The second Sunday of September is celebrated as the National Pet Memorial Day. This day is observed to offer a tribute to your pets, past or present, and to re-attest their importance in your life. This year, the favorite day will be celebrated on September 9.

History

This was the same thought that ran through the minds of International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories members when they decided to designate the second Sunday in September as National Pet Memorial Day. It is a day where pet lovers can remember their lost friends and show their appreciation for the love, memories, and joy their pets gave them throughout their lives. National Pet Memorial Day is now celebrated by hundreds of people all over the United States. Read more

There are many ways to celebrate your pet, although, it isn’t a part of any national holiday or event.

Plant a Tree

The best way to celebrate a relationship is by planting a new sapling. This nurtures your relation with your pet until or even after the tree is gone. By planting a tree, you become closer to your pet and nature. This can be a great way to pay a tribute to your beloved pet.

Donate to a Charitable Organization

You can choose to donate money and stuffs to the organizations working for the rescue and benefit of pets. There are many organizations working for rescuing stray pets and rehabilitation. This can be a great way to pay a tribute to your pet by helping its kinds.

Volunteer with a Rescue Group

Look into volunteer opportunities with local rescue groups and animal shelters, such as walking or socializing dogs or helping out with cats who are waiting to be adopted. Your help could end up making it easier for these pets to find good homes.

Adopt a Pet

The best way to pay a tribute to your pet is by adopting another. About 3.3 million dogs and 3.4 million cats enter the shelter every year. By adopting a pet, you can save one from landing in the shelter. This can be a great deed which you can pay as a tribute to your past pet.

Share Memories

The best idea to celebrate the pet Memorial Day is by re-sharing the memories and moments you shared with them. You can use social media to post your stories and photos. Don’t forget to use the hashtag, #NationalPetMemorialDay.

September is celebrated as the Animal Pain Awareness month by International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) to coincide with Human medicine’s pain awareness month. IVAPM is an independent body which educates and informs about pet health, awareness and pain management.

In animals, especially dogs and cats, pain can come in many ways; surgical pain, arthritis, skin related disease and cancer, just to name a few.  For most pets, old age can be a result of intense physical pain, however, most causes of pain can be prevented if pet owners are aware about their pet’s health and need.

Animal pain awareness is a campaign targeted to inform all the people about how to care best for the animals in their surroundings.

Animal Pain Awareness

• Unlike humans, animals cannot report their feeling or pain, hence, most pet owners remain unaware about the ailing condition of their pets.
• Alike humans, animals account for living organisms in the world who play important role in the cycle of ecosystem.
• Most of the people in the civilized world still remain unaware about animal rights.
• Animal Pain has always remained a nonchalant subject as most societies around the world used to believe that ‘animals lack consciousness.’
• The ailing condition of an animal can sometimes be contagious which can affect animals and humans alike.

How to Encourage Animal Pain Awareness

• By educating the veterinary community to recognize and treat pain in all animal species.
• By recognizing that treating pain in animals requires an interdisciplinary approach.
• By encouraging open communication on topics related to the treatment of pain in animals.
• Supporting standards of care for animals in pain.
• Promoting pain management instruction for all veterinary students.
• Promoting humane, scientific investigation in the field of veterinary pain management.
• There are many options to treat the various causes of pain in animals including pain medications, physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, laser therapy, and therapeutic massage.

To learn more about animal pain awareness, consult with the experienced veterinarian.

Dog grooming is all about maintaining your pet’s physical health as well as appearance. Regular grooming is linked to a balanced mental and physical state of the pet. It keeps them stress-free and comfortable, especially those with long or heavy coats.

Grooming brushes are particularly designed to comb dogs with different coat types such as long and silky hair, wavy and short hair, or curly hair.

Benefits of grooming dogs

Grooming is linked to the dog’s physical and mental health, hence you can always benefit from grooming. Here are some of the major benefits of regular dog grooming.

