My Dog Was Sprayed By A Skunk: What Should I Do?

If you have a dog who loves exploring, then you might be familiar with this scenario: you're relaxing in your backyard with your pup when all of a sudden, they notice a skunk nearby and decide to investigate. It doesn't matter how loudly you call for your pet or how quickly you run toward them, the skunk still gets spooked.

You've heard stories about how difficult getting rid of skunk smell in dog fur can be, so what can you do about a dog sprayed by a skunk? Should you bring your dog to the vet, or are there actions you can take at home?

Let's explore what to do immediately after your dog gets sprayed by a skunk, and steps for removing the skunk smell.

Why Do Skunks Spray?

Was your dog sprayed by a skunk? Yikes! It can be a scary circumstance to find yourself in, and you might be wondering why skunks spray in the first place. Quite simply, skunks spray as a defense mechanism. As noted by Smithsonian Magazine, if approached, skunks will often try to stamp their feet to ward off unwanted attention. If that's not successful, they'll raise their tail, aim and spray at whomever is approaching. While their spray is very unpleasant, it mostly won't affect your pet (except their sense of smell).

According to Smithsonian Magazine, "Skunk spray is a thiol, an organic compound with sulfur as a principal component." Their spray is so powerful that it can hit 10 feet away with accuracy and be smelled even a mile away. The article continues, "Generally, the spray doesn't cause much harm — maybe stinging in the eyes or temporary blindness, and nausea in humans."

When your dog spooked the skunk, it most likely sprayed to ward them off. And it worked! Your pet backed off, buying the skunk some time to run away.

My Dog Got Sprayed: Assessing the Situation & Getting Rid of Skunk Smell

Now that you understand why skunks spray, here are a few steps to rid the smell from your dog.

1. Identify If There's Any Immediate Danger

The first thing you should do if you find your dog gets into an altercation where they wind up sprayed by a skunk is to check to see the extent of the situation. Did the skunk's spray actually hit your dog? If so, make sure to check your pet's eyes for any signs of redness or irritation. Also, check your dog carefully for any evidence of wounds as skunks are common carriers of the rabies virus, which can be transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. Because skunks are typically active at night, a daytime encounter should raise additional red flags about the possibility that your pup was exposed to a rabid, or otherwise unhealthy, skunk. If you don't see any evidence of injury, you may not need to worry about taking them to the vet. However, a call to your vet is recommended to verify whether or not they want to evaluate your dog.

However, if your dog's eyes did get sprayed call your vet and ask how they recommend handling the situation. They may want to fully assess your pet, or they may recommend rinsing your dog's eyes for a short period of time with cool water and monitoring them to make sure they don't develop any other signs while recovering. It's also important to discuss with your vet their level of concern about the possibility of rabies exposure, regardless of your dog's vaccination status, and whether any monitoring for signs of illness should be performed. Rabies has the ability to be transmitted between animals and people, so it's important that you work with your veterinarian to follow whatever measures they recommend to keep your pup, and your family, safe.

2. Try to Keep Your Pet Outdoors

If you're used to washing your dog inside of your home, you might be tempted to bring your pup indoors to clean them off. However, you don't want to get any of the spray or smell into your home. If you do, not only will you need to clean your dog, but you'll need to clean anything they come in contact with inside your home, as well.