You are walking your dog one peaceful afternoon in the park.
You leave your dog for a while to buy a snack, and when you get back, you see your dog rolling in the dirt.
Thinking that he is just enjoying himself, you let him be.
As you reach home, you suddenly start smelling a familiar scent – burnt rubber.
You look around your house to check and see if something is burning, but everything seems fine.
Still, the smell of burning rubber will not go away. That is when it hit you – your dog is the one giving off that burnt rubber odor!
Read on to find out more!
The Culprit Behind the Burnt Rubber Odor
Before you start to panic and give your dog medicines to help eliminate the burnt rubber smell, you must know why your dog smells this way.
The culprit behind this burnt rubber smell is none other than a skunk.
Some people had reported that the substance a skunk release smells like burnt garlic, while some said that there were times when it smelled like burnt rubber.
Usually, your dog will start sneezing, drooling, and rubbing his body on a surface (like the soil or the grass) to rid himself of the substance that the skunk sprayed onto him.
This burnt rubber smell maybe not only horrendous but also long-lasting if not tended to immediately.
For some, it has lasted for as long as six months!
What steps can you take once your dog has been skunked?
What Can You Do If Your Dog Is Sprayed by A Skunk?
Here are the steps you should follow if your dog accidentally gets sprayed by a skunk:
1. Check your dog’s eyes
First, you must check if your dog’s eyes have been sprayed with the skunk’s substance.
If your dog’s eyes are red or irritated, flush them immediately with cool running water.
There are some Veterinary Eyewash products available online, and if you live in an area crawling with skunks, it would be best to keep one around (just in case).
2. Remove the substance from his fur as quickly as you can
The next thing you should do after checking your dog’s eyes is to bathe him immediately.
You should wash your dog outdoors or in a separate space like your garage so that the smell will not transfer from your dog to your bathroom.
One of the most common household remedies to get rid of skunk odor is by giving your dog a tomato juice bath.
Although this does not prove to be successful all the time and may even leave your dog’s fur reddish-orange.
But do not fret because there is another simple DIY remedy you can make with the products you have at home.
Home Remedy to Get Rid of Skunk Smell
Prepare the following:
- 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution (found at any pharmacy or supermarket)
- 1/4 cup of baking soda
- One teaspoon of liquid dishwashing soap
Procedure
- Mix all the ingredients in one bowl.
- While you are wearing rubber gloves, slowly work the mixture into your dog’s coat. However, a word of caution – do not leave the solution on your dog’s fur for too long since there is Hydrogen Peroxide in the solution, and this can cause adverse effects on your dog’s coat.
- Rinse your dog thoroughly until it no longer smells like burnt rubber.
- Next, shampoo your dog using his regular dog shampoo to remove any residual solution and leave him smelling clean.
- Towel dry your dog, and if you can, let him hang around outside for a bit so that the fresh air and warmth of the sun can speed up his drying process.
- Do not forget to bathe and wash your clothes after cleaning your dog. The smell might cling to your clothes while you are trying to get it off your dog.
Important Things to Remember
- The homemade mixture above must be used immediately. You cannot make one in advance and store it because this may explode when kept in a closed container for too long. If you have any leftover mixtures after you bathe your dog, throw it immediately.
- Be careful not to get the solution in your dog’s eyes because this may cause irritation or, worse, blindness.
- Please do not leave the mixture on your dog’s coat for too long as this may give him allergies which can develop into more significant problems.
- Never use a Hydrogen peroxide solution that is more than 3% because this is dangerous to your dog’s skin.
- You may not be able to get the smell off entirely in one wash, and this is normal since a skunk’s substance usually is vital and sticks to a surface for long periods.
Dog Smells Like Burnt Hair
There might be some instances when your dog smells “wet”, and the reason for this is actually quite easy to identify. However, what if your dog suddenly starts smelling burnt?
Take note that heat releases the sulfuric smell of burnt hair. Aside from this, dead hair and dander can cause your furry friend to smell absolutely terrible.
Also, a dog smells like burnt hair when their anxiety levels spike. You will notice that if you wait for a while, the burnt smell would change into the classic skunk smell, and your dog will start to smell like burnt rubber.
Aside from smelling like burnt hair, your dog may smell a bit “smoky”. This is because some seasonal or food allergies may cause inflammation on your furry friend’s skin which would, later on, lead to excessive oil secretion.
A poor diet can also be a contributing factor to this condition, and this may even develop into other problems like a yeast infection.
Why does my dog smell like sulfur?
Another thing that might get you concerned is when your dog starts smelling like sulfur. This condition is caused by too much meat or protein in your dog’s diet.
Take note that red meat, soybean meals, alfalfa meals, peas, beans, and lentils are sulfur-rich ingredients that can be found in dog food.
Key Takeaway
Of course, it would be best to avoid going to areas that are crawling with skunks to prevent future incidents such as this.
However, if it really cannot be avoided and the worst happens, you may try the home remedy given above but make sure to proceed with caution.
If you want to make sure that your dog is not having an allergic reaction to the skunk’s spray, you can always take your dog to the Vet and have him looked at.
Remember, when looking for home remedies online, you must always proceed with caution because these things may have affected your dog differently.
Be a good owner, and do not hesitate to bring your furry friend to the Vet when it seems that an expert is already needed to help your dog become better.
