South Eastern
Colorado Animal
Rescue Effort,
Inc.to build and nuture the human/animal bond
|
South Eastern
Colorado Animal
Rescue Effort,
Inc. to build and nuture the human/animal bond |
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Grooming... SECARE does not claim to have any veterinary training, and any information and/or advice should be discussed with your vet. Grooming your dog can be either a nightmare or an enjoyable experience for everyone. Be aware a shelter animal may not have a great deal of experience with grooming and you may need to proceed forward slowly and with patience. Discuss with others that will be living around the animal of the grooming needs or challenges faced with having a particular species or breed. Some will need regular care or clipping and most will need regular brushing. What grooming your animal needs will depend on the species it is and the breed within that species. Longer-haired animals will need more consistent brushing or clipping to avoid mats from forming in the hair or coat. Many species will develop a winter coat that will then release or "blow" in the spring time. This winter undercoat can easily become matted and cause intense itching or even sores under it if not diligently removed. And some animals are persistent shedders that require regular brushing year round. Some breeds of dogs have hair that continuously grows and needs either diligent brushing or clipping. Long-coated breeds such as Collies or Golden Retrievers should ideally not be clipped but routinely brushed as their coat serves a purpose in summer as well as in winter. Trimming nails on dogs or cats can be done at home or at a groomer's. Animals with white nails are easiest to trim as you can see the quick--the pink part of the nail. Just like a human's quick, it will bleed if cut into. For animals with black nails, it is easiest to just trim back the thinner part of the nail. Looking at the nail from the side, you can see where the nail comes out rather thick and then thins out to a point. Just trim the point back a little at a time. A vet's office or groomer can show you how to properly trim a dog or cat's nail. Large animals also require regular clipping of their hooves. A farrier (horseshoer) is the best way to go if you are not familiar with proper hoof care. Bathing is something that should only be done infrequently. The animal's skin is not like ours and does not stand up well to frequent baths. Use shampoos designed for the species and use as directed. Ears sometimes need to be cleaned. For dogs, the type of cleaning depends on the breed. Dogs with ears that flop down over the ear canal tend to need more attention than dogs that have ears that stand up. You need to always check all ears, though, for signs of infection. An infected ear will smell bad, may be red and swollen and the dog may scratch the ears frequently or shake its head. You can use any commercial canine ear cleaner and cotton balls for general cleaning, but for deeper cleaning or for ears that show signs of infection, it's time for the vet. You can clean the ear as far as your fingers will allow you to enter the canal. For a deeper cleaning, go to a groomer or vet. Tear stains. Some dog breeds are more prone to tearing and staining. There are commercial products available to help with staining. But you could also just keep that area clipped close and wipe the eyes with a soft tissue or cloth. Discuss tear stain removal with your vet or groomer. |
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