• Grooming lessens the chances of contracting health problems such as skin allergy, parasitic infections, scratches, and matted hair. It can help eradicate major health problems.
• You can ensure the general tidiness and physical appearance by regular and proper grooming.
• Grooming keeps vital organs in check as the groomer will monitor the status of essential body parts for the infection, such as; Eyes, Ear and Teeth, Nose, Underside, Skin Coat, Nail and Pads, etc.
• The physical appearance and standard of the dog are maintained with regular grooming. Tidy dogs are more sociable.
• Grooming prevents matted hair, long and burly fur that can cause stress to many dogs on a daily basis. Grooming keeps them comfortable and happy.

Why is it important to get the dog groomed?

It is essential to start grooming at the early stage of a dog’s life. They may grow unused and hostile towards grooming such as nail clipping and ear cleaning at a later stage of life.

Here are some of the importance of regular dog grooming

a. Remove Dirt and Dead Skins

Dogs need regular cleansing of the exterior to remove dirt, dead hair, dead skin, and dandruff. Dirt and matted hair can invite tick infestation. Grooming helps to remove the hidden enzymes from coat fur and help stimulate the natural oils in the pet’s fur.

b. Avoid Nail Complications

Domesticated pet such as dogs requires regular trimming of nails to avoid nail complications. Indoor pets can often encounter problems with overgrown claws that are associated with painful conditions.

Dewclaws on the inner paws of dogs and cats can grow into toe pads, which can lead to a painful infection.

c. Avoid Dental Issues

The dental issue is one of the medical condition contracted by dogs.

By the age of 3, 70% of cats and 80% of dogs have some form of gum disease.

Periodontal is a dental disease common in dogs that starts after the bacteria in the mouth combines with food particles to form plaque on the teeth that forms tartar and enters the gum line to create toxins. If your pet remains uncured from dental disease, they are at a higher risk of heart, kidney, and liver disease.

d. Avoid Matting of Hair

Matted hair can be an extremely painful experience for dogs. It is generally caused by the uncombed hair mixed with moisture and dirt. The matted hair can be clumsy and severely painful during the movement. Severe fur matting also restricts the flow of blood and in many ways restrict their body movements resulting in temporary deformity.

e. Avoid Intestinal Conditions

Although uncommon among canines, coughing up hairball can sometimes be seen in dogs with medium to long fur. Dogs often lick their body which can accumulate loose hair into their system. It is mostly attributed to a lack of grooming

Known as tricholith or trichobezoar, hairball is the accumulated animal hair or fur that surrounds a non-digestible item generally stuck inside the stomach of the animal.

Grooming is essential to keep the pet skin cleaner. It prevents excessive licking of fur which may cause hair fall. Bathing cuts down the hairballs, which cats vomit or discard in the litter box.

f. Control Shedding

Shedding of the loose hair is common among many dog breeds. You can prevent excessive hair fall by keeping their fur clean. Regular brushing helps to prevent the accumulation of loose hair. During winter, you should avoid shedding dog hair as it helps to keep them warm

If you notice your dog shedding uncontrollably, you should seek the immediate veterinary in Des Moines to ascertain any underlying medical condition.

Types of Pet Brush

Much like your dog, pet brushes come in just about every shape or size. As a pet owner, you must first consider your pet’s coat and the grooming needs to determine what brush to buy.

a. Slicker brush

A Slicker Brush is primarily designed to get rid of any debris, loose hair and mats/ knots in the fur. It is typically rectangular in shape and has fine wire bristles, packed tightly together. This type of brush works with all pet coats.

Each wire-bristle is angled slightly as to not scratch the skin, however, you must be cautious while using this type of brush as it tends to be sharper. You shouldn’t apply heavy pressure on it.

b. Pin brush

A pin brush is often a wooden brush with wire pins that have a protective ball at the end to prevent scratching the skin.

