A skunk’s spray is one of the most unpleasant odors there is to a human’s nose. Putting your dog outside in the yard, hearing a commotion and finding out a skunk has sprayed your pet is not only terrible but also very smelly. A skunk’s spray is yellowy oil, which they spray or mist from up to almost twenty feet away when they feel like they are in danger. Many dogs end up sprayed because they try to defend their property and the skunk usually wins.

The first words of advice are ‘do not bring your dog inside after it has been skunked’ as it will take forever to get the smell out of your house. The skunk odor will permeate anything porous such as beds, sofas, towels, untreated wood and plasterboard. Check your pet’s eyes to see if the skunk got spray in them. If it did your dog’s eyes will appear red. This sometimes causes temporary blindness that usually lasts from ten to fifteen minutes. Rinse your dog’s eyes with a saline solution or use eye-drops for a human or olive oil, to help relieve the eye irritation. Take your pet to the veterinarian if the dogs’ eyes continue to be red or irritated.

The treatment you use on your dog is far more effective if you do it before the skunks spray has had a chance to dry on your pet. The first order of business is putting on old clothes and rubber gloves, that you will not feel bad about, if you throw them away after. Do not shampoo the whole dog, just the area affected, as you do not want the odor spreading onto the rest of your pet. Before you grab the tomato juice, be aware that it will not remove the skunk odor, just mask it.

Here is a concoction that successfully works at eliminating that terrible skunk odor on your pet. In a large open bowl or container, pour in one quart of three percent hydrogen peroxide, one teaspoon of any type of liquid dishwashing soap and one-quarter cup of baking soda or sodium bicarbonate. When mixed together, the mixture foams and this is the best time to use it. Hydrogen peroxide is available in drug stores and some people feel that joy dishwashing detergent works the best. There are commercial skunk deodorizer removers available but they do not always do a good job.

While the mixture is still foaming, wet down the area of the dog that the skunk sprayed. After leaving the lather in the fur up to ten minutes, use tap water to rinse this area thoroughly. Repeat this if necessary. For dogs sprayed in the face by a skunk, very carefully apply the mixture with a cloth, making sure to keep it out of your pets’ eyes, nose and mouth. Make this solution only when you need it and always discard the unused solution, after you mix it together, as it will explode if covered or stored.

If the skunk sprayed your house or fence etc, there are commercial products available to remove the skunk odor. To keep skunks from wanting in your yard, make sure the garbage pails lids fit tightly, do not keep dog food outside and close any spaces that makes a comfortable place for skunks to live, such as under cement steps.

Kelly Marshall
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/eliminating-skunk-odor-from-your-dog-75760.html

What happens when you run out of pet food in the middle of the day? The quickest way is to dash to the nearest pet store and replenish your pet supplies, as most online orders are not delivered immediately.

It requires a lot of energy and time to provide the best pet care to our animals. The pet store is the most convenient place to purchase all the pet supplies for your beloved pets, as they will usually have stocks on the products or services that are in high demand or most commonly bought by customers.

In a large city or big town, there should be dozens of pet stores situated near every residential area. You should look for a store that keeps their goods in a neat and hygienic manner. Perishable products such as food or anything with a shelf date should be sold within the validity date.

In addition, an up-market store should have the latest products that may help pet owners minimize on the amount of time spent on pet care.

Firstly, there is a need to groom your pet under a daily, bi-weekly or weekly schedule, as the activity is necessary to keep the animal’s coat healthy and shiny. Grooming is also essential, as it will also eradicate fleas and other parasites. The pet store should have hygiene and grooming products such as shampoos, skin lotions, bathing foams, deodorizers as well as a good range of grooming tools like nail clippers/files, rakes, combs and brushes. It should also have products on dental care and commonly used medications.

Other useful innovations that can be found in an up-market store are the automatic feeders and watering gadgets. These products give your pets access to food and water whenever there is a need, without the owner’s presence to attend to their meals. In addition to convenience, automated feeders build in the control of releasing food to animals with dietary needs. As animals usually tend to dehydrate more quickly, it is important to have water readily available to them.

There should also be some varieties of traveling aids such as specially designed harness, car seats and soft cages in the pet store. Pet owners can buy these aids when traveling with their pets in cars. If you choose to bring your pet out in a bicycle, there should be a range of baskets with different safety and security features available in the store.

Most of the pet store will usually stock up a variety of leads and collars for dogs or puppies. In addition to holding your pet’s registration tags, collars also give the animal a unique identity whereas the leads can be belt around your waist as you jog or stroll with your pet. You can buy a pocket pouch from the store to carry your pet if is a small animal like the Chihuahua. A muzzle will most likely be necessary if your pet is a large or dangerous dog, especially on occasions when humans need to be kept safe.

You should be able to find a good range of bedding materials in a variety of sizes and styles in the pet store. These will probably include kennels and mats for dogs, basket and cushion products for cats, cages for the birds and rodents as well as aquariums for fishes and tortoises. Rugs and blankets are also needed to keep your pets warm during cold weathers. These accommodations will ensure that your pets are able to rest comfortably.

In addition, you should be able to buy secure enclosures such as safety pet fences or cat fences at the store. These are soft wire mesh enclosures that can be placed in backyards or on balconies. Such blocking enclosures will keep your pet safe and prevent them from wandering off while having a stretch of exercises outdoors.

Finally yet importantly, your pet will enjoy the endless list of toys sold in the pet store. These may include balls, Frisbees and bones for dogs, scratching posts and tunnels for cats, mirrors for birds as well as racing tracks for rodents.

You may even find more pampering products, unusual toys, specialty clothing and other ‘hidden treasures’ when searching through the bigger pet store(s). A trip there will bring you and your pets plenty of joy and fun together.

Ske Chay
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/pet-store-are-you-able-to-get-your-beloved-pets-need-70498.html