We were at the park today and Nikki rolled around in something nasty and got tar stuck to her tail. I've tried washing with soap, but my hands still stink like crazy and I'm sure the dog's no better. Any ideas how to get rid of this nasty chemical smell?

I think nail varnish remover may bring it off but try not to get any on her skin ,other than that turps
but with both make sure you rinse it off thoroughly
liz :)

Try rubbing butter into the tar to shift it. Then detergent should remove the butter!

oooh you just reminded me --a few yrs ago I got oil on me on a greek beach and i was given olive oil to rub into it and then detergent as jeanjeanie said

Searching in the back of beyonds of my memory I can remember my gran used to rub lard into our hands when we got tar on them, and then wash it off with soap and water.

Worth a try

Jayne

We live near a beach which gets oily tar washed up, apparently from oil tankers illegally washing out their tanks at sea, the problem is you can't see it it till your on the beach and the dog has picked it up.
The first time it happened Heidi was covered badly, so I phoned the vets, and they suggested, using SWARFEGA, rubbing it well in to the oil, then rinsing it off well.
I'm sure you can get other products that are oil removers but are may be kinder to the dogs coat, although SWARFEGA has worked fine on Heidi's white coat.

Robert:)

Swarfega is as good a product as you'll get and specifically designed for oil and grease and tar - yuck. I would use shampoo to rinse it out of the coat afterwards. As long as you rinse well, you should be OK.

Pam n the boys

Wow thanks for all the fast replies everyone. Luckily it wasn't too much, but the SMELL! pooooohhhhhhh!! >_<

My canine first aid course said to remove oily tar etc. with butter or swarfega or something like that first, before trying to wash it off as the detergent will cause the substance to break down and may cause skin irritation, chemical burning etc.

Once the substance has been removed, then wash the coat etc. with detergent.

Bit late now. But useful for the future. ;)

Olive oil or peanut butter should start to shift it. When Savvy got some VERY stickly pine sap on her I sent a note to the whippet lists for help and those were the two most common things recommended. I tried the olive oil and that's what worked. I know tar is a bit heavier, but the theory probably still holds true

Wendy