It’s made for longer and silkier coat types. It’s usually recommended for show dogs –who have long fur coats.

c. Bristle brush

The bristle brush is best suited for dogs with short or wiry coats. The bristles remove debris and leave a nice shine. It can also be used on double-coated dogs (a soft undercoat and weather-resistant outer coat), such as Collies and Huskies.

d. Shedding blade

The shedding blade is a brush in a horseshoe shape comb with small, harmless teeth used for shedding loose fur. A shedding blade works in several ways, but you must ensure caution to avoid any injury to your dog. Do not apply heavy pressure when brushing with a shedding blade, especially around sensitive areas like the groin and bony projections.

e. Undercoat rake

The undercoat rake looks like a pin brush, but with fewer and longer pins. It’s designed to get deep into double and heavy coats of dogs.

On most shedding breeds, it can remove dead and fuzzy undercoat in minutes, and leave the topcoat shiny and healthy. On harsh-coated dogs, they mimic the hand-stripped look quickly and easily. Undercoat rakes can be used on wet or dry.

Urban Pet Hospital & Resort offers the premier Pet grooming service in Des Moines service in Des Moines. We offer best veterinarian care in Des Moines that accounts for highly skilled DVM or Veterinarians, experienced vet professionals, state-of-the-art technology and exam rooms, surgical procedures, grooming, and training.

Some of our most-sought after services include

• Internal Medicine
• Surgery
• Diagnostics & Lab Testing
• Grooming
• Training
• Dermatology
• Day Care
• Dental Care
• Nutrition
• Pain Management
• Boarding
• Preventive Tests

We specialize in pet grooming in Urbandale and offer professional grooming services for all kinds of pets. Our groomers have experience of over 40 years in handling and professional grooming of pets. We use the finest grooming tools and methods, and ensure to clean eyes, ears, teeth, nose, underside, Skin and Coat, Nails, and pads during every grooming session.

Alike humans, dogs may suffer from diabetes too. There are two types of diabetes common in dogs.

• Diabetes Insipidus
• Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes insipidus is sometimes called "drinking diabetes" because it is a rare diabetes which often leads to failure in regulating body’s water content.

Diabetes mellitus or Diabetes in general is a common disease in middle-aged and older dogs. It’s a complex disorder of carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism in dogs. It can be the result of a relative or absolute insulin deficiency or of peripheral cell insensitivity to insulin which is characterized by high blood glucose concentrations such that the renal threshold is exceeded.

It is a disease of the pancreas. Diabetes typically occurs when dogs are between 4 to 14 years old. Unspayed female dogs are twice as likely as male dogs to suffer from diabetes.

The Symptoms of Diabetes in Dogs

• Change in appetite
• Excessive thirst/increase in water consumption
• Weight loss
• Increased urination
• Unusually sweet-smelling or fruity breath
• Lethargy
• Dehydration
• Urinary tract infections
• Vomiting
• Cataract formation, blindness
• Chronic skin infections

Types of Diabetes Mellitus

There are two types of Diabetes Mellitus.

• Type I is an insulin dependent diabetes which results from total or near complete destruction of the beta-cells. It is more common form of Diabetes mellitus among dogs. Most forms of diabetes can be managed with insulin, however, dietary and lifestyle improvements are also essential.
• Type II is a non-insulin dependent diabetes because some insulin producing cells remain in the body, however, the amount produced is insufficient or the tissues of dog’s body is resistant to it. It commonly occurs in older obese dogs.

The breeds which are more prone to Diabetes are;

• Cocker Spaniel
• Dachshund
• Doberman Pinscher
• German Shepherd
• Golden Retriever
• Labrador Retriever
• Pomeranian
• Terrier
• Toy Poodle

When you know the cause, the vets can look into the diagnosis and possible treatment, however, the effective treatment is only possible during the early onset of the disease.

A well check or wellness examination is a periodic medical tests of the pets to assess their overall health. A wellness examination may also be called a 'check-up' or a 'physical examination'. The necessity of a well check is to ensure that your dog remains healthy throughout its life. A well check may also include regular shots for rabies, flu etc.

"The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recommends for dogs and cats to have check-ups annually, at least."

How often to visit Vets?

The time and duration for well checks or periodical visits may differ according to the age of the dog.

Puppy

In general, you should take your pup to your vet every 3 to 4 weeks for necessary vaccinations and to check if it’s developing any complications or other physical infirmities. The regular check may include, shots for rabies and distemper-parvo. Your pup might need shots if it’s displaying symptoms of kennel cough, influenza or Lyme disease.

