Author Topic: Skunk Oh chit (Read 3511 times)

Bob Reeves · « **on:** September 04, 2006, 02:58:53 AM »

No sleep for me. tonight about midnight my poor little pooch GiGi got mixed up with a skunk. Never been this close to a skunk incident before and hope I never will again. Most gaud awful smell in the world, it's bad enough to get a whiff of skunk in the air but this is indescribably sickening.

I was crashed on the couch oblivious to anything, Pat let her out so she could do her stuff before retiring for the night and the darn skunk was in the front yard. After the skunk did it's thing Pat made the mistake of letting Gigi back in the house so she could bathe her in the tub. Talk about a wake up call....

Of course Gigi was rubbing on the carpet all the way to the bathroom so now we not only have a dog to deodorize but I can't stand to be in the house. Am out in the shop and it isn't too bad but that smell seems to sick to everything.

We bathed Gigi with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, according to what I could find on the internet this works much better than tomato juice. Going to let the house air out for a few hours before attempting to do anything with the carpet.. At least I have airplanes I can work on and a computer with internet access..

Gaud it stinks around here

Ralph Wenzel (d) · « **Reply #1 on:** September 04, 2006, 04:13:44 AM »

Curious timing, Bob. Mythbusters, on Discovery Channel, ran a segment on exactly that problem yesterday afternoon.

They actually trapped a skunk and "persuaded" it to do its thing, and then tested at least 10 home remedies. The results were similar to yours. In addition to the Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda, they added to the mix a few capfuls of Dishwashing Liquid and Lemon Juice. Seems the Dishwashing Liquid (detergent) added a bit of surfactant action to get more of the skunk oil off (and out of) surfaces, while the Lemon Juice added a more pleasant aroma to compensate a bit for the skunkiness.

You might go over everything yet again; I believe repetition helps.

frank carlisle · « **Reply #2 on:** September 04, 2006, 06:29:15 AM »

DOGS!!!.....................I have one. I love him.

BUT....what a pain in the neck!! I can't imagine what it must be like at your house right now Bob. It's bad enough with the hair. Wiping the dog off when it's muddy or raining out. And all the other "extra" work we have because of our mutt. BUT JEEZ!!....now you got to clean up skunk stink............my heart goes out for you.

Bob Reeves · « **Reply #3 on:** September 04, 2006, 06:50:24 AM »

Thanks for the comfort guys, still out in the shop. Tried going in the house a few minutes ago and ended up back out on the front porch throwing up (literally). Pat's in the house asleep, don't know how she can stand it. This has to be one of the worst experiences in my life but I still love the dog and wouldn't move back into town.

When Pat gets around we will go to Wall-mart and pickup a couple gallons of hydrogen peroxide more baking soda and lemons.. Never thought I would wish for rain and wind, we just did get some rain but it's almost dead calm..

One of my model airplane buddies is going to bring over a live trap and a cot later today. I will be sleeping in the shop for a while and if I get lucky enough to trap the stinky devil I have a Browning that will dispatch him into never never land.

Ironbomb · « **Reply #4 on:** September 04, 2006, 08:02:26 AM »

Bob, what a bummer. Skunks, yikes! Could be worse tho, the dog could have rolled on your balsa wood after the skunk hit it

Sleeping in the shop cant be all bad either

best of luck with the cleanup.

Greg

minnesotamodeler · « **Reply #5 on:** September 04, 2006, 08:25:23 AM »

Maybe you need a fence, or a better one...the stink is the least of the dangers. My daughter's 2 dogs cornered and killed a skunk in their back yard that turned out to be rabid. Had to put both dogs down.
Much rather deal with the stink than the crying kids. Count your blessings, and take precautions.

--Ray

john e. holliday · « **Reply #6 on:** September 05, 2006, 10:23:33 AM »

I remember on an CSI episode where two of the main characters had an odor they couldn't get rid of. Nothing like watching the lady showering and using lemons on her skin. I guess it worked. DOC Holliday

Bob Reeves · « **Reply #7 on:** September 05, 2006, 02:18:02 PM »

Set the trap out last night and came up empty, thinking that was a good thing because it means we don't have one living under the out-building I was worried about. Going to move the trap closer to the un-kept property next door and see what it attracts..

