is a popular suggestion but is seldom thought to work.

The best home remedy for removing skunk odor is bathing the pet in a mixture of one quart 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, 1-cup baking soda and one teaspoon liquid soap. Allow this mixture to sit on your pet for about 10 minutes then rinse with tap water. Be careful not to get the solution in your dogs eyes.

There are also several commercial formulations specifically made to neutralize the odor of skunk spray, such as Skunk Off® and can generally be purchased either at your family veterinarian's office or a nearby pet store. These products may be the most effective of the ones listed.

Good luck! "

Dr. Debra

Our question this week came from Larry W. from Woodhaven, Michigan

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