DOG GROOMING FAQs

GREASY FUR
Please note that every dog’s fur is different depending on their breed, diet, and lifestyle so your dog’s fur may be naturally greasier than others or prone to oily skin.

What causes of greasy fur?
If your dog’s greasy fur is proving to be a problem or concern it could be due to several underlying factors such as allergies or fleas and mites so it would be wise to consult your veterinarian to pinpoint the exact cause of the greasy fur before trying any home remedies. Also, observe your pet grooming habits to check if you are grooming your dog regularly and providing adequate diet and exercise. Making simple lifestyle adjustments may end up resolving the greasy fur problem.

• Are you regularly bathing your dog? Depending on your dog’s breed, coat thickness, lifestyle (does your dog roll in the mud every chance it gets?), and the climate it lives in, most dogs should be bathed approximately every 6 weeks. For a more accurate answer, type in “How often should I bathe my (enter dog breed here)” in any search engine for results. Getting tailored advice is always best when dealing with your pet’s health.

Solutions for greasy fur:

• Give your dog a bath: The best way to avoid greasy hair is to bathe him/her on a regular basis. Use any dog shampoo, but the best are the ones that contain selenium and benzene peroxide. Please do not use dog shampoo on cats as they may contain ingredients that are harmful to cats. Anti-grease shampoo eliminates fats and prevents the development of yeast, which gets lodged in greasy hairs. Prior to applying the shampoo, soak your dog in water and brush his/her fur. This prevents matting of fur and will help make it easier to detangle any fur later on in the drying process. Lather your dog with the shampoo and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the active ingredients to take effect. Rinse and towel dry.
  *Tip: Dog shampoo containing lemon or other citrus leaves your dog smelling clean and fresh while also fighting greasy fur.
• Put Maize Starch on your dog’s fur: A quick way to fight against greasy hair if you can't give your dog a bath is to spread some maize starch all over the fur. It is very absorbent and effective at eliminating the excess oils. After application, comb the fur for even distribution.
• Medicated Dog Shampoos: Look for a medicated shampoo made specifically for greasy fur or dogs with overly oily skin. These shampoos usually contain ingredients such as coal tar, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or sulfur, which are very effective at cutting through the oil and removing built-up scales from the surface of the skin. You can find medicated dog shampoos at any pet supply store. Medicated shampoos are much stronger than regular cleansing shampoos due to the added grease-fighting chemicals, so you don't want to use them often or as I said before, on cats. Use all shampoos according to the manufacturer’s directions.

MOIST ECZEMA (aka Hot Spot) is caused by dampness of the undercoat due to not properly drying your wet dog.

What causes moist eczema?
Many things can cause moist eczema, but the most common cause is bacterial infection. These areas can become infected if your dog begins to chew on the itchy spots and left unresolved, mold might collected underneath the thick matted coat. Dogs are most at risk of developing moist eczema during the summer months. If your dog does develop signs and symptoms of moist eczema (patches of fur loss with reddened blotches of skin-usually covered with a filmy layer of pus, scabs or crusts) try to keep him/her from scratching or biting the area until you can get an appointment with a veterinarian.

Solution for Moist Eczema: 2-3 thorough baths and a good shave down. If necessary, use oral or topical antibiotics.

SEBORRHEA
Seborrhea is also known as scaly skin. There are two types of seborrhea, dry (seborrhea secca) and oily (seborrhea oleosa). You will want to choose an appropriate dog shampoo according to the type of seborrhea that your dog presents with. If you are unsure if your dog has seborrhea, consult your veterinarian. It may also be helpful to consult your veterinarian from the start because they may identify an underlying cause of seborrhea in your dog that is contributing to the excessive scaling.

What causes seborrhea?
Seborrhea may be genetically inherited or it may be caused by parasites, allergies, injury to the skin or nutritional deficiencies.

Solutions for Seborrhea: Bathing is necessary at least once a week and there are some great shampoos out there specifically formulated to resolve symptoms caused by seborrhea. For dogs with dry skin, Allergroom works great while dogs with oily or greasy skin should use LyTar Shampoo. OxyDex and Resi-Chlor are both effective antibacterial shampoos and Selsun Blue animals is a good anti-fungal dog shampoo. If you noticed that your dog is also scratching itself often, try using Resi-zole to relieve the itch.

TETANUS
Definition: Tetanus is a disease caused by a neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. It can affect all species and usually follows after introduction of the bacteria into a wound.

Can my cat or dog get tetanus?
Dogs and cats are relatively resistant to tetanus compared to other species, but yes, they can get tetanus.