Funny, this morning the wife let the cats out before I put the trap up and sure enough one of our cats found it.. At least I know it works

The house is getting tolerable, found some stuff called Natures Skunk Remover at Petsmart that really worked. Pored it in a bug sprayer , sprayed the carpet and anything we thought Gigi may have touched, let it dry and vacuumed it up. Can still detect a little odor on the dog but at least I won't have to sleep in the shop tonight..

I wouldn't wish this experience on anyone, yesterday was one of the most horrible days of my life, sure glad we are on the down side and maybe I can back to airplanes...

Jim Thomerson · « **Reply #8 on:** September 05, 2006, 08:12:58 PM »

A little side story. When I was, say, in junior high, for several years a mama skunk raised a litter under an old barn. They never bothered anything so we coexisted with them. One day one of the little skunks got cut off and I asked my dad if I could have it as a pet. He said no. Told me one year during the depression skunk hides were selling for $3.65. He made a total income of $365.00 that year and didn't want anything to do with another skunk.

Louis Rankin · « **Reply #9 on:** September 05, 2006, 08:21:50 PM »

Quote from: Bob Reeves on September 05, 2006, 02:18:02 PM

I wouldn't wish this experience on anyone

I don't know, there are one or two out there I could think of that I would love to set one of the stinkers loose on.

Charlie Pate · « **Reply #10 on:** September 06, 2006, 08:32:55 PM »

When we started racing , we kept the car in a tractor trailer in a freight yard
near the river.
We would prep the car at night for the upcomming race.
A security guard had an on site house trailer and two dogs.
while working on the car we would observe a family of skunks coming up from
the river bank and eating Dog food from the Dog food bowl.
We didn,t bother them and they didn,t bother us.
Like some people,theyre pretty live and let live unless crossed.
The,re also good for getting rid of rats ,snakes ect. but like model diesel fuel
they have a smell all their own when the mother skunk says to the little ones
"Children , " let us spray"

dave siegler · « **Reply #11 on:** September 07, 2006, 07:49:48 AM »

When I was a young man living on a dairy farm, we had labs that would often tangle with skunks.

One time to clean up the dog, I picked him up and tossed him in a 500 gallon cow water tank. It helped a little, but the cows would not drink the water

No water means no milk, so I had to bail out the whole tank with a bucket. From then on I let the dog smell, and he was less inclined to go after polecats.

The standard remedy for skunks was a few young men, a dark night, pickup truck, spot lights, a few beverages and a few 22's. Oh the misspent youth.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #12 on:** September 08, 2006, 08:21:37 AM »

I now wonder how the vet does the removal of the scent glands when people have them for pets. The people say they make better pets than a cat. Later, DOC Holliday

Bob Reeves · « **Reply #13 on:** September 08, 2006, 08:30:38 AM »

Quote from: jeholliday on September 08, 2006, 08:21:37 AM

I now wonder how the vet does the removal of the scent glands when people have them for pets. The people say they make better pets than a cat. Later, DOC Holliday

One of our club members thought of doing that but when he asked a vet about it. The vet told him Oklahoma had some silly law that says you can't keep a native skunk as a pet.. If you catch one in say Arkansas and bring it into Oklahoma you can keep it but if you catch it in Oklahoma you can't. Now just how stupid is that

catdaddy · « **Reply #14 on:** September 08, 2006, 01:13:08 PM »

Quote from: Bob Reeves on September 08, 2006, 08:30:38 AM

One of our club members thought of doing that but when he asked a vet about it. The vet told him Oklahoma had some silly law that says you can't keep a native skunk as a pet.. If you catch one in say Arkansas and bring it into Oklahoma you can keep it but if you catch it in Oklahoma you can't. Now just how stupid is that

About as stupid as trying to prove that a Skunk was born and rasied in Oklahoma. Do we actually pay game wardens to perform such tasks? Bob I'm pretty sure all the skunks in your area are from Texas so just shoot them

Jim Pollock · « **Reply #15 on:** September 08, 2006, 02:58:17 PM »

Ty,

We've got Armadillos here in Anniston. I've seen two or three that have been run over
on the roads. They should be getting to Huntsville very soon!