Adult Dogs

Adult dogs range from the age between 1 to 7 years (depending on breed). These dogs require annual wellness check, including a heart worm test and other tests your vet recommends based on the results of the check.

A booster shots for rabies and distemper-parvo can be essential, typically every 3 years (note that there are state laws which mandate the frequency of rabies shots—your vet will tell you when you need to bring your dog in for his rabies shots).

Older Dogs

Older dogs range from the age between 7 to 10 years. These dogs require wellness check every 6 months or bi-annually. Alike humans, older dogs are prone to developing certain diseases and complications as they get older, including arthritis, gum disease, diabetes, vision problems and blindness, kidney disease, cancer, and dementia.

What to expect in Wellness Check?

Pre Examination

To better assess the need for well check, you vet will inquire about your dog’s diet, exercise, thirst, breathing, behavior, habits, elimination patterns (i.e., bowel movements and urination), lifestyle, and general health.

When you schedule a well check, your vet might ask for urine or stool sample too. It’s mandatory that you keep records of your dog’s previous tests, check-up, illness and medical history.

Physical Examination

The thorough physical examination includes;

1. Alertness and appearance: Does your dog appear bright, alert and responsive?
2. Evaluation of gait: Is there any stiffness, lameness, swelling or asymmetry?
3. Skin and hair coat: Check for inflammation on skin or hair loss and hair quality.
4. Body Condition Score (BCS): On a scale of 1-9, a number is assigned to indicate if your dog is underweight, overweight or ideal weight. A score of 5 indicates an ideal body weight.
5. Overall Measurement: The overall measurement may include assessing the body weight, body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and capillary refill time.
6. Examination of face and mouth: This includes overall tests of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and throat etc.
7. Palpation of lymph nodes: Are any enlarged or painful?
8. Auscultation: Are there unusual breath sounds, a heart murmur, or a heart rhythm abnormality? Auscultation is performed on both sides of the chest.
9. Palpation of the abdomen: Are there areas of discomfort or palpable abnormalities?
10. Rectal examination: Are there any growths present within or around the rectum? Is the prostate gland enlarged or painful? Is the stool normal?

Check Pet Medical Services to learn more about pet health and well checks.

Most dog owners choose to keep their pet inside their home and save themselves from the hassle of building or maintain the dog house. However, many owners build a dog house to provide a private space for their pets and for keeping guard or maintaining hygiene of home.

A doghouse, dog house, dogshed or kennel is a small shed commonly built in the shape of a house, a shelter intended for a dog. It is a structure in which a dog is kept and it is intended to provide a safe place to dogs outdoors.

When you build a house for your dog it is important to keep check on wear and tear, and hygiene issues too, so your dog can enjoy a safe shelter.

Here are 5 Step on maintaining your dog house

Disinfect the entire house

You must regularly disinfect your dog house for prevention from fleas, tick and other allergies. Keeping the dog shelter clean ensures that your own home is safe from germs.

You can find various disinfectants in the market, however, if you are using a bleach solution, do care to dilute it in the ratio of 1:32 (one part of bleach with thirty-two parts of water). After using the bleach, do not forget to rinse the surfaces inside the house to prevent any chemical ruins and inhalation.

Regularly clean accessories and materials

Regularly empty and clean water bowl, food bowl, toy and sheets or blankets. Keeping sheets and blankets under the sunlight kills most of the germs without the need to wash it often. Dogs often have a habit of bringing foreign stuffs inside their kennel. You must remove them and keep the inside cleaner to prevent germ infestation.

Provide cold-proof layer

If your city or suburb is colder or has a harsh winter, it is important that you provide extra protection for your dog. Warm the dog's indoor bed if the dog lies directly on cold and try making an elevated bed from the floor. Avoid metal or concrete for the floor.

Consider using a hot water bottle or a microwavable heating pad, designed to stay warm for up to 12 hours. Using heated water and food bowl is a good option. You can also add inner wall to provide insulation from cold. Care to use a plastic or flaps as the door to keep the cold out.

