So, your dog got sprayed by a skunk: what now? Your first instinct may be wash your dog in the house to get the skunk smell off your dog, but don’t. Keep your dog outside while you remove skunk spray from their coat, so long as you can keep your dog safely contained and away from the skunk. The skunk oil on your dog’s coat lingers in the air until they’re clean, and keeping that smell outdoors helps keep skunk spray smell from permeating your house!
What is skunk spray? Skunks produce the spray in their anal glands as a defense mechanism against predators, and it contains sulfurous chemicals called thiols. Since skunks can spray this liquid as far as 15 feet, it’s common for dogs to get a blast of skunk spray directly in the face.