Skunked & Other Malodors

If your dog has been sprayed by a skunk, you need to use an odor-neutralizing shampoo immediately. The longer the skunk odor is in the coat, the harder it is to get the smell out. Skunk spray is an oil with a sulfur-alcohol compound in the musk. Old-fashioned home remedies such as tomato juice or vinegar really do not fully remove the smell, since these treatments merely mask the odor. Odor-neutralizing shampoos work well on odors caused by dirt, feces, stagnant water or just a strong “doggie smell.”