Monday, December 15, 2014

Grooming and Health Care

Keeping your pet clean, mat-free, and with nice short nails is important for overall health. Your groomer can be an ally in your pet’s health and can sometimes be an early warning system for several different types of health issues in your pets.

The bathing and drying process can show us many skin issues that might be difficult for owners to see either because they are in the early stages or hidden under a thick coat.  With our drying process, which is drying your dog by hand, we are able to see every inch of skin on your dog’s body and we can monitor for healthy skin every visit.  If we see small skin problems developing, you can get your pet treated in the early stages when the issue may be easier to treat.  

Lumps and bumps often appear as pets get older and while it’s easy to find some, groomers may be able to see or feel some that are harder for the owner to locate. We can monitor existing lumps and bumps for any change, as well as letting you know if we find any new ones.

We also check for unwanted guests on your dog!  Fleas can be hard to see, but our bathing and drying shows us if there are any hiding on your dog.  Although ticks are rare in this area, we do see those occasionally as well.  When ticks first attach, they are quite small and hard to see even on shorter haired breeds. Ticks usually only become visible to the owner when they have been the dog for a couple of days.

Ear infections are common in a lot of dogs, especially those with drop ears. Ear infections, if left untreated, can be very itchy and painful, can cause ear hematomas from constant head shaking, and may even cause permanent damage to the ear drum.  Regular grooming with Canine Perfection always includes ear cleaning and flushing with veterinary ear products.  This process will show us if your dog has an ear infection and needs veterinary assistance.  However, proper ear cleaning done regularly can actually help prevent ear infections from ever happening in the first place.

Dental health is extremely important to the overall health of our pets and is often challenging for pet owners to handle.  As part of the grooming process, we will look at your pet’s teeth and mouth and let you know if we see any issues.  We offer an oral hygiene program that can help keep your pet’s teeth clean and hopefully reduce the need for dental cleanings under anesthetic with your veterinarian.

Regular nail care is important! Many people don’t realize that overgrown toenails can, at the very least, be uncomfortable for both dogs and cats, but sometimes it can be downright painful if the pet has to walk differently because the nails are too long.  If left too long, sometimes the nails can even curl around and starting growing into the pads of the feet.  There is another nail issue that can occur even in short nails and that is that toenails can crack, split, and sometimes be partially or fully torn off.  And lastly, toenail beds can get infected and painful. If we see anything like this, we will be sure to let you know so you can take your pet to the veterinarian for treatment. 

Every time your dog comes in for a bath, we will assess the anal glands, checking for any abnormalities in the size and/or the contents.  We will check to make sure they appear to be emptying normally and that there aren’t any lumps or signs of infection.  Anal glands can become blocked and painful and can even abscess, so regular assessment is important and something most pet owners don’t want to do.

You can see that regular grooming is an important part of your pet’s healthcare maintenance. We are happy to be an ally with you and your veterinarian for the best of care for your pets.


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