Check for leakages

Because of wear and tear, the dog house can endure leakage over the time. This poses a problem during rain, winter and wind.

Start by removing all the old shingles and sub-roofing. Add a layer of insulation, lay down some water-resistant membrane, and then re-shingle. You can also use water proof coating or cover for the house

Upgrade or improve doghouse every year

Although you need to clean the dog house every week, the entire house may require an upgrade or maintenance to keep it safe, clean and hygienic. The major upgrade can be done once a year.

If the growth of size is continuous, you must design the house according to dog's proportionate size. Building a larger dog house may not be suitable for smaller dogs, and vice versa.

You can consult with the Vet and experts to learn more about housing conditions and requirements.

Dog grooming is a process by which dog’s appearance is enhanced. It not only enhances the appeal but also keeps your pet hygienic and clean. It is also essential to keep your pet stress free and comfortable, especially those with long or heavy coats.

A person who professionally grooms the dog is known as dog groomer or Groomer. The grooming procedure, time and tools differ from one breed to another and one coat type to another.

5 benefits of Regular Grooming

1. Eradicate Health Problem –Grooming lessens any chances of various health problems, such as skin allergy, parasitic infections, scratches and matted hair.
2. Cleanliness –General tidiness and physical appearance is ensured by regular and proper grooming.
3. Vital Organs in Check –Grooming also monitors the status of essential body parts for the infection, such as; Eyes, Ear and Teeth, Nose, Underside, Skin Coat, Nail and Pads etc.
4. Physical Appeal –The physical appearance and standard is maintained with regular grooming.
5. Stress-free environment –Matted hair, long and burly fur can cause stress to many dogs on daily basis. Grooming keeps them comfortable and happy.

Grooming based on Coat Type

Short haired

Short-haired dogs may require fewer baths and grooming to keep them clean. Grooming every 5-6 months is generally enough. They can be bathed every 4 months. Short haired canines like German Shephard may shed excessively. You can ask your groomer for any low-shed services. Keep in mind that nothing will stop shedding entirely, not even shaving your dog.

Short hair and double coated

These kind of dogs typically shed seasonally. You can choose to groom them four times a year to keep them clean and prevent excessive shedding. They require bath every 6 weeks to keep their coat clean and also to protect their natural oil. Golden Retriever is a popular short haired doubled coated dog which requires constant grooming and bathe.

Long hair and double coated

These dogs may frequently suffer from matted and overweighed hair. Matted hair invites moist, infection and allergies. They tend to shed seasonally and have long feathers on their feet, legs, bellies, butts, and ears that needs to be trimmed often.

You must never shave your double coated dog, as they are unable to grow their top layer coat back! Akita, Alaskan Husky, Alaskan malamute, American Eskimo, Chinook, Chow Chow, Finnish Spitz and Finnish Lapphund few examples of long haired double coated dog.

Thick Undercoated

Thick undercoated dogs require proper grooming to ensure their thick undercoat remains safe. These undercoat must be removed seasonally but never shaved. Shaving may cause severe skin problem, allergy and sunburn.

Thick undercoated dogs require grooming at least every three months. Golden Retrievers, Huskies, Collies, Shelties and Shepherds are dogs with thick undercoat.

Silky coated

The single coat on dogs tend to be silkier which grows continuously, hence it must be trimmed periodically. They can be groomed every 2-3 months. Some may require grooming every 4-6 weeks to prevent severe matting. Afghan hound, Maltese dog, Shih Tzu, Skye terrier, Tibetan terrier and Yorkshire terrier are few examples of silky coated dogs.

Curvy or Wavy coated

These dogs are the most likely to mat because of the excess of hair and chances of entanglement. Any hair longer than half an inch should be brushed at least twice a week; and hair longer than an inch should be brushed daily.

They may require grooming every four to six weeks to prevent severe matting. Curly coated retriever, Pumi, Portugese water dog, irish water spaniel, Lagotto Romagnolo and Poodle are few of the curvy or wavy coated dogs.

