# Does Skunk spray keep fleas away?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-skunk-spray-keep-fleas-away/103633>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 14, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-skunk-spray-keep-fleas-away/103633 "2002-04-14T23:00:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![wedgerat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@wedgerat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgerat)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-skunk-spray-keep-fleas-away/103633/1 "2002-04-14T23:00:33Z")

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I have a dog, Cycilia, who got sprayed by a skunk a few months ago. We washed her in tomato juice, but her bedding still stank\* (thank goodness she’s an outside pup). The smell of the bedding has lessened so that you can only smell it if you stick your face into it. Ever since then, we haven’t noticed any fleas on her. None at all. Is this because of the skunk?

\*(and no, she doesn’t have to sleep in a stinky bed. She usually sleeps in the crawl space under the house, warm and dry.)

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-skunk-spray-keep-fleas-away/103633/2 "2002-04-15T03:20:44Z")

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Well, insects definitely have a sense of smell (in their “olfactory sensilla” in their antennae), so maybe you’re on to something. Skunk Flea Repellent? Call it **Frankly, My Dear** [sup]R[/sup], For Pet Owners Who Don’t Give A Damn…

Test-market a batch, why doncha, and get back to us…

😃

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**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-skunk-spray-keep-fleas-away/103633/3 "2002-04-15T11:57:55Z")

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use your search engine for 'pet skunk sites".

If they have a flea control section, the answer is 'no".