Signs of Tetanus
Signs usually occur within 10 days of a wound exposure, but can take up to three weeks. Tetanus can affect just one limb or region of the body or it can be generalised.
Early signs include:

• Muscle contraction.
• Over-reaction to sounds, noises, movement and other stimuli followed by stiffness, rigid paralysis and eventually convulsions.
• The muscle rigidity that tetanus causes results in a stiff gait and often the tail is carried outstretched pointing backwards or curled up.
• Your dog may find it difficult to stand or lie down.
• Ears are held pricked up, the third eyelid protrudes, the lips are drawn back and other facial muscles may go into spasm.
• Your dog may have difficulty opening it's mouth because of what is commonly referred to as "lock jaw" causing difficulty eating.
• There is increased salivation, heart rate, and respiratory rate.

Diagnosis
Diagnosis can be made by a veterinarian.

Treatment
Severely affected animals require long and intensive treatment involving the administration of tetanus antitoxin intravenously. There is a risk of anaphylactic shock developing when administered by this route, but it is much more rapid in having an effect. Surgical removal of the infected tissue may be needed.

Prevention
Vaccination against tetanus is strongly recommended for people, but not advised for cats and dogs. Prevent initial exposure to tetanus by keeping your pet away from sharp metal objects. If your pet is cut by metal, keep the wound clean by first washing your own hands and then place several pieces of sterile gauze over the wound, applying pressure to the wound if it is bleeding and bandaging the area. Do not use hydrogen peroxide, which makes it more difficult to control the bleeding. If the blood has dried, do not wipe the wound, as this will cause the clotted blood to dislodge and resume bleeding. Consult a veterinarian for follow up instructions.

RABIES
Definition: A virus that is transmitted through saliva. In most cases, the virus will spread through the nerves towards the brain and then to the salivary glands where it can be spread through a bite. The average time of incubation from exposure to brain involvement is between 3 to 8 weeks in dogs, 2 to 6 weeks in cats. All warm-blooded animals are at risk of contracting rabies.

Symptoms
After coming in contact with the virus, your dog or cat may go through one or all of several stages.

• Prodromal phase:This initial phase usually lasts for 2-3 days in dogs. Apprehension, nervousness, anxiety, solitude, and a fever may be noted. Friendly animals may become shy or irritable and may snap, whereas, aggressive animals may become affectionate and docile. Most animals will constantly lick the site of the bite. In cats, the prodromal phase lasts for only 1-2 days and they usually develop more fever spikes and erratic behavior than dogs.
• Furious phase:From the prodromal phase, animals may enter the furious stage; cats are particularly prone to developing this phase. The furious stage of the disease in dogs usually lasts for 1 to 7 days. Animals become restless and irritable and are hyper responsive to auditory and visual stimuli. As they become more restless, they begin to roam and become more irritable and vicious. When caged, dogs may bite and attack their enclosures. Animals will eventually become disoriented and have seizures leading to death.
• Paralytic (dumb) phase:Animals may develop the paralytic phase either after the prodromal or furious stage. The paralytic phase usually develops within 2 to 4 days after the first signs are noted. Nerves affecting the head and throat are the first to be involved and animals may begin to salivate as a result of their inability to swallow. Deep labored breathing and a dropped jaw may result as the diaphragm and facial muscles become increasingly paralyzed. Animals may make a choking sound and many owners think that there is something lodged in the dog’s throat. The animal will get weaker and eventually go into respiratory failure and die.

Diagnosis
The current way to diagnose rabies in animals is to submit the brain of the animal that your pet came into contact with prior to possibly being exposed to rabies for microscopic examination. If the animal is not available for testing, it is safest for your pet and you as the owner to assume that your pet was in fact exposed to rabies. Some new testing techniques utilizing skin and or blood samples are being studied and used in a few research settings and show promise as a way of testing potentially exposed humans and animals. They are not routinely being used at this time.

Treatment
There is no treatment. Once the disease develops, death is almost certain. Euthanization is immediately recommended by public health officials, which can be a very difficult process as a pet owner but if your are unwilling to do this for you and the public’s safety, your pet can be quarantined in strict isolation for six months. There have been several reported cases of dogs surviving the infection, but they are extremely rare.

Vaccination and Prevention
Vaccination is the best way to prevent infection and properly vaccinated animals stand very little chance of contracting the disease. While rabies vaccination for dogs is mandatory for all states, it is estimated up to half of all dogs are not vaccinated. Standard vaccination protocol is to vaccinate dogs at three or four months and then again when they are one year old. Once they turn two years old, a three-year rabies vaccination is recommended, which has been tested and shown to be very effective. Make sure you check with your local veterinarian as county and state laws may vary.