Check Pet grooming to learn more about proper grooming technique and professional help.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or CPR is a lifesaving technique useful in many emergencies, especially when your dog’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped. Heart attack, near drowning or electric shock are few of the occasions when a dog may require CPR. Unlike humans, the resuscitation is done only through the nose but mouth, and the CPR is only performed on unconscious animal to avoid the risk of being beaten.

CPR alone is unlikely to revive the heart. Its main purpose is to restore partial flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and heart. Its objective is to delay tissue death and to extend the brief window of opportunity for a successful resuscitation without permanent brain damage.

Common CPR technique for dogs

Check for breathing and a heartbeat

Confirm if your pet is breathing or check their heartbeat. If they aren’t breathing or there is no sign of heartbeat, then immediately begin CPR with chest compression.

Give chest compression

CPR for Dogs below 30 Pounds (14 kg)

For cats, small dogs and deep chested dogs, place the heel of one of your hands directly over the pet’s heart and place your other hand directly over the first hand.

Compress the chest for one inch to one-quarter or one-third the width of the chest for a count of one and then let go for a count of one. Carry on at a rate of 100 compressions in a minute.

CPR for Dogs above 30 Pounds (14 kg)

Without bending both the elbows, press the rib cage in a downward motion.

Compress the chest for one-quarter to one-third the width of the chest for a count of one and then let go for a count of one. Carry on at a rate of 80 compressions per minute.

Make sure the chest comes back fully (recoils) before compressing again.

Give resuscitation

To provide resuscitation, gently close the dog’s mouth and extend the neck to open the airway. Cover their nose with your mouth and exhale until you see their chest rising. Give a second rescue breath.

Continue CPR

Continue giving CPR with a cycle of 30 chest compressions and 2 rescue breaths until your dog begins breathing again on its own.

Check again for breathing and a heartbeat

Briefly check for breathing and a heartbeat every 2 minutes.

If your dog doesn’t show any sign of improvement after 10 minutes, you can stop the procedure as it hasn’t proven successful.

Although it’s uncommon among canines, coughing up hairball can sometimes be a problem for dogs with medium to long fur. It is mostly attributed to self-grooming, however, there other reasons for the dogs to ingest its own hair.

Unlike dogs, felines or cats have a major problem of vomiting hairballs frequently as they are more susceptible to self-grooming and cleanliness causing ingestion of huge amount of hair.

What is hairball?

Known as tricholith or trichobezoar, hairball is the accumulated animal hair or fur that surrounds a non-digestible item generally stuck inside the stomach of the animal. It is generally accumulated when the hair doesn’t pass through feces and is stuck in the intestine.

The hairball is generally shaped rounded, tubular or spherical, depending on amount ingested. It can be wet and soggy mass or a dry one too.

Why do dogs cough up hairballs?

Typically, a dog who inadvertently swallows his own hair or fur in the process of self-grooming will pass any stray hairs in his feces. As they don’t often groom themselves like cats, ingestion of hair is least common among most dogs.

Hairball formation has a kind of snowball effect; once a hairball begins to form, the more hair a dog ingests, the larger it becomes. Once a hairball is large enough, physical discomfort may compel them to vomit it out.

Self-grooming

Self-grooming is the major cause of hair ingestion. The licking of own fur can sometimes lead to ingestion of hair and causes to accumulate inside the bowel.

Fur Shedding

Fur shedding can be other major reason for hair ingestion. There is fur shedding season for dogs which can cause them to ingest more hair than often.

Wound, Tick-bite or Allergy

Sometimes, wound or tick-bite can cause dogs to lick their hair more often. This can lead to ingestion of more amount of hair which isn’t easily passable through the bowel.

Eating prey

Some dogs with prey instincts tend to eat up the whole animal with feather and furs. Since hair is indigestible, it will remain inside their stomach and accumulate over the time.

How to prevent it?

There are many ways to prevent dogs from swallowing their own hair. First, let’s look at the symptoms of hairball problems.

