In honor of all the cats in the world....HAPPY NATIONAL CAT DAY!
It's true that we all want to be cats...here's the proof!
Don't Let Just Anyone Groom Your Pet!!
We owe it our pets to be sure that they are always in a safe and loving environement. This means whether we are with them or not. Veterinary offices, day cares, boarding facilities and grooming places can be terrifying for your pet if they are not used to being away from you. Want to make these excursions as pain free as possible? Here are a few tips on choosing the right groomer for your pet:
The first step in choosing the right groomer for you is to talk to people. Find people that have pets they get groomed. Find out where they go, if they like a particular groomer, does their pet seem happy to go or do they need to drag them in, are prices reasonable, are they happy with the cut and any negative feedback as well.
Be sure to ask people that have the same type of pet too. No use asking a dog person where the best cat groomer is! If you can find someone that has the same make and model as your pet too (coat, breed, etc) then all the better!
Next step is to actually visit the groomer. Be sure to visit without your pet first. This way you have no distractions and can ask all the questions you need to. Here is a list of things that you should find out:
Next step is to actually bring in your pet. See if they can just "hang out" for the day to get them used to the sounds and smells. If not, allow your pet to meet the person they will be dealing with. They'll let you know if something is wrong and they are uncomfortable with the groomer.
When you finally decide on the right groomer, be sure to be very specific in what you want for your pet when grooming day arrives. If you want a short cut or long, do you want bows or bandanas or not, perfumy shampoo or not, etc. ITS YOUR PET - YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASK!
Be sure to observe your pet when they come home. You don't get to see all that happens to them during a groom. Is your pet limping at all, do their feet seem tender, are they shaking their head alot or scooting their rear. All of these things can be a sign that something wasn't right at the groomer. Struggling with a pet, too short nail trims, razor burn, etc - it can happen. Listen to your pet.
It all seems like so much but trust me, every extra minute you put into choosing the best for your pet, will be a benefit in the end. They are your baby, treat them as such!
(thanks to Nancy for all the great info!)
The first step in choosing the right groomer for you is to talk to people. Find people that have pets they get groomed. Find out where they go, if they like a particular groomer, does their pet seem happy to go or do they need to drag them in, are prices reasonable, are they happy with the cut and any negative feedback as well.
Be sure to ask people that have the same type of pet too. No use asking a dog person where the best cat groomer is! If you can find someone that has the same make and model as your pet too (coat, breed, etc) then all the better!
Next step is to actually visit the groomer. Be sure to visit without your pet first. This way you have no distractions and can ask all the questions you need to. Here is a list of things that you should find out:
- Hours - it is best to find a groomer that is open early so you can drop your pet off before work
- Prices - although it is hard to put a price on a good groomer, if the price is too high, you won't be getting your pet in to be groomed as often as they need to be
- What does the groom consist of - this may vary and you may want to find a groomer that can mix up the packages a little. Most grooms include a trim, bath, drying, brush out, nail trim, ear cleaning and some will even express anal glands. Your pet may not need all of that everytime so why pay for it!
- How is the pet dried - this may not seem to be a major concern but it can be a deadly one. Cage driers, if not monitored properly can over heat dogs and cats in a very short amount of time. If they over heat too much, death can occur. On the other hand, hand driers can be just as problematic. Misuse of these can cause localized burns. Be sure to view the drying areas and ASK!
- What type of shampoos do they use - if your pet has sensitive skin, allergies or any other conditions, will they have a shampoo that will be best for your pet's skin? Good groomers know how to choose an appropriate shampoo for your pet, if they stumble around this question, this isn't the groomer for you.
- What type of ear cleaner do they use - ask if you can bring your own if you've never heard of what they use.
- Do they do ear plucking - for those of you that have cats or non- poodle, maltese, shih tzu, etc type dogs, you need not worry about this. Those that do, ask how they do the pluck. If your pet is sensitive to powders, do they have another option?
- What do they use to clean the area - you don't have to know what the solution is but they should be cleaning with something!
- What veterinarian do they use - odd thing to ask, right? Not so. No matter how good the groomer is, accidents happen - a little nick of the skin, a toe nail that's been kwiked that won't stop bleeding - it happens. Be sure that the groomers know what to do in these situations.
- Are they familiar with your breed - this is a big one. If you have a golden retriever and the groomer has done nothing but poodles...your retriever may come home looking like a poodle. Same goes with cats. Many groomers do not do cats - ASK!
