05/03/2025
Can you smell it? The adorable skunk kits are here! Check out these tips for keeping you and your pets safe, as well as how to best mediate the odors if anyone gets sprayed!
Skunks are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. Skunks can only spray what they can see, up to 10ft away! Their spray is a flamable oil that can cause temporary blindness 😳
And, if you have a skunk family nearby, they are likely eating poisonous snakes, wasps and yellowjackets for you so thank them by leaving them be!
In my experience, this is the best course of action if you or your pet is sprayed by a skunk: DO NOT FLUSH ANYTHING WITH WATER UNLESS THE SKUNK OIL IS IN THE EYES OR MOUTH. If your pet is sprayed in the eyes or mouth, flush with water as much as you can! Fur is like a dry sponge, once it gets wet, each hair follicle opens up and absorbs the skunk oil, possibly trapping it inside for Months!
If the oil is only on fur or cloth, brush thoroughly with lots of DRY BAKING SODA, as much as possible for 30+ minutes. This will absorb the oil before it gets a chance to get locked into hair follicles.
Next, gather a bucket and/or large sq**rt bottle, hair conditioner and old towels. Mix together a
-fresh, unopened quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide
-2 tablespoons dawn (or other strong dish detergent)
-1/4 cup baking soda
Next, apply the mixture to DRY fur. Brush or comb through for at least 5 mins. Rinse thoroughly with plain water. This process can be very drying to the skin and coat so follow with a diluted conditioner and rinse thoroughly again.
Skunk enzyme solutions can also help but not as much as the above procedure. This advice (provided by Marianne Lawrence) worked on my husky mix and his collar so I hope it helps you and your family 💜
