#FortheLoveofPets – Pet Grooming tips

Grooming is an essential part of your dog’s health, with regular brushing and combing helping to remove dead hair and dirt and prevent matting. Regularly groomed dogs tend to have a healthier and shinier coats because it stimulates the blood supply to the skin.

Grooming your dog can also be an excellent way to build a strong relationship with your dog, and getting him used to it from an early age is essential. Many dogs learn to see their routine brushing as an alternate petting, another source of affection and attention. A good quality brush and comb will help you with your dog’s coat, but remember that your dog’s eyes, ears, and nails require attention.

Brushing helps remove dirt and pests, untangles knots and spreads the natural oils evenly through the coat. Each dog is different, and you should consult your veterinarian or a grooming expert on the proper type of brush to use based on your dog’s breed. You should brush thoroughly, including her stomach, behind her legs and her ears. Your pet’s personal groomer can play an intricate part in their health and well-being, and they can provide YOU, the owner, with a field of valuable information in regard to regular grooming & maintenance. Along with your veterinarian, a groomer can be very helpful in discovering existing health and skin problems and may be able to work with you in resolving some of them.

When to bathe your dog

A dog who is free from fleas and ticks, with no skin problems, should only be bathed when necessary and not more than every eight weeks. Bathed too often, the oil glands will overproduce to compensate for the shampoo’s drying effect, resulting in the dog becoming “smelly”. Brush your dog regularly instead. Check ears for mites once a month as a preventative measure. If signs of fleas or ticks appear, dust the coat well with flea powder. Baths should be given only when necessary with warm soapy water, ensuring the soapy water does not get into the eyes.

Insecticide Treatments: Fleas, Ticks, Worms and Ear Mites

FLEAS

Treat once a month with Frontline or a similar product – your vet will advise.

TICKS

Treat one week after flea treatment, NOT at the SAME time use Bayticol or a similar product. Spray yard with Diazinon or a similar product.

WORMS

Puppies must be wormed at eight weeks and again at 12 and 16 weeks. Adult dogs need to be wormed three times a year.

EAR MITES

This is a dark brown discharge and can be treated with MITES OUT. Ears should be checked once a month. Left without treatment, MITES will cause major problems indicated by continual head shaking, and you must consult your Vet.

Source: The Ark Animal Welfare Society Barbados