Grooming, Not Just For Looking Pretty
By Salