Pets

/

Home & Leisure

My Pet World: New products good weapons against skunk smell

By Steve Dale, Tribune Content Agency on

Q: We can hardly go outdoors without smelling a skunk. Moreover, our dog has now had two close encounters, which created such a terrible a stink in our home that we needed professionals to de-skunk the place. Any advice? -- B.H., Grand Rapids, MI

Q: Last month, Windsor, our Boxer-mix was skunked, and our entire family -- not to mention Windsor -- suffered for days. Tomato juice and water helped some, but not enough. Do you have a recipe for getting the skunk smell off dogs? -- J.A., Minneapolis, MN

A: I once offered the following recipe, which is still posted many places on the Internet:

First, get a clothespin -- for your nose. Now, wipe your pet down with a solution of one-quart hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup sodium bicarbonate and one-teaspoon liquid dish soap. Next, dunk the pet in a bath of two parts tomato juice and one part lukewarm water.

This "recipe" works adequately, but I developed it 20 years ago. Today, you can do better by buying one of many commercial products specifically made to clean skunked dogs. For my money, your best bet is Fresh Wave pet shampoo (www.freshwaveworks.com, and various retailers). It's all natural, and actually zaps odors rather than masking them. Simultaneously, treat your house with Fresh Wave crystal gel, soy candle and/or Fresh Wave spray.

So, you never need to deal with skunk spray again, don't leave your dog outdoors unsupervised, particularly in the evening (since skunks are nocturnal).

 

----

Q: My 65-pound, 9-year-old English Setter mix has some arthritis. We give him Previcox (a non-steroidal anti inflammatory drug or NSAID). A co-worker with an older dog, as well as the veterinarian, said aspirin is actually just fine for those aches. Care to weigh in? -- L.W., Red Wing, MN

A: "Arthritis is very common in larger, especially older dogs," says Los Angeles, CA-based Dr. Jeff Werber. "Drugs like Previcox are specifically made for dogs, and definitely my preference for long-term use. Certainly, aspirin can help in a pinch, and is safe to use at the right dosage, but not as safe when used for an extended period of time."

Of course, any NSAID, even those specifically for dogs, can cause adverse reactions, some potentially serious.

...continued

swipe to next page

(c) 2014 DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

 

 

Comics

Spectickles John Deering Pat Byrnes Peter Kuper Luann Popeye