Pet Grooming: Not Just for Frou-Frou Dogs

In the quest to save dollars, pet parents may opt to groom their pets themselves rather than take Fido in to be professionally groomed. Many owners also mistakingly think that only small, fluffy dogs belong at the groomer.

Actually, this erroneous belief can negatively impact your dog’s overall health. The truth is; all dogs need to be groomed, and not just for aesthetic reasons. Pet grooming keeps the hair free of mats and tangles; detects fleas and other parasites that attack the skin; promotes skin, nail, and coat health; and offers a chance for your pet’s overall skin and coat condition to be assessed.

And, there’s more to grooming than trimming lengthy fur or bathing your pet! Grooming includes many services that the average pet parent isn’t fond of doing (Did someone mention cleaning anal glands? Eew.).

Professional Pet Grooming–What You Can Expect

Most professional groomers and veterinarians will recommend that your dog be groomed once every 6-8 weeks. Nails may need to be trimmed more often, on average every 4 weeks (depending on how much wear and tear–i.e.: exercise–he or she gets). Pets benefit from the attention to subtle health problems most pet guardians don’t often notice, such as issues affecting the ears and eyes. In fact, sometimes it’s your groomer who is the first to discover lumps, infections, and parasites.

At Springbrook Animal Care Center, our grooming services include:

•   Bathing
•   Coat shearing, shape, or trim
•   Breed appropriate styling or custom cut of your choice
•   Ear cleaning
•   Nail trimming
•   Anal gland expression
•   Teeth brushing
•   Stain removal

Springbrook Animal Care Center’s Bubbly Spa Grooming also has the advantage of being directly linked to our veterinary team, so your pet’s overall dermatological health can be communicated directly to the vet. And, we will have a familiarity with any behavioral or physical challenges your pet may be facing or may notice changes since their last visit.

DIY Daily Grooming

After your pet’s groomer has tackled the bigger, more challenging grooming tasks, does this mean you can kick back and relax for another month?

Not really…

Your pet still also needs your help in maintaining his or her shiny coat and healthy teeth, so enjoy quality time with your pet during daily combing and tooth brushing. The side benefit is that it is a great way to keep your pet looking fabulous.

Here are important tips to keep in mind as you attend to your pet’s daily care.

• Daily tooth brushing is so important to your pet’s health, as periodontal disease has been linked to other health issues. Brush your cat or dog’s teeth daily using a pet-formulated toothpaste and suitable brush.
• Periodic bathing is also important and helps keep your dog smelling fresh. Keep in mind that overbathing can cause dry skin so talk to us about your pet’s optimal at-home bathing schedule.
• Keep in mind that – although you might be tempted to tackle those mats or dreads – bathing your pet can cause them to tighten. See a groomer for help if your pet is in this situation.
• If your pet experiences watery eyes or is light-colored, daily eye cleaning is also recommended.
• Brush your pet daily, and remember to always start with a brush, then follow up with a comb (to keep matting to a minimum).
• Periodically run a hand over your pet’s skin, including the belly, under legs and other less obvious areas to check for any new lumps and bumps.

We hope you now feel less trepidation about those daily grooming chores and have a sense of confidence when bringing your pet in for grooming.  Daily grooming, as well as monthly or periodic professional grooming, keeps your pet looking and feeling healthy (and they love the attention!).

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment at our Bubbly Spa, please give us a call. And, don’t forget to check out our specials including 50% savings on your pet’s first Bubbly Spa visit!