Monday, October 24, 2011

The Skunking

Chance still smells a little like skunk..even though he has endured many baths.  If he gets wet in the morning dew..the odor is accentuated.   Good thing we love him as much as we do!

Take it from me..skunk smell is the worst.  I wish I had known about the “Magic Stuff” back in the late 1980’s when a skunk walked right up to the fence where the Shelties were and sprayed Misty.

Rule One: Never let a dog that has been skunked into the house.  The oil will drip all over…and smell for weeks.

Rule Two:  Use rubber gloves..I did not use them with Misty..I picked her up..bad move.  I smelled like skunk until my finger nails grew out.

I washed her with everything possible..tomato juice..lemon juice..nothing  helped.  She smelled like skunk every time she got wet.  She eventually went blind..there is much controversy about skunk yuck blinding dogs.  The old timers will tell you that it happens often..the young Vets will tell you it is an old wives tale.

This is the first time that Chance has encountered a skunk.  Far Guy thinks the skunk was under the bird feeders…and Chance knew something was in the yard..and when Far Guy opened the door Chance ran out and the chase was on..for about 10 seconds.

Chance came right back to the door.  Dogs that have been skunked are a miserable mess..they will be foaming at the mouth..sometimes blinded by the spray and usually vomiting..Chance was all of those.  We did not let him in the house. We treated him with “the stuff” outside in the yard.

Far Guy announced the skunking about the same time as I smelled it.   Luckily I had all the ingredients to neutralize the smell.

“ The Magic Stuff”

One Quart 3% Hydrogen Peroxide

1/4 to 1/2 cup Baking Soda

2 teaspoons Soft-soap or Dawn dish soap

Mix together and scrub into the dog..being careful not to get any in his eyes.  Let set for ten minutes..rinse and repeat until the smell is mostly gone.  You won’t be able to tell..cause by then everything will smell like skunk to you.  Do not save the mixed up mixture…because it can explode if it is in a closed container. Discard any solution not used.

I now have a skunk bucket..with all the required ingredients inside along with two pair of disposable gloves.  I had to quickly look up the recipe..now it is also in the bucket..should there be a next time. ( I hope there is not a next time.)

It was a full moon that night..and the bird feeders were out. The skunks are looking for any food source they can find..they are bulking up now to go into hibernation when it snows.

I walk Chance at night on his lead.  Far Guy is a bit braver and allows him off lead but requires that he stay right next to him.  They have been practicing the word stop…and Far Guy takes the humongous Cyclops Flashlight outdoors with him at night.

Miney Chance and Elvis Oct21  Miney, Chance and Little Elvis. 

We took care of Miney and Little Elvis last week..no one got skunked…thank goodness. In this photo they were stuck in the house with me..but they all wanted to be outside with Far Guy.

I have always wanted a solid wooden fenced in area in the back of the house..one that could be accessed by the door upstairs. It is now on my list:)

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21 comments:

Gail said...

We smell skunks now and then moving through but thank goodness, the dogs have not challenged them...yet.

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Oh girl, remember my post on all of our skunkapades a couple summers ago. I was gonna give you this recipe 'till I saw that "The Magic Stuff wasn't a commercial product and the 'stuff' I use.

Nasty little critters those pole~cats are!!!

I've returned home from my 'workcation' at my Mom's. Kinda like a family missions trip! Heeehehehe!

God bless ya and have a wonderful day void of any rotten scents! :o)

linda m said...

Poor Chance! I'm glad he is smelling better. Skunk smell is one of the worst smells I have ever known.

DJan said...

It lingers for days and days, too. Even though Chance has recovered, I would bet he will leave the next one alone, don't you? I didn't know it could get into your fingernails!

Dogert said...

I hate that! We used that solution when Shiloh got sprayed and it worked, but she was brown for about two years until enough fur was replaced. Ick!

Kathy said...

Awww...poor Chance! I hope this will be his last encounter with a skunk!!! I'd never heard of "the magic stuff", but will keep it in mind for future reference. We have skunks and dogs, too.

LoieJ said...

The only time we ever got skunked, the dog was sleeping in the open doorway of the entryway and the skunk came and sprayed the dog...the secondary spray went through the screens, into our living room and bedroom. Yikes. We all smelled bad for a week. People held their noses.

Country Gal said...

Here to we have a big old skunk wondering around , thankfully Miggy hasnt met up with him yet. Years ago my old dog Tammy was sprayed all over and I used baby powder and pur corn starch on her for a few days and that seemend to work I think it is the corn starch and baby powder combo that absorbs the smell. Hope that skunk has moved on ! Have a wonderful day !

Karen said...

We occasionally smell skunks, but I don't remember ever seeing one.
I should though, get a skunk kit ready, because I sure wouldn't want to be have to heading to the store at some late hour for ingredients to put the 'the magic stuff' together.

Dreaming said...

We've worried about Tucker and skunks. We haven't seen one in the yard... yet. But, we know what he would do and it won't smell pretty!

LindaG said...

I have been fortunate that the only skunk encounters I have had are smelling it driving down the road. I am going to save this information though. We may need it when we retire to the farm.

RURAL said...

Writing that special recipe in my journal, never know when it's needed.

We had a skunk stuck in the rat trap the day we moved house....good thing we left.

I am probably the only person in the world, who doesn't find the odour offensive...weird huh?

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Rita said...

Poor Chance! And you guys, too! I hope Chance will have really learned his lesson now and won't ever challenge a skunk again. But you do have company dogs, so the bucket with supplies is a darn good idea. Just in case. ;)

lisa said...

Glad that the smell is getting better and I made sure I wrote down the magic stuff!

Laura said...

Several years ago our dog got skunked...and then he killed the skunk...and then he wanted to give it to us.
He was proud.
What a stinky yuck. I think we quickly looked up a remedy online and had the ingredients. Can't remember what though. Thanks for sharing yours. We've been lucky with Duke and Sosha, but you never know...

Leah said...

Oh I hate the skunky smell... and it takes forever to get rid of... It has been a long time (Cross my fingers) since we have had a run in - seems like Rudy (that ol' dog) had to visit with a skunk a couple times before going to the State Dog Show - ugh..... travel, stay in a hotel... NOT GOOD! Now I know who to call - for a recipe, a bucket and some rubber gloves! :)

Lynda said...

Poor Chance - - and you all, too. I didn't realize how badly it affected the dogs' eyes and mouth. I hate porcupines even worse. I remember grandpa pulling quills out of dogs's muzzles. It was pathetic to hear them cry - - - or maybe I told you that before. Thanks for the recipe - - hope we never need it.

Anonymous said...

Cute shots of the dogs.

I've never seen a real live skunk but can imagine that it really really stinks! So glad Chance is all right now.

Lanny said...

Thanks for the recipe! We don't seem to have much trouble here at the farm but there are certainly lots of skunks in the area, they are fairly equal in the road kill counts. We used to have lots of porcupine but we don't see them as much any more. We mostly battle the raccoons. Glad that Chance survived his run in.
Hopin' the young vets are right.

Terry and Linda said...

Look at them staring longingly to be outside with Far Guy...love your photos!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

rkbsnana said...

Poor Chance. Years ago we had a family of skunks under our house. I think they had parties under there. Smell ruined a favorite leather purse before we got them out of there/