Proper grooming is an essential responsibility for any person in charge of caretaking a companion animal.
This doesn’t mean only taking your dog to the groomer when his coat exudes a foul odor or when you cat is covered in hair mats. Grooming is an every-day obligation comparable to taking care of your own or your child’s hair and skin.
Why Does Your Pet Need Grooming?
Unlike humans, pets can’t care for their coat and skin in a manner thorough enough to meet the cleanliness standards desired by society. The majority of our companion canines and felines live predominately indoor lives, with some even sharing our beds and other favored relaxation locations, so there’s an expectancy that pets should adhere to similar trends for cleanliness as we humans.
Besides appearing less-than-soiled, the close proximity in which we live to our pets raises valid hygienic concerns. Fur, nails, paw pads, and skin can collect feces, urine, environmental debris (dirt, dust, pollen, etc.), chemicals (cleaning products, pesticides, etc.) and other substances. This can lead to skin irritation (dermatitis), infection (pyoderma), or toxicity on a pet or person with whom contact is made.
Certain areas of the body where liquid and solid wastes exit the body are also more prone to collecting substances. This include the prepuce (foreskin-like sheath covering the penis), vulva (external female genitalia) and perineum (area around the anus). Extra attention must be paid to these areas to keep the hair trimmed and free from undesirable accumulations. Additionally, the paws, limbs, and undercarriage more easily collect environmental debris or even parasitic organisms (ticks, fleas, etc.) and should be cleaned regularly.
Read the rest of this article by clicking on this link:
Vet Advice on Caring for Your Pet’s Skin and Coat
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Copyright of this article (2015) is owned by Dr Patrick Mahaney, Veterinarian and Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. Republishing any portion of this article must first be authorized by Dr Patrick Mahaney. Requests for republishing must be approved by Dr Patrick Mahaney and received in written format.
