Trimming dog's paw
Reasons for trimming a dog’s paws:-
- Firstly, dirt, soil and various types of debris will trap in the fur , if not removed, it will cause irritation and hurt the dog's feet as he walks.
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| The hair at the paw before trimmed |
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| Clean paw - neater and tidier |
Therefore, it is important to trim the hair and clean the paw clean
in order to keep it healthy , comfortable, neater and tidier.
Ear care and cleaning
Ear cleaning and checking is part of regular grooming routing to prevent ear infection. Excess ear wax and hair around ear canal (see fig. 1) prevent fresh air circulating, thus creating a damp environment where bacteria or fungus thrive.
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| fig 1. |
Once the dog's ears are infected, the infection can travel anywhere to the body through the blood which leads to permanent ear damage resulting in hearing loss.
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| fig. 2 |
Common Symptoms of ear problems are:
- painful to touch
- scratching the ears
- fluid discharge in the ear
- foul odour
-swelling of ear flap or ear canal
-redness of ear flap or ear canal(fig. 2)
Safety measurements to be taken for ear cleaning:
1. Do not use water to clean. This will create a damp environment for bacterial and fungus to grow.
2. Do not use alcohol to clean. If there is any skin problem (even a mild one), alcohol will burn.
3. Do not use a syringe, this may damage the ear.
4. Never push a cotton swab or your your finger into the dog's ear than you can see.
Showing below one of my member dogie's ear before and after cleaning.
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| Before cleaning |
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| After cleaning |
** So to all dog owners , in order to keep your dogie happy and have a good health, regularly examine and cleaning is important.
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MATTED FUR
Dog's skin depend on the hairs and oils to keep it clean and in good condition. The mats not only lead to variety type of skin problems as the trap moisture next to the skin as well as cause very discomfort able to your dog.
Matted fur happen to your dog mostly because it lacks of grooming and brushing. When you notice matted fur on your dog, it is very important to remove the mat as soon as possible as the mat will only get worse if it is not removed.
In short, matted fur can be avoided with regular grooming. Brushing not only can prevent matted fur as well as help to distribute oils in your dog's coat and help his fur clean and healthy.
Pictures below showing the result of the matted fur due to the dogs lack of grooming which in turn lead to skin problems.
Dogs with matted hair which need immediate grooming:
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Brushing teeth for your dog
As a professional groomer, I've noticed that a lot of pet owner have overlooked oral hygiene for their pet. Just like human, brushing their teeth regularly (daily if possible)will help to keep their breath fresh and remove the plaque on the surface of their teeth before it become 'tartar' which cannot be removed by a brus
Avoid using human toothpaste which contain detergents which will upset your pet's stomach.Pet toothpaste contains several different active ingredients and it can be swallowed.
Step by steps of brushing teeth
1.Start by using a piece of wet cloth gently rubbing on her teeth and gums.This is to let
her get use to the sensation of the brushing.
2. As long as your dog feel comfortable, introduce her with the toothbrush with toothpaste.
3. Begin by brushing her teeth from the back to the front of the mouth using the circular motion. For the first brushing session, start by brushing the few front teeth as not to frighten her. You should be able to brush her few more teeth on the subsequent brushing session. By end of the week, you will be able to brush her entire mouth.
Remember to talk to your dog during the brushing session and don't forget to praise her for doing the good job after the brushing.
** ENJOY BRUSHING...**
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Anal Gland
Dog's anal gland are the 2 small glands located on either side of the anus.
They are filled with foul & smelly substances. The glands are expressed when dogs urinate, defecate and mark the territory.
Your dog's anal gland will become impact if they fail to properly expressed, this will make them very uncomfortable. Once your dog's anal gland are not sufficiently expressed, bacteria will build up and infection will occur.
The anal gland problem can be associated with the quality of the pet food they take. High quality pet foods produce firmer more impact stool which help to express dog anal gland. While low quality dog food contains too much cheap fillers which produce soft stool and in turn fail to provide necessary pressure to express the anal gland.
Signs of anal problem:
1.. Licking and bit ting the anus.
2.Rubbing the anal area against the floor.
3.Sitting uncomfortably.
4. Chasing his tail.
If you have noticed one or more of the signs above , this mean that his/her anal gland is full and need to be expressed.
How to express anal gland?
1. With the dog standing,lift upward the tail.
2.Locate the anal gland by feeling with your index finger and thumb at 5 & 7 o'clock position.
3. With the tissue on hand, gently squeeze the glands inward and upward towards the anus. The foul and smelly dark substance should flow out.
4. Repeat the step 3 until no more smelly discharge.
The importance of trimming dog's nails
When you hear a clicking sound when your dog walks around, this means that his nails are too long and require trimming at once.
Trimming your dog nails is a regular task that every dog owner needs to do in a frequency basic. (every 4 to 6 weeks) to keep your dog healthy and active .Overgrown nails (shown in the pic below) can cause broken nails which are painful and bleed profusely. Untrimmed nails can curl and grow into the pad of the dog's paw which cause painful and serious infection.
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| overgrown nails cause the discomfort to the dog |
When trimming the nails, don't forget to trim the dewclaws. The dewclaws are the nails located on the inside of the paw. These nails don't touch the ground and won't wear down as other nails as your dog walks on the rough surface.
When the dog toe nails grow, the quick (the quick is a blood vessel that carries blood supply to the nails) inside the dogs nails grow as well. For trimming the long nails, the best is to trim bit by bit at a time and the quick will regress a little every time the nails are clipped.
Oops, I have trimmed the nail too short and is bleeding . What should I do now ??
Don't panic owner, just apply some styptic powder and press against the bleeding toe nails, the nails will eventually stop bleeding in 5 to 10 Min's.If you don't have styptic powder, you can use either cornstarch or flour .
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| All the nails before trim |
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| All the nails are trimmed and filed |
