May 2012
A DOG'S STORY:
Tangle-Free Day
One of the aesthetic values
of having dogs is its long and silky hair. Regardless of color, as long as fur
is silky and smooth, pet owners just wouldn’t take their hands off their
pooches.
Owners of Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso, Maltese, Bichon Frise, and other
long-haired breed are faced with one nightmare- appearance of matted coats. Dogs
with undercoats like Schnauzers and Huskies are also susceptible to matting if
not properly groomed. It is hard to keep
a tangled-free fur especially when your pets are actively playful. A regular
grooming and veterinary check can put an end to this problem. However, proper maintenance
of a tangled-free coat is as easy 123.
Dematting
Matters
Even if our dogs have healthy hair, they are still vulnerable
to having matted hair. Not only it is ugly to look at, matting can be painful
and uncomfortable to our dogs, too. Improper brushing routine and bathing are
the main factors to having a furry disaster. Excessive scratching can also
cause hair tangle and, if hair is not brushed properly, can lead to mats. As the mats get tighter and tighter, it will
cause soreness on the skin. Matting should be controlled because it can harbor
dirt and moisture providing bacteria and fungi the best habitat to grow.
Dematting can be stressful to both the pet and the
owner. If done properly, untangling matted hairs can take hours depending on
the extent of the mats. However, you don’t have to remove these furry devils
all at once. You can deal with mats gradually until your pooch get used to the
routine. Dogs usually feel uncomfortable in this situation. In order to avoid this scenario, the old
maxim still applies: “Prevention is better than cure.” Making brushing a habit
is essential to avoid this problem.
Do-It Yourself
Formula
Having the right type of tools will make dematting
easier. The goal is to remove all mats while keeping our loved ones at ease. We
just wouldn’t want our pets to consider this a bad experience. There are proper
techniques to effectively remove mats. Consulting your vets or dog groomers can
always be a good option. A few tips from them will make you feel confident in
dematting your pets.
A rule of thumb applies that your pets should be
thoroughly dematted before bathe. As the hair gets wet, it makes the mat even
tighter. That is why one of the causes of matting is improper drying of your
dog’s coats after bathing. These moist coats are like magnets that attract
dirts and dusts compacting it together.
Before dematting starts, your dog must be in a
comfortable position. Take a small area at a time to keep your pets from
feeling uneasy. Remove knots one at a time, starting from simple mats to
complicated ones; allowing occasional treats for behaving properly. Your hands
can also aid in loosening the matted coats.
Separate the matted coats into
small sections. With the aid of dematting comb, untangle them from bottom to
top. Spritz the matted coats with grooming spray or water with conditioner to
loosen it. Using comb or rake, gradually tease and comb the mats while holding
firmly to their roots. This way, we avoid having patches by accidentally
pulling the bundle of mats from the skin.
A metal brush with short and large spaces can be a
good choice in sweeping the tangies. For a more professional approach, you can
also use the dematter comb, slicker brush, and rake that are available in any
petshop. Since this is an “unusual” activity for our dogs, a hand treat for
them can do magic during the process. If the matted coat is too severe to be
removed by combing, you can cut the affected coat with scissors. Just give extra attention not to cut your
pooch’s skin.
The very last option that we can do to save our pets
from this furry disaster is to shave its coat and start all over again. In some
really bad cases, dogs with severe matting had stopped moving and worst, abstained
from eating. This is truly heart-breaking to see as pet owners; but shaving can
be the humane act to do for complicated cases. Controlling your pet’s temperature i.e putting
a sweater during winter or keeping good ventilation to avoid unwanted downside
is as important as keeping it healthy.
During bathing, proper shampoo and use of
conditioner can cause the hair to be slippery and to slide apart. These will
aide you for a successful removal of tangled coats. Blow-drying can also blast
off simple knots. There are dog-specific
dematting products in the market. Caution must be observed in choosing which
products are best. Consulting your vets or dog groomers will prevent you from applying
brands that can make you dog’s coats extra sticky
Road To
Recovery
When all the knots are already history, it is best
to maintain your loved ones tangle-free. Plan a grooming session that will
cater regular brushing. Brushing is an on-going foundation to proper grooming.
It takes commitment on your part for regular combing and brushing, but the
endeavor is surely worth it. It is
better to brush your dogs regularly than experience the hassle of dematting them;
or worse see them lose their precious coats. Dogs are also like us, they are
also sensitive on how they look. As we smile, our dogs begin tail-wagging.
