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I had to tell my friend Toby to stay away from me. He stinks.

That makes me feel bad because I like Toby. We hang out and drink beer together, though he doesn’t know when to stop and has to be told, “No more!” on occasion. That still doesn’t stop him from begging for more. When it comes to beer he laps it up. That’s why he has been unknowingly drinking non-alcoholic beer. Since he never buys his own and doesn’t know how to read, it’s been fairly easy to fool him.

He has been my ally in keeping the West Easton feral cat population in check. If they get near him, they’ll end up as dog food. Whereas I just trap them and take them to the ASPCA, he is less compassionate.

He mistook an odd looking animal with a white stripe down its back for a cat the other night.

He wasn’t drunk. Just uneducated in the difference between a skunk and a cat. It was dark and skunks being skunks, it didn’t run.

It sprayed him.

Luckily for Toby, either the skunk had bad aim, was almost out of ammo, or the fence where the meeting took place blocked much of the spray. Toby only got a slight hit, but even that had him smelling foul.

I suppose I should mention Toby is a Siberian Husky. He is one pretty cool dog.

For many in West Easton, an increase in skunks has been noticed the last few years. While skunks are naturally part of our environment, where there is a large stray and feral cat population there is almost always an increase in skunk populations. That’s because, contrary to popular belief, cats and skunks aren’t enemies and co-exist quite peacefully.

Especially when people with good intentions leave food out for cats they don’t own. That food attracts skunks.

Pierre, South Dakota was inundated with skunks. In just 3 months of 2012, Pierre animal control trapped 60 of them. That’s in a city with a population of 15,000, or about one skunk for every 250 residents. Pierre still has a skunk problem and once it was discovered that the feral cat population was the cause (using night vision cameras), due to many residents feeding the cats, they began a concerted effort to educate residents about the problem they were bringing upon themselves – including the potential for rabies, which skunks are known for.

Pierre has only recently gotten the skunk and cat population to a slightly more manageable level.

Skunks have only one natural enemy. Owls, who have no sense of smell, are the only things that will attack and eat a skunk without hesitation. But owls aren’t the biggest killer of skunks. That title goes to the automobile. Skunks fear little from anything other than an owl, so when a car bears down on them they pay little attention and pay the price for their arrogance and it usually isn’t the car that hits them that gets the spray it releases upon getting killed. Woe be to the car directly behind the one that hit it.

Should your dog (or you) have the misfortune of being on the wrong end of a skunk, here is a remedy that WILL you alleviate that smell:

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: 30-60 minutes

Here’s How:

1. As soon as you realize your dog has been sprayed by a skunk, don some rubber or latex gloves and old clothes and look her over for bites or scratches. Also check her eyes for redness or discharge. If any injuries are found, you should contact your veterinarian before proceeding.
2. Time is of the essence here – the longer you wait to begin the process, the harder it will be to remove the stench. Get set up for bathing your dog outdoors or in an easy to clean area of your home (laundry room, bathroom, etc). If indoors, open a window to save your nose!
3. Apply a small strip of eye lubricant (such as Puralube) or 1-2 drops of mineral oil to your dog’s eyes. This will help protect the eyes in case any of the solution splashes or drips in.
4. In the plastic container, combine 1 quart hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 to 2 teaspoons of liquid soap. Add lukewarm water if needed (for larger dogs). Mix ingredients well. The solution will fizz, as a chemical reaction is occurring. Use immediately – do not store.
5. Do not soak your dog with water prior to bathing. Promptly begin cleansing the affected areas thoroughly, massaging the solution deep into your dog’s coat. You may wish to use a sponge or washcloth. Avoid getting the solution in the eyes, ears or mouth.
6. Allow the solution to remain on your dog for at least five minutes (longer if strong odor persists).
7. Rinse your dog well with lukewarm water. Repeat steps 3-5 as necessary until odor is gone.
8. Dry your dog well and give a treat!

Tips:

1. NEVER place the solution in a closed container or spray bottle, as the pressure will build up and the container could burst. This could cause serious injury to you and your dog.
2. DO NOT use higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide or substitute baking soda with “similar” products. The altered chemical reaction could cause severe injury to you and your dog.
3. Be certain you use fresh hydrogen peroxide, as it becomes less concentrated over time. If you are unsure how old your hydrogen peroxide is (or if it is expired) get fresh bottles just in case.
4. The solution can be used to remove skunk odor from clothing and other fabrics. However, it can have a mild bleaching effect on some materials. In addition, your dog’s coat may become slightly lighter as a result of the solution. If this happens, it should resolve over time. Don’t worry, your black dog will not become a platinum blond!
5. To help avoid future meetings between skunks and your dog, try to prevents skunks from becoming attracted to your property. Do not leave food outside, including bird seed and fallen fruit from trees. Make sure garbage cans are well-secured. Placing moth balls and ammonia-soaked rags around your property might deter skunks from approaching. In addition, keep your dog within eye shot and keep her from running into wooded areas or exploring thick bushes unattended.