Grooming is a very important part of dog ownership. It can prevent infections, skin issues, pain issues and an expense to you if it is done on a routine basis. Now the question becomes who does it? Do you do it at home or take your pet somewhere? Dr. Wolf says that’s not a cut and dry answer. You and your groomer are going to be working together. The routine maintenance part, the brush out, the bath and all the routine cleaning; like if your pet rolls in the mud. Those are things you can take care of at home but certainly at this time of year, you may want to consult a professional groomer who will offer you many more services including anal gland expression, including high velocity blowout and deshedding treatments and also matting care and a real good deep clean with some professional shampoos. Dr. Wolf says you may want to explore some options depending on your pets age, temperament, hair coat type. Does your pet need scissoring; do they need some special grooming technique? These are all things you will definitely want to discuss not only with a groomer if you happen to have one, but also your veterinarian who will be able to give you some real good tips as to whether or not your pet needs some special care, shampooing, etc for skin conditions you may want to keep on top of.
Dr. Wolf says you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg on grooming. There are lower cost places and there are high end places. Choose which is best for you, your pet and your veterinarian.
Click here to go to the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society.