Jim Pollock

Ironbomb · « **Reply #16 on:** September 12, 2006, 09:33:56 PM »

Well, it appears that Bob is not the only one with a skunk problem. My two Shepherds just got hit. The entire neighborhood stinks, but not like my dogs. Its like I got long spike of stink jambed in my nose. Worse than a roadkill skunk smell. 1.5hrs of baths with unhappy dogs. My big boy is 103lbs. he hates the water too. I am ready for a break, thats for sure.

I have to build in a stinky basement now. The basement stinks, (walk out) but they didnt have a chance to roll around in the house, or on my balsa wood. ick!

Greg

Bob Reeves · « **Reply #17 on:** September 13, 2006, 03:29:43 AM »

Greg, boy my hearts with you.. Things are pretty much back to normal around here, after the 3rd bath Gigi is well de-skunked and the Natures Skunk Remover Really worked on the carpet and bath tub.

Good luck...

Ironbomb · « **Reply #18 on:** September 13, 2006, 05:31:26 AM »

Thanks for the tip Bob, I'll lok for that Natures Skunk Remover around here. My bathroom also still reeks after Shilo, my big dog, shook himself early. Lots of tomato jucie splatters to clean too.

I wonder if that Skunk remover will keep them out of the area?

glad you got things back to normal, this was not fun at all.

Greg

Bob Reeves · « **Reply #19 on:** September 13, 2006, 07:11:12 AM »

Check with Petco or Petsmart that is where we found it. I poured it full strength into a bug sprayer, sprayed the carpet, tub and bathroom floor. Let it completely dry then vacuumed the carpet and moped the bathroom floor with pinesol.. Worked wonders...

Ironbomb · « **Reply #20 on:** September 13, 2006, 07:45:30 AM »

Quote from: Bob Reeves on September 13, 2006, 07:11:12 AM

Check with Petco or Petsmart that is where we found it. I poured it full strength into a bug sprayer, sprayed the carpet, tub and bathroom floor. Let it completely dry then vacuumed the carpet and moped the bathroom floor with pinesol.. Worked wonders...

Cool, I'll check there if my vet dont have the stuff. we are sorta remote up in Northern Michigan, not many big stores like that. Just got a WalMArt tho, also a possibility. I dont think i had the full blown rub on the carpet you had. My nastiness is mostly confined to the basement. And I leashed my big dog beofre got in. The leash still reachs into my basement about 15ft tho. peeee-uuuu!

Thanks again Bob

Greg

rustler · « **Reply #21 on:** September 13, 2006, 12:45:01 PM »

My god. What a lot of replies on skunks! Here's my skunk story.
When doing some 29 T/R, we all had our secret fuel brews. One genius among us, a chemist, came up with "butane-1-thiol", basically skunk essence! I got some. It came in a totally sealed glass vessel, in a padded cardboard container. The only way to get it out was to break the neck off the vessel. I kept it for years, but never had the guts to open it. Eventually got a friend who worked in a chemical lab to dispose of it for me!
The genius told us of a student who poured some down a university lab sink, and they had to dig up the drains right down the street subsequently. Happy days.

Bob Reeves · « **Reply #22 on:** September 13, 2006, 02:22:33 PM »

Quote from: rustler on September 13, 2006, 12:45:01 PM

<snip> but never had the guts to open it.

Smart man

George · « **Reply #23 on:** September 14, 2006, 08:22:09 AM »

There is an old joke about a guy who had a pet skunk...but not for here.

I have a question about the hydrogen peroxide you use. I have some 3% to use as a topical antiseptic. I know they have a higher concentration available. What concentration do you use for skunks? We don't want to "bleach" the dog or carpet?

George

Bob Reeves · « **Reply #24 on:** September 14, 2006, 08:28:32 AM »

Am pretty sure I remember 3% is what the formula calls for so youn should be good to go. Just don't get it her/his eys or ears.

rustler · « **Reply #25 on:** September 14, 2006, 02:05:52 PM »

I forgot to say why I got my Butane-1-Thiol (Skunk Essence). We were always craftily sniffing each other's fuel, trying to discover the secret ingredients.
The idea was to put a little in our fuel and put them off the scent!