Info Feature: Pet Grooming & Health
"Why in the world would someone, in this economy,
spend money on having their pet groomed on a regular
basis?" "My dog is short-haired and sheds. He doesn’t
need grooming." "Fur is designed to repel dirt and
water naturally; I don't need to do anything as
far as grooming." Those statements (very often followed
by "What in god’s name is that smell?") can actually
do a disservice to your pet.
Why groom? If your efforts are done yourself on
certain things (like brushing and nail trimming)
it can help strengthen a bond between you and your
pet. Your pet might loosen up about contact over
time and could be calmer and more content in situations
that might otherwise have stressed him/her out.
That in turn could benefit anyone else who comes
in contact with your pet.
Grooming can save you money down the road. Keeping
your dog or cat groomed keeps their fur in good
shape, so it can better perform its function of
weatherproofing and insulating. That keeps your
pet healthier and its immune system strong. A dirty
coat actually loses its ability to block out water
and wind, because as it gets dirty it gains weight,
loses its ability to hold air in between the hair
follicles, and hangs closer to the skin, allowing
more of the elements through. Clean fur fluffs out
and traps air, like home insulation is fluffy and
full of air, and repels water. Keeping it clean
also prevents painful knotting and infections that
can result.
A groomer will also spot ear infections, lesions,
and cysts on the body that might not be so obvious
at a casual glance. A groomer will keep nails trimmed,
so that the quick at the center of the nail won’t
grow out too far, which would make future trimming
difficult and painful, and nails that are kept too
long interfere with walking, making it awkward and
painful. (We should also mention that excess hair
in between the foot pads can also interfere with
walking, and can be painful to live with.)
We've also seen plenty of cases where there was
a flea infestation going on, about which the owner
had no idea. This isn’t too surprising; fleas are
pretty good at hiding out of sight, even when there
are dozens of them on a short-haired animal. You’d
be amazed at how much blood an animal can lose to
fleas, resulting in anemia, and flea saliva is an
allergen to many pets, so not only do they have
to contend with the itch of the biting, they have
the compounded issue of an allergic reaction on
top of it all.
A pet whose body and coat are in good shape simply
feels better overall, and their mood will thus be
improved. We’ve worked on dogs here who hadn’t been
groomed in years, who were knotted beyond belief
and possessing nails that had curled back into the
foot pads, dogs at the point of constant pain, with
owners wondering why their pet was in such a foul,
miserable mood all the time, and such a demon. Off
went the knots and nails...and the relief on the
face and body language of the animal was obvious.
Pets are not "set it and forget it" commodities.
They have no "self clean" button. Yes, they give
us love and companionship, but we have more to do
for them than simply feed them, walk them, and pick
up after them. A healthy state of grooming means
an overall healthy state, which results in fewer
or lower vet bills, and a longer, happier life for
your pet. It’s definitely worth it.
Random Thought
"Success means never letting
the competition define you. Instead you have to
define yourself based on a point of view you care
deeply about." - Tom Chappell
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