Blog: Basic Grooming Tips

With all of the rain that we’ve been having lately, you may be seeing some pretty muddy paws coming in from outside.  In my house, muddy paws means a trip to the bathtub.  Excessive bathing or using the wrong shampoo can be drying to your pet’s skin, so how do you know how often to give your pet a bath?  And what about the other stuff that goes along with a bath like combing, shaving, nail trims and emptying anal glands?

Before we get to the bath, let’s start with the other basic grooming steps.

NAILS:  Dog and cat nails are made of a hard, outer nail material and a softer, inner material called the quick.  The quick is made up of the nerves and blood vessels that supply the nail.  When a nail is broken or if the nail is trimmed into the quick, this can be very painful and the nail will bleed.  Styptic powder can be used to stop the bleeding, if a nail does get trimmed too short.  When we cut nails, we always want to avoid the quick so that the pet does not associate the nail trim with pain.  Another interesting thing about the quick is that in dog nails, the quick grows out with the nail.  If nails are not kept short, the quick will extend causing difficulty in getting the nail as short as it should be.  Longer nails are more easily broken and also cause your pet to walk in an abnormal way.  This change in walking can lead to slips, injuries, joint pain, and arthritis.  We recommend that the nails get trimmed every 4 weeks to keep them at a healthier length.

ANAL GLANDS:  Dogs and cats both have a scent gland that empties out and marks their bowel movements.  For most animals, this gland empties each time they go to the bathroom and you would never even know it existed.  For those kiddos that have issues, the pet may scoot or lick their bottom and when they manage to empty some of the discharge, you will smell a fishy, metallic odor.  A gland that is unable to empty can become painful, get infected, and possibly rupture.  Many groomers will go ahead and make sure these glands are empty during grooming or bathing.  If your pet has issues with these glands, they should be emptied every 3 to 4 weeks to ensure that they do not get too large.

BRUSHING:  Short haired dogs and cats may not require much brushing, but longer haired animals will often get mats if they are not brushed.  There are many different kinds of brushes and combs available and not all brushes or combs work best on all hair types.  Longer hair types benefit from combs that can get through the long hair and break up the mats.  Dogs with very short hair and no undercoat may only require a soft bristle brush.  Animals with a thick undercoat may get the best results with a slicker brush (used appropriately) or a comb.  The most important thing is frequent brushing that is not stressful for the pet.  If your pet likes to sit with you in the evenings or on the weekends, take some time to gently run the brush or comb over them in the same manner that you would pet them.  As they get comfortable with this new interaction, you can gradually get to some of those hard to reach areas such as the tummy and under the front legs.  If mats are already formed and difficult to get out, we recommend that you seek professional assistance and then start fresh with your pet.

SHAVING: Some dogs and cats benefit from hair cuts and sometimes animals that are matted will require a full hair cut or shaving to remove the mats.  Although many people can learn to shave their pet at home, if you haven’t had experience and want your pet to have a professional look…you might want to leave this step to the groomers and other pet care professionals.

BATHS:  Some pets never require a bath.  Some cats, for instance, are excellent groomers and keep their fur maintained without ever needing any grooming from their human companions.   Other pets require frequent baths due to skin conditions or bad habits of rolling in smelly things outside.  In general, we would not recommend baths more often than once per week if needed.  Always make sure to use a shampoo labeled for dogs and cats so that it is safe and not drying to their skin and coat.  We do not recommend using flea and tick shampoos since some of these can be toxic.  It is best to make sure that your pet does not have any matting in their hair before you get them wet.  The water will only tighten the mat and make it more difficult to get out.  Make sure that the water you use is a comfortable temperature.  Be sure to lather up your pet and then thoroughly rinse them.  Make sure not to get soap in their eyes since this could cause damage to the eye.

If you know your pet needs some cleaning up but you are not up for the challenge, remember that there are many helpful professionals that would love to get your dog or cat looking their best.