What To Do When Your Pet Is Sprayed By A Skunk
Everyone knows that skunks do not smell good; that is why pretty much everyone tries to avoid getting close to a skunk at all. If your pet has been sprayed by a skunk, you are going to want to help them out. The first thing you need to do is clean out their eyes. Then, take your pet to the groomer to help you get the smell out of your pet's fur. Finally, if you find any lacerations or bites on your pet, take them to the vet to get a rabies shot and a check-up.
Check Their Eyes
The first thing you need to do is look at your pet's eyes. If your pet is rubbing their eyes, blinking them really fast, tearing up, or appear really red, there is a good chance that the spray actually got into your pet's eyes.
If that is the case, you are going to want to flush your pet's eyes right away. The oil that a skunk releases can cause harm to your pet's eye, resulting in serious conditions such as conjunctivitis or ulceration. These are all serious, long-term conditions that require long-term care.
You can avoid these serious complications by flushing your pet's eyes if you even think that skunk oil got into their eyes. You are going want to flush your pet's eyes with lots of clean water to rinse the oil out of their eyes. You can even use saline eye wash to help clean your pet's eyes. Do not use eye wash that is designed for cleaning contact lenses, use the type for cleaning your eyes.
If your pet's eyes continue to look irritated, you are going to want to get your pet to the vet for a more proper cleaning of its eyes.
Clean Their Skin
Next, load up your pet and take them to the pet grooming service to clean your pet's fur. Let the groomer know that you are bringing in a pet that has been skunked. When traveling to the groomers you are not going to want to let your pet wander around your vehicle. They could transfer the oils from their coat to your vehicle. Instead, put your pet in their travel crate for the trip to the groomers.
The best way to get rid of a skunk smell is to use a natural cleaner. The two most well-known natural cleaners that can combat the smell are tomato juice as well as a mixture of dish soap, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide. Your groomer is going to have natural cleaners, as well as other tricks, for getting rid of the skunk oils and smell.
Your groomer may need to wash your pet a few times before the smell is gone. Also, see if you can use a hose to clean your pet's carrier and bring a fresh set of blankets to put inside of your pet's carrier. This will help ensure that none of the oil is transferred back onto your pet after your groomer cleans them up.
Look for Lacerations & Bites
When skunks are startled, letting off oil is not the only thing that they do. Skunks are also fighters, and they may claw at or even bite your pet. If you see a wound on your pet's skin, the first thing you should do is flush the wound with water, clean it with a disinfectant, and wrap it up if it is bleeding.
When you take your pet to the groomers, ask them to keep an eye out for any wounds. If they spot any wounds while cleaning your pet up, your next stop needs to be to your vet. With bite wounds, there is often more damage than meets the eye, so you'll want your vet to inspect all bites and lacerations that you or your groomer find on your pet.
When your pet gets skunked, the first thing you need to do is wash their eyes to get rid of any oils that got into their eyes. Then, take your pet to the groomers in a carrier to get assistance with removing the skunk smell from your pet. If your groomer finds any bites or lacerations on your pet, take them to the vet next. If your pet is laceration free, take them home and enjoy their fresh smell.