When you finally decide on the right groomer, be sure to be very specific in what you want for your pet when grooming day arrives. If you want a short cut or long, do you want bows or bandanas or not, perfumy shampoo or not, etc. ITS YOUR PET - YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASK!
Be sure to observe your pet when they come home. You don't get to see all that happens to them during a groom. Is your pet limping at all, do their feet seem tender, are they shaking their head alot or scooting their rear. All of these things can be a sign that something wasn't right at the groomer. Struggling with a pet, too short nail trims, razor burn, etc - it can happen. Listen to your pet.
It all seems like so much but trust me, every extra minute you put into choosing the best for your pet, will be a benefit in the end. They are your baby, treat them as such!
(thanks to Nancy for all the great info!)
Nail trimming - its not for everyone
Most people actually cringe when you mention trimming their pet's nails. Why is this? Maybe because most pets act like you are actually chopping their toes off, or know that their owner will kwik them or maybe they just hate their feet being touched. Whatever the reason, trimming your pet's nails can be traumatizing for both you and your pet. I'd like to talk about ways to make this experience a little better for both of you!
First lets talk about the anatomy of a nail. You'd think it would be simple but this misconception actually is the cause of many injuries during nail trims.
First lets talk about the anatomy of a nail. You'd think it would be simple but this misconception actually is the cause of many injuries during nail trims.
The kwik is the blood supply to the nail. If this area is cut, it is painful and the pet will bleed. If you are lucky, you have a pet that has white or semi see through nails. This way it is easy to make note of where that kwick is and avoid cutting it. For those of us with pet's that have nails that are black, it's anyone's guess as to where that blood supply is. Here are few tips to help.
Get a pair of nail trimmers that you are comfortable holding and using. Believe it or not this makes a huge difference. If you can not hold or are awkward holding the trimmers, you may actually harm your pet so take some time to find the one that fits you best. Here are a few examples:
Cat Nail Trimmers
Another item that you should always have on hand is styptic powder, kwik stop or baking soda just in case you do cut the kwik. These will stop the bleeding.
Now that you have the approriate tools of the trade, let's cut nails. Now if your pet is willing to have his nails trimmed, do the following. If they are fighting you, biting at you or it just seems impossible, read on and I'll give you some hints on how to restrain and condition your pet.
Clear nails:
- Hold your pet's foot and push gently on the foot just above the nail base - this will stablize the nail and in cats it will extend the nail
- Position the trimmers just below the kwik (see diagram below)
- Cut in a 45% angle
- Trim all nail and do not forget the dewclaws
Black nails:
- The same process applies but you need to take small cuts
- Start at the very tip of the name and begin shaving small slices off until you see a small dark circle appear in the center of the nail - time to stop!
Patience is the key. You may need to take the time to get your pet use to you touching their feet, the sound and feel of the clippers and even how you hold them. Taking the time to condition them will pay off in the end.
More frequent nail trim mean shorter kwiks and shorter nails. You can actually force the kwik to shorten and so will be able to cut the nails shorter over time. This is ideal because long nails do more damage than
just scratching up furniture.
Longer nails can cause the following:
- Painful changes in toes - arthritis
- Increase chances of torn toenails
- Ingrown nails - the nails can actually grow around and reenter the pad
For those pet's that really aren't comfortable having their toes touched or nails trimmed:
Dogs -
You may want to consider laying you dog in what is called the "tech hold" or lateral position. Below is an illustration that shows the basic hold. Please note that you do not want to put much pressure on the neck area - just enough to hold the head down comfortably. If your dog struggles too much, hold for a few seconds to see if the dog will calm down, if not, it is not worth you or your dog getting hurt so stop the proceedure for the day and try again the next unitl your dog is comfortable. Please know that there are those dogs out there that will NEVER be comfortable with this.
Muzzles may be needed as well to protect yourself but at this point you may not want to make enemies with your dog and will want to seek out professional help to trim your dogs nails.
Cats -
The mesh bag, nylon cat bag and muzzle are good ways to restrain you cat with no harm to anyone. Using a towel to wrap them also helps. See my post on bathing to view these.
IF YOU NEED TO STRUGGLE WITH YOUR PET MORE THAN NECESSARY, SEEK OUT PROFESSIONAL HELP TO TRIM THE NAILS!
It isn't worth it to have yourself hurt, you pet hurt or the relationship between you hurt.
Got some tips for trimming nails? Visit us on Facebook and post your ideas!
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