April 2012
Are your
loved ones showing signs of excessive to prolonged scratching? Have you
observed them feeling uneasy? Have you noticed unusual bumps on their skin
especially near the ears and in between their paws? Your pets have been
“bugged”!
Although
planning a good diet for our pets is important, it is often insufficient in keeping
away fleas and ticks. Flea and tick may be two different species but they have
one thing in common: they feed on our pets. Eliminating them is essential in
keeping our pets healthy and well-groomed. Killing and preventing them are as vital
as maintaining good pet hygiene.
Another way to manage our pet’s
health is a regular visit to the vets. Veterinarians are trained to assist us in
answering our questions concerning fleas-and-ticks infestation and treatment. .This option is always wise if we
can spend money for regular check-ups. However, flea-and-tick control and cure
are not complicated as it sound. On our own, we can save our pets from the outbreak
of fleas and ticks and the miseries that it brings, without shedding big bucks.
Where it all begins
But, haven’t we
asked so many times how and where our pets acquire these irritating parasites
despite our daily efforts to make them safe, clean, and secure from possible
diseases?
As we know, animals
like to roam, explore and wander in areas prone to fleas and ticks. Dogs generally get ticks
because they’re out in the environment, walking through the woods and streets.
As the dog walks, they accidentally brush up against these ticks and fleas. Unfortunately,
only one of these parasites can start a new life cycle and lead to a horrible
infestation.
Another way on how
our dogs get these blood-sucking arthropods is from another infested animal.
Re-infestation occurs when the ticks and fleas from an infected animal is
transferred to new host, which happens to be our loved ones.
Why care
about flea-and-tick control
Being parasites, fleas and ticks bring nothing to our pets but
harm. This makes early detection extremely necessary so as to avoid our pets
from being devastated by these parasites.
When fleas and ticks feed, they inject saliva into our pets’ skin. The salivary proteins are typically
allergens that initiate allergic reactions to our pets. The most common
skin disease suffered by dogs is called allergy dermatitis. When fleas and ticks bite, our
pets tend to scratch deliberately leading to hair loss. Excessive feeding by
these parasites triggers health problems such as skin irritation, allergic
reactions, anemia and, in rare cases, death. Immediate action against parasite
infestation is, thus, crucial. These bugs also act as intermediate vectors of
other parasites such tapeworm and of other diseases such as Lyme’s,
ehrlichiosis, babesiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. So, definitely, we wouldn’t
want them feeding on our pets.
Finding the bugs
Observe for abnormal behavior from your dog
to indicate that ticks and fleas may be bothering them. Watch for dogs that
scratch oddly, bite themselves or just seem restless.
Apart from
accidentally spotting fleas, we can also check if our pooches are infested. To check
your dog for fleas, place a large white towel beneath your dog during bathing.
Fleas typically fall off when you rinse the dog, so you're likely to spot them
on the towel.
Spotting ticks are
very easy because you can basically see and feel them. They often attach in crevices and
areas with little to no hair. Start checking in and around the ears, in between
the toes, and within skin folds. Check your dog regularly for ticks especially
after outdoor walks and play. With your fingers, run through the dog's fur slowly
so that you will not miss any small and suspicious bumps.
Stopping the bug attack
If your dogs are
infested with bugs, you have the call to make the situation better. It is
recommended to temporarily isolate your dog from other pets to avoid re-infestation.
To combat fleas and tick, we don’t only deal with what is in our pets but also
to our environment. To prevent further transmission, treat your home and yard
thoroughly. A little extra effort can make wonders.
Start the medication process by washing your
dog’s bedding regularly with hot and soapy water. Vacuum all possible areas in
your house especially in carpets and other upholstery. In other words, clean,
clean, and clean. Fleas and ticks may be anywhere waiting for their next meal.
A good grooming session is an essential defenses mechanism for our
dogs against parasites. Frequent brushing induces their skin to produce natural
oil that drives away ticks and fleas. Combing their hair is not only one of
your bonding moments with your pet, but it also protects them from being
“bugged”.
Bathing is as important as brushing. It is advised to bathe your
dog with shampoo formulated to kill fleas and ticks. This process is called medicated bath. However, choosing the
proper shampoo is very important because some of its contents may be chemically
toxic. Before using any product, read the label and instructions carefully. Some
of the shampoo treatments are highly specific that it should only be used for certain
age, breed, and type of pets. Consulting your veterinarian or grooming company
is always a wise option to put your mind at ease.
