Regular grooming does more than keep your dog neat and clean. Via grooming, owners or professional groomers can detect certain health issues before the animal shows obvious symptoms. That’s why grooming is such an essential part of canine care. There’s an advantage to having your dog groomed professionally. A groomer knows to go over an animal carefully to look for abnormalities that the owner may miss.
Parasites
You may treat your dog for fleas or ticks, or keep a close eye to make sure your pet isn’t infested. However, some anti-flea and tick remedies are ineffective, or you may not notice a mild flea infestation or ticks imbedded into the skin. Grooming and bathing should reveal these nasties.
Dental Issues
As part of a basic health check, the groomer should observe the condition of your dog’s teeth. Decaying teeth often have an underlying infection. Red or swollen gums may indicate gum disease.
Skin Infections
Owners of short-haired dogs usually take care of grooming themselves. When a dog sports long hair, that’s a much more demanding chore, and it’s easier to miss minor cuts or scrapes that could become infected. During grooming and bathing, these infections are revealed.
For instance, ear odor is common in dogs and may not signal an issue. If the ear smells bad, however, that may indicate infection.
Seborrhea
If your dog’s skin is especially greasy, that’s a sign of seborrhea. In some breeds, the condition is inherited. In other canines, the flaky, greasy skin is a symptom of allergies, hormonal imbalances, or serious disease such as skin lymphoma. Seborrhea may also produce skin lesions.
Growths
The groomer will run their hands all over the dog’s body. If there are lumps and bumps, they will make a note of it and mention it to you. Perhaps it’s a benign growth or wart that you and your vet are already aware of, but it’s crucial to have any new lump checked out. Even if you think you give your pet a regular going-over, many owners miss areas such as under the armpits where growths may develop.
Feet
Many dogs are not comfortable having their feet handled or their toenails clipped. A groomer should perform these tasks. Owners can’t view the state of their dog’s nails if the animal’s feet are hairy and overgrown. Long nails can result in painful foot splaying.
Make a Veterinary Appointment
If you or your groomer find a potential health issue, make an appointment with your vet to have your pet examined and treated. The good news is that early detection and treatment of some skin issues means solving the problem relatively quickly.
Quality Equipment for Pet Care Professionals
At Direct Animal, our pet care experts design and manufacture durable, state-of-the-art equipment made to last the life of your business. These items include easy-to-clean kennel panels, animal cages, and professional dog grooming equipment. Whether you’re a vet, luxury boarding facility, animal shelter, or doggy daycare, you can rely on Direct Animal for hygienic, affordable, and ergonomic animal care equipment.
