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| Home > Health |
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| Grooming Your Pet |
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Most pets tend to spend little or no time grooming
themselves, therefore it is necessary for the owner to take the responsibility.
Grooming Equipment
The grooming equipment required will usually vary according to
the breed of the pet. For specialized grooming techniques, consult a professional
groomer.
- Short, flexible wire brush, used for longhair pets
- Short bristle brush, used for short hair pets
- Scissors, to trim the hair
- Nail clippers, designed to clip pets nails
- Cotton balls, to clean ears and eyes
- Wide tooth comb, to comb out mats
- Pet shampoo, natural, flea and tick, or medicated
- Baby shampoo for puppies
- Powder, talcum or flea powder for pets
- Grooming table, a strong table with a non-slip surface
- Towel, for drying
Coat Care
Daily brushing keeps the coat shiny and healthy. It is important
to brush longhair pets daily to prevent mats from forming. Mats will usually form around
the neck, tail area, and behind the ears. Short hair pets should be brushed at least twice
weekly. Most pets will enjoy being brushed. Make it a fun thing for them.
Nail Care
Pets will usually wear their nails down by walking, jogging, and
running. Pets that are confined to an apartment or house, should have their nails clipped
every 3-4 weeks. This is an important task when owning a pet. If the nails are not clipped
regularly, the nails can grow too long, curling up into the pad. This can result in pain,
limping, and infection. When cutting your pets nails, you have to be aware of the quik. The
quik contains blood vessels and nerves, if you cut into the quik it will hurt the
pet and
may bleed freely. It is easy to identify the quik on pets with white nails, but for those
of you who own pets with black nails, you really just have to take a chance on where to
cut. If you do cut into the quik apply pressure with a cotton bud, then apply the quik
stop powder. It should stop the bleeding immediately. Important: always have some quik stop
powder on hand when cutting your animals nails.
Teeth Care
Pets can carry large amounts of bacteria in their mouths due to
little oral hygiene. Bacteria forms on food particles caught in their teeth, which
combines with saliva to form plaque. Extensive plaque buildup eventually turns to tartar.
It is recommended that you brush your pets teeth at least once a month. You can buy a
tooth brushing kit at your local veterinarian or pet store. Please consult your
veterinarian if your pet has excessive tartar buildup.
Washing
Pets require regular bathing to keep them clean and to prevent
skin problems from occurring. They should be washed weekly with a flea and tick shampoo,
if ticks and fleas are prevalent, or a medicated shampoo which should only be recommended
by your veterinarian. Some pet owners are concerned with washing their pets to frequently,
removing natural oils from their skin. Most people don't know that skin problems usually
occur from not bathing enough. When bathing a pet, the first thing you should do is read
all labels. Then you can begin by saturating the coat completely with cold
water, hot water tends to dry out the skin. Then apply the shampoo working it in until you
achieve a good foaming lather. Be careful not to get shampoo in the pets eyes or ears.
Once a foaming lather is achieved, rinse thoroughly with cold water and towel dry. Be sure
to use shampoo's made only for pets.
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| Information and advice contained on this site is for your consideration only. Please consult your veterinarian for specific advice concerning the care and treatment of your pet. |
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