Basic Pet Care

Grooming your pet is a daily or weekly task. It is essential for it’s health and it is a part of good socialization and training. With some breeds visits to the groomer are needed more frequently, but as owners we must follow up by grooming them at home. The basics for a well cared coat involve brushing and cleaning. A routine check of ears, eyes, teeth and bottom would help you notice any change on the skin that can be commented on with your veterinarian or groomer.

A weekly brushing keeps the coat clean and shiny. Never bathe your pet without first brushing the hair to keep the coat free of mats. If you give a bath to the dog without first brushing the mats out, they get harder and, therefore, more difficult to remove.

If grooming is done properly, the pet would see this chore as a playing and petting time and so it would be happy to cooperate with it.

Start the routine of care you and your pet feel comfortable with in the same way each time.

Brushing

There is a different kind of brush for each type of coat. Whether you use a pin brush, flat brush or slicker brusher comb, you must start from the bottom up –foot to shoulder, belly to top line- in the direction of the coat. When brushing, hold the base of the hair with one hand brushing a few strands down with the other hand. Use the bottom part of the brush to help remove the mats. And don’t forget to check the underarms, inside the back legs, the tummy and behind the ears where knots tend to form. If you come across a knot use any spray or detangling tool and remove the mat slowly and keep brushing until you have brushed the complete coat of your pet.

Ears

As a routine you need to check the inside and outside of the ear. Whatever the ear type, it is important to keep them dry and clean. Some breeds that are prone to ear infections, (breeds with pendulous flap ears) benefit from a daily check. Clean only as necessary. Signs of ear infection are brown and odorous discharge, head shaking and rubbing. Then it is recommended to visit the veterinarian.

Eyes

Remove any discharge at the corner of the eye with a cotton ball that is wet with warm water. For long haired pets, be sure that there is no hair poking into the eye and that the tears are not draining into the edge and becoming encrusted with the hair. On pets with facial wrinkles, you need to keep the skin area mainly near the eyes dry and clean.

Bathing

The rules on how often a pet should be bathed differ with each breed. In general, a brushing each week will keep your pet’s coat in good condition, but if he/she gets really dirty or smelly give him/her a bath. Avoid too many baths, however, so you don’t dry out his/her skin and coat. There is a wide diversity of products for your pet to keep the coat clean and free of dirt without having to bathe them. When given your pet a bath, remember to use shampoo and conditioner that are designed for cats or dogs that have the pH well balanced for the protection of their skin. After you finished bathing your pet, squeeze the excess water out of the coat and towel dry it. Use a hair dryer at a low velocity until the coat is dried well. Never leave your pet’s coat wet because the excess of humidity can promote skin infections.

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