You rolled in WHAT?

September 16, 2008 8:25 AM

My dog rolled in human feces last night. The smell is clinging to her fur. What will get the smell out?

I'm looking for a magic bullet here, like tomato juice on a dog that has been sprayed by a skunk. The smell is without a doubt the most putrid thing to have ever graced my olfactory. It didn't just smell like crap. It had this sour, inhuman smell that invaded my nostrils like a solvent. The only thing I can compare it to is old person BO.

So I'm thinking someone in the hive mind has worked in nursing/medical/septic business and has a secret ingredient that will take that smell out of her hair. It seems to get worse when she is wet, not unlike the way skunk scent will come back in a wet dog.

When we first brought her home you couldn't get within ten feet of her. Now that we've repeatedly washed her the smell is only there when she is within arm's reach. I'm sure it will dissipate with time, but I need help now!

And yes, I am absolutely sure all the nasty matter is gone. It is just the clinging smell that remains.

Also, should I be immediately concerned about having come into contact with the nastiness, however briefly, on bare skin?

posted by Brodiggitty to pets & animals (15 comments total)

lemon juice. then clean her with a baking soda water mixture.
posted by blueplasticfish at 8:34 AM on September 16, 2008

Also, should I be immediately concerned about having come into contact with the nastiness, however briefly, on bare skin?

No. Not to gross anyone out, but dogs have ingested similar stuff with no ill effect.

What kind of dog is it? Can you shave her? The less fur, the less odor.
posted by desjardins at 8:49 AM on September 16, 2008

Oh, I misunderstood - you meant that you were concerned about YOUR having come in contact with it. IANAD, but unless you have immune system issues, you're probably fine. I mean, parents come into contact with baby poop all the time. Use antibacterial soap and wash your clothes in bleach.
posted by desjardins at 8:51 AM on September 16, 2008

ALL ONE OR NONE! ALL ONE! ALL ONE! EXCEPTIONS ETERNALLY? NONE!

I reccomend Dr. Bronner's soap, which is hella powerful.
posted by phrontist at 8:53 AM on September 16, 2008

The dog shampoo should have gotten rid of it. You should let it stay on for 5 minutes after you lather. It worked in similar situations with my dog though it was Deer poop.
posted by shr1n1 at 9:09 AM on September 16, 2008

You don't mention what soap/shampoo you used, but I bathed my dogs with a citrus based shampoo twice in one session (no drying) with great results in getting rid of nasty rotting putrid mud smells.

Don't freak out. Humans have been in contact with other humans' poo for millions of years. Wash your hands, laugh, then laugh at your dog for smelling like flowers or fruit or citrus or whatever. You'll love it, he'll hate it. That's funny.
posted by Science! at 9:11 AM on September 16, 2008

Give it a week or so, and not only will the smell have faded away, but you will have forgotten the immediate horror of your dog rolling in human feces, and therefore won't be looking for the smell anymore.

I think you're allowing your imagination to get the better of you -- most dogs generally smell no matter what you clean them with.
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 9:26 AM on September 16, 2008

I used a standard dog shampoo. I forget the brand name. Starts with an "H" I believe. It doesn't have any perfume. I guess I'll try something citrus-y.

There is something about that Dr. Bronner's smile that I just don't trust, but thanks for the suggestion phrontist.
posted by Brodiggitty at 9:42 AM on September 16, 2008

The dog I had growing up liked to tangle with skunks, and our vet always recommended a rinse with Masengill douche for that. I imagine you could use it for this smell too.
posted by ferociouskitty at 9:45 AM on September 16, 2008

Don't be put off by Dr. Bronner's uncanny resemblance to Dr. Strangelove -- the Bronner soap is *magic*. Do you have a Trader Joe's nearby? They should carry it.
posted by the dief at 10:08 AM on September 16, 2008

Also grew up with multiple dogs that liked tangling with skunks (and we had some big ass skunks where I grew up). It always fell to me to wash said dog(s) and here was my normal routine:

1) Thoroughly douse dog(s) in tomato juice (no joke).
2) Rub juice into fur / skin (WEAR RUBBER GLOVES).
3) Let stand for 20-30 minutes.
4) Berate sulking hound for his repeated lack of skill in deciding to fight with skunks. Force him to think about what he's done and yell at him when he tries to shake the juice off.
5) Rinse the dog off with water.

Similar to the lemon juice then baking soda / water mixture above, instead of tomato juice you could try a quart of hydrogen peroxide, a few tablespoons of baking soda, and some lemon-scented dish soap. Will be a little stronger than the water/baking soda. We tried this with the dogs but honestly the tomato juice seemed to work better, at least for skunks.
posted by allkindsoftime at 10:33 AM on September 16, 2008

Yuck. I would try the standard skunk mix - 1 liter hydrogen peroxide, 1 tsp. dish soap, and 1/4 cup baking soda (avoid the dog's face, obviously). Rub it into the offending area and let sit for about 10 minutes, then shampoo out. This is probably an outdoor activity.
posted by robinpME at 11:33 AM on September 16, 2008

just out of curiosity, how did human feces end up in a place that your dog could roll around in? And I have no solutions, but I wish you good luck!
posted by dogmom at 1:04 PM on September 16, 2008

FYI, if you use too much hydrogen peroxide, you will bleach your dog's fur a little bit. It's not a big deal and will grow out fairly quickly, but I just wanted to warn you!
posted by radioamy at 1:28 PM on September 16, 2008

If you look at my posting history I think it's pretty clear that I'm not a woo-woo new ager or anything. I too find the label hilarious. Don't throw out the, uh, soap with the bathwater.
posted by phrontist at 1:36 PM on September 16, 2008