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If a skunk sprays your dog, soap alone will not cut it

May to July

The smelly compound in skunk spray is a thiol that does not dissolve in water, even with soap. Cornell's vet college gives a home mix of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap that turns it into something that rinses away.

Why this time of year

Cornell says skunks are most active at dawn and dusk in the warm weather months. Mass Audubon says kits are born between late April and early June and start foraging with their mother at 6 to 8 weeks, and it advises against trying to remove a skunk between May and July.

How to notice it

  1. Before letting the dog out at dusk or after dark, check the yard first, as Mass Audubon suggests.
  2. Learn the warning: Mass Audubon says a skunk arches its back, raises its tail high, turns its back end toward the threat, and stomps its front feet, and it can spray as far as 15 feet.
  3. If your dog is sprayed, Cornell's mix is 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 1 to 2 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid. Wear gloves, lather it into the sprayed area as soon as it starts to bubble, keep it out of the dog's eyes, let it sit 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with warm water.
  4. Mix it fresh, use it right away, pour out what is left, and never store it in a closed container: Cornell says the reaction can make the container burst.

Try this with kids: Before the dog goes out tonight, stand at the door with a grown-up and look around the yard together. All clear?

Word to know: A “thiol” is a sulfur compound, the kind behind skunk smell.

Safety

  • Cornell: get veterinary care right away if the dog is sprayed in the eyes or mouth, or if a skunk bites it. Mass Audubon: like other mammals, skunks can be infected with rabies.
  • Cornell: in rare cases skunk spray causes a dangerous anemia. Watch the dog for 1 to 3 days, and go to a veterinarian right away if it turns weak or its gums turn a chocolate color.

Sources

  • vet.cornell.eduCornell Riney Canine Health Center, updated June 2025: 'The thiol chemical in skunk spray is not water-soluble, even with soap'; recipe '1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide', '1/4 cup baking soda', '1-2 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid'; 'Don't make the mixture beforehand or store it in a closed container'; keep it out of eyes (can cause shallow corneal ulcers); peroxide lightens black fur; monitor 1-3 days for weakness and chocolate-colored gums; 'Skunks are most active during dawn and dusk in the warm weather months.' read 2026-11-10
  • massaudubon.orgMass Audubon, Skunks: '2-10 kits are born between late April and early June'; 'at 6-8 weeks they begin to forage for food with their mother'; 'Do not attempt to remove the skunk between May and July'; spray reaches 'a distance of 15 feet'; warning signs 'arching their back, raising their tail high in the air' then stomping; domestic dogs listed among predators; 'check the yard before going outside at night'; 'skunks can be infected with rabies.' read 2026-11-10

Checked against these sources on November 10, 2026.

In the guide for May, June, July

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