I just wanted to bring this point to everyones attention, what should you be getting when paying for a groom with a professional groomer? well I always thought it would include everyhting but it seems not to be the case sometimes. I have seen many dogs come to me who have never had their claws clipped when being groomed, alot never have anal glands emptied and many do not get their ears plucked and cleaned as part of the service.
Grooming should not just be about a cut, bath and blow dry but should be about taking care of ALL aspects mentioned to ensure good health. I am not sure why it is not done, maybe some charge extra for this or they don't have the time or do not feel competent doing any of the above. I feel it should be part of the service and so I would urge pet owners to ask if they are included and if they are not why?
Did you know.... alot of dogs can suffer from anal glands filling up and then bursting causing considerable pain and discomfort. What are the anal glands? well they are two scent glands situated at the opening of the anus. When an animal goes the toilet they should empty alittle each time leaving a scent marker on the faeces for certain reasons i.e breed predisposition, malformed ducts, diarrhoea/soft motions, thick secretions they don't empty naturally but fill up and then eventually form an abcess and burst. Some animals need to have these emptied on a regular basis and having them checked at each groom is always a good idea. Certain breeds i.e shih tzu' spaniels are predisposed to problems and should get them checked regularly.
Ear plucking and cleaning again is something that should be done regularly as animals get waxy, dirty ears too. Certain breeds i.e Bichon's, poodles, shih tzu's can get very hairy ear canals and this hair can block the flow of air into the ear canal making it a great breeding ground for bacteria. Breeds with floppy ears or narrow ear canals i.e Shar pei's are also at risk of problems.
Lastly nail clipping is sometimes needed by the animals who don't do alot of walking on hard surfaces but even those who do will still need their dew claws clipping from time to time as they don't touch the ground and wear down naturally.
If you are concerned about any of the above or your pet is scooting their back end on the floor or biting the tail area, rubbing or scratching ears, ears look dirty or redness is present please seek veterinary advice and of course keep checking the nails especially the dew claws higher up on the paw (front and back), they will need clipping if they are starting to look long and curl round into pad.
Just a few points to remember next time you take your pet to the groomers. I automatically include all of the above checks with any groom and so offer great value for money and peace of mind in knowing your pet is being groomed by a qualified nurse and groomer. If you would like any advice on the subjects mentioned please contact me. This advice is free of charge.
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