Routine Grooming Promotes Good Health in Pets
My-Dog.info > Dog Care
Routine grooming and cleaning is as important for our pets as
it is for us: it improves their appearance, helps to prevent
diseases, and contributes to their overall well-being. Grooming
can be simplified with a few tips and hints to make the task a
little simpler:
When grooming, first start with a wide-toothed comb, combing
from head to tail, looking for signs of fleas, growths, and mats.
By using a wide-toothed comb first, you can minimize hair
pulling. Follow up combing by brushing with a wire brush made
specifically for grooming pets to remove any dead hairs. Hair
mats can be removed by simply isolating them from the rest of the
hairs, gently splitting them into smaller clumps, and then, while
firmly holding the skin underneath, pulling the mat upwards and
towards the head. Never use scissors to cut out mats because you
may accidentally cut the skin underneath.
Ears are also an important part of pet hygiene. Most pets'
ears do not require routine cleaning. However, the ears should be
examined routinely and if your pet has excessive hair, dirt, or
wax build-up, they must be cleaned. While mineral oil and alcohol
are often recommended for ear cleaning, products presently on the
market for ear cleaning (available from your veterinarian) are
far more effective and cause less problems.
Cotton-tipped applicators should never be used to clean ears
(except by your veterinarian) because of the risk of
inadvertently damaging your pet's ear drum. Instead, wrap a cloth
or tissue paper around your index finger and clean the ear canal
gently.
Bathing should be done on an "as-needed" basis.
Frequency depends on the individual pet and your veterinarian
should be consulted regarding the most appropriate bathing
schedule for your pet. Never use a shampoo intended for human use
on a pet. For example, dog skin is much more sensitive than human
skin. People shampoo can cause a serious skin irritation in pets.
They also tend to be heavily perfumed (which pets do not like)
and they tend to cause excessive drying of the haircoat and
flaking of their skin.
Keeping the nails trimmed contributes to the health of the
paws and also ensures that your pet will be comfortable when
running and walking. Failure to keep nails clipped can, in some
cases, result in in-grown nails, which can become infected and
painful. Your veterinarian can demonstrate the correct way to
trim nails without causing bleeding or pain.
Reprinted with permssion from www.animalhealthcare.ca
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