Products that aid in flea-and-tick control come in many forms. Usual
flea-and-tick control approach is the use of spot-ons. Following medicated
bath, the application of spot-ons like K9 Advantix and Frontline should be done
properly. Correct application is imperative for effective results. Typically
you should not bathe the animal immediately after applying the spot-ons. Observe
your pet closely after using flea products. If they exhibit unusual behavior or
become depressed, weak, or uncoordinated, contact your vet right away.
Above all, keep your pets healthy. Fleas and other parasites have less
effect on healthy animals. Bugs tend to live on pets that are unhealthy and/or are
having weak immune systems. And, just like healthy humans, healthy animals
recover from illness faster.
A Bug-free
Reminder
Having said much about
how to ensure that your pet is bug-free, we hope that these tips again will
help you in keeping your pooches away from fleas and ticks. Give your pet more
time to cheer and play instead of dealing with an awful itch. Enjoy playing and
hugging your furry friends without the worries of flea and tick bites. Keep
your cute pet bug-free and happy!
March 2012
A DOG’S STORY: MAKING NAIL CLIPPING A HABIT
One of the common dilemma facing pet owners is
how to cut and trim those nails. Wiggly and nibbling pooches are usually the
winners over this tug-of-war. Most dogs are not comfortable having their claws trimmed. Training your
dogs on this new habit is essential for them to get used to the process. Teaching
them that nail cutting won’t hurt can be a good start of having an easier time
for grooming.
Nail clipping of our pets needs awareness and
practice because we simply don’t want our loved ones feeling pain. Dogs also
have anxiety for nail clipping especially for first-timers. If you’ve never
clipped a dog’s nails or has never done it regularly, a professional dog
groomer is the best practice to consider. We wouldn’t want our dogs to believe that
this is a stressing bad experience.
Although these claws do not normally touch the ground as the dog walks,
its length should be maintained to avoid unwanted scratches and scrapes.
Preferably once a month, nail clipping is crucial for your dog’s grooming and
hygiene. Overgrown nails can cause discomfort and can easily break which can be
painful to our dogs. In the long run, overgrowth can trigger arthritis because
of prolonged soreness, pain and trouble in walking.
Tools and tips are what you need to get you started. It is essential to
have the right nail trimmer to lessen the anxiety of our dogs. There are
several styles of nail trimmers available; a guillotine and a scissors type are
some of the widely used. The guillotine trimmer is the easiest and the most recommended
type to use as it efficiently trims all nail types. For dew claws (nails in the
inner side of the paws), the scissors-type is the preferred type and must be
used at the right angle of the toe nails. The sharper the trimmer, the cleaner
the cut, and most especially the faster the task is carried out.
Another option to choose aside from the trimmers is the rotary tool like
Petipaws and Dremel. Although it requires power source and a relatively loud
sound, these grinders are easy to use once our pets get used to it. This
user-friendly grooming device will help you to easier see the location of the
Quick and you won’t need pressure as you get rid of those excess nails. You can
also grind off the rough corners of the nails to have a perfect nail cut.
Caution must be observed at all times because improper nail trimming can
trigger bleeding. It is important to remember not to cut the nails too short to
avoid hitting the Quick (contains blood
vessels). Nicking the quick of the nails can cause bleeding which all dog
lovers dread to see.
Accidents do happen. Although bleeding is like a pinch to our dogs, it
should also be attended the soonest it happened. Styptic powder can be used to
stop blood flow. If unavailable, baking powder can be a good alternative home
remedy. However, even without any treatment the nail should stop bleeding in
about 5 minutes or less.
Whichever method you decide, it is important to keep the dogs relax. It
helps to remain cool and reassuring to your dogs that the process won’t hurt
them. Practice makes perfect as eventually clipping can be done in calm manner,
free from struggles and restraints. Cookie-treats and praises to affirm good
behavior will do magic in making this a habit for a job well-done. You can give
rewards after every nail cut for dogs that are not accustomed to nail cutting. For dogs that are more experienced and relaxed
you can give fewer treats. It is always important to make the nail-cutting
experience rewarding for the dog.
Nail clipping can make or break our dog’s behavior. If not done
properly, they can develop fear responses. Clipping on your own will save you
few cash, as well as, providing you enjoyment in creating connections with you
furry friend .How some owners would want their loved ones to happily sit in
your lap and wait for their claws to be trimmed… while tail’s waggin’.
