Did your pet get sprayed by a skunk?

*Based on a true event.

My husband decided to take a week of from work and called it a stay-cation. Ironically, when he decides to spend time at home, things seem to happen. As funny as this sounds, it wasn't too funny when the following event happened.

He let the dog out.The dog came face to face with a skunk. Being the dog also is a trained defense dog, after the spray, the dog decided to attack the skunk. This wasn't good.

If this should happen to you, and you have other pets in the home, Immediately call the vet. There are 24 hour veterinarian hospitals that will take emergencies, including phone emergencies. Their advice, knowing our dog does have a rabies vaccination that is still good, was first get tomato juice and soak the dog in it, wearing latex gloves. Following, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Rinse and repeat.

On my own, I did this, while my husband attended to our other two dogs to make sure they did not go in the area of the home where our other dog, who was sprayed by the skunk, was. The dog, who was sprayed, was scared. Therefore, until I was able to convince the dog to get in the tub, the other two dogs needed to allow me to give full attention to the victimized dog that was sprayed by the skunk.

Following the removal of the skunk smell on the dog, immediately, get your dog to the vet to get a booster vaccine, regardless. According to the veterinarian,the booster vaccine will enhance the rabies vaccination. This is given whether the dog attacks the skunk or the skunk attacks the dog.

When the odor is in the home, and you have multiple pets whom have picked up the scent, immediately bathe your other pets, regardless if they do not carry the smell from being sprayed by a skunk. Once the scent is in a home, and the dog who was sprayed by a skunk brings the odor in the home, not only is it terrible for us humans, but your other pets may inherit the skunk scent, a scent only a dog can pick up once the odor is removed from the dog and what we, as humans, cannot smell once we think we removed the odor.

Immediately steam clean your carpet, or floor. If you don't have a steam cleaner, wash your carpet, or floor, with a course sponge mop, using white vinegar and warm water in the mixture. White vinegar will act as an odor eliminator immediately. The skunk scent will be diminished from the home along with being a good choice to do for your other pets, including the one that was sprayed. Understand a pet has a better sensor to pick up all odors then a human.

Following, sprinkle baking soda on your carpet or floor while the carpet or floor is drying so that it is absorbed. Vacuum and rewash using a cleaning solution such as Lysol disinfectant. The final step is to use a carpet deodorizer, the spray is best, but powder is OK. Let's not forget the tub, clorox bleach, then lemon scent scrubbing bubbles. Bleach removes not only odors, but germs.

Finally, if you have been married for 19 years, and your spouse suddenly tells you, after all that time, they have no sense of smell, send your spouse outside to pick up the skunk your dog attacked and discard of it. Then ask your spouse to use Tabasco sauce in that specific location where the skunk sprayed your dog. You will find your spouse's sense of smell miraculously will return.

Learn more about this author, Maggie Griffin.
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