PET GROOMING- A LUXURY OR A NECESSITY?

Often times, pet owners have a misconception that grooming their pet simply entails hair trimming while some others believe that it  is a mere aesthetic activity. However, it is important to understand that pet grooming is an all-encompassing pet body work (similar to a human visiting a beauty salon) which in some breeds of pets is considered a necessity.

Besides giving your pet that sassy look you have always craved for as a pet owner, here are some other benefits you probably didn’t know about:

• Hair trimming helps pet owners as well as the veterinarian to detect early and progressive stages of various pet skin infections such as canine candidiasis, allergic dermatitis and various other skin infections which may have been less noticeable before performing this grooming activity. Also, matted hairs can cause bacterial entrapment, thus, care must be taken to remove them as soon as recommended by your veterinarian.
• A seemingly minor grooming activity as nail clipping can help save your pet from lameness. This is because when nails grow out of proportion they could break irregularly thus leaving sharp edges which could harm your pet’s digits and expose them to pain, reluctance to walk and consequent lameness. However, professional know-how is needed in order to avoid damage to blood vessels situated at the base of the nails.
• A simple grooming exercise can sometimes be an invaluable technique in detecting subtle signs like cuts and swellings on your pet, which could be early pointers to disease conditions and if left unattended to could lead to out-blown disease manifestations.
• A dog bath with dog shampoos and soaps is highly recommended for your pets at intervals. However many pet owners are not aware that the human alternatives of these soaps and shampoos are not advisable for this exercise as such products usually have a different pH from those recommended for their pets which could resultantly dry out their skin and expose them to parasite infestation.
• Manual inspection of your pets for ticks, fleas, lice and other visible ectoparasites can be painstaking and time-consuming but on the long run it is totally worth it. Care must be taken to avoid leaving the head of this parasite embedded in your pet’s skin during manual de-ticking which could decay there and cause bacterial complication. However, in heavy ectoparasite infestation, chemical approaches such as treated collars, sprays and drugs are recommended as directed by your veterinarian.

Pet grooming practice is an opportunity to bond with your pet. A little act as rubbing their belly or combing out that tangled hair while watching your favourite soap opera creates a long lasting memory for you and your pet. Letting your kids assist also earn them that experience of being responsible for another’s wellbeing.