Symptoms

• Repeated attempts to cough or vomit
• Dry heaving
• Constipation
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Gagging
• Diarrhea
• A bloated stomach, in more serious cases

The possible prevention methods for hairball ingestion are;

Go to Vet

See you veterinarian to assess if your pet has any skin allergy or parasitic infestation. If it isn’t skin allergy or parasitic infestation, the vet may refer laxative or dietary changes.

Hydration

A well-hydrated dog experiences efficient bowel movements.

Grooming

Grooming is essential to keep pet skin cleaner. It prevents excessive licking of fur which may cause hair fall.

Playtime

Dogs which are more preoccupied with boredom may start chewing or licking themselves simply to pass the time. This may cause hair ingestion, hence, you need to keep your dog occupied with enough fun time.

Learn more about pet care and grooming.

Bathing your dog is essential to keep it clean and hygienic or parasite free. The pets enjoy an entirely different lifestyle than us humans, hence, their hygiene may vastly differ. Dogs tend to keep themselves cleaner by licking themselves or by removing toxins from skin through perspiration, however, this may not prove to be hygienic for the owners.

The type of bath and how often may depend on various factors. It is essential that you consult with the Veterinarian or the pet shop owner with whom you bought your dog before indulging in any particular bathing practice.

What is the nature of your dog?

Dogs who spent more time outside the house may need frequent bath than the one staying inside the house. Most dogs tend to just sit on the couch in a room all day.

If a dog play outside in mud and soil, it may need regular wash with soap and brush. These dogs have tendency to carry alien parasites if not cleaned properly and can contaminate entire house indoors.

What type of coat does your dog has?

Bathing once a month works with almost all the dog, however,

• Dogs with oily coat like Basset Hounds may need a weekly wash.
• Dogs with short hair, like; Beagles and Weimaraners, may need less frequent baths.
• Dogs with water-repellant coats, like; Golden Retriever and Great Pyrenees may need less baths so as to preserve their natural skin oil.
• Dogs with thick, double coat such as Samoyeds, Malamutes and other northern breeds may need fewer baths and lot of scrubbing to get the dirt off their skin.

Does your dog have any skin related or dermatological condition?

As stated before, dogs with short fur and thin coat may need lesser bathe than the rest, however, the skin condition may remain a useful factor in deciding how often to bathe your dog.

Dogs with acute allergies, excess hair loss, bald or dry patches, lumps and bumps need special care. You must consult your veterinarian and only bathe with certain products or at a time prescribed by the expert.

In most cases, wrong shampoo or frequent baths can cause skin related problems. This can be eradicated by consulting with the Vet or when you first catch the sign of any problem.

What bathing products to use?

Soaps and shampoo used by humans mustn’t be used for dogs. Human skin has pH level of 5 while dogs have pH level of 7. The shampoo used by humans are more acidic in nature, which if used on dogs can cause irritation or skin rashes.

Bathing product must have a pH value that is especially formulated for a dog's delicate skin, between 6.5 to 7.5.

The Vets can recommend the right shampoo and technique of bathing to prevent any problem in the future. You should always stick to quality dog related bathing products.

How to bathe your Dog?

The process of bathing your dog is simpler. Here are few factors to remember,

Brush them before bath

It is essential to brush your dog before bath to prevent matted hair which soaks up lot of water and can cause irritations later.

Use lukewarm water

Do not use hot or warm water to bathe your dog, as they have sensitive skin. Hot water can burn the skin easily. Using cooler water for the most larger breed dogs is recommended as they tend to easily overheat.

Use dog shampoo

You must always use dog shampoo and products. The dog shampoo specifically comes with ph level of above 6 and up to 7.5 which is recommended for their skin. Shampoo with lesser pH level are acidic and can cause skin irritations.

Rinse well

You must rinse them well after bath to soak up the water. Water left in the ear or sensitive areas can cause irritation later.

Air-dry

Using natural air-dry or dryer specifically for dogs is essential to keep their fur in healthy condition.

Reward your dog

Do not forget to reward your dog after the bathe to encourage them to stay healthy and love occasional baths.

Check out Pet Grooming to learn more about your dog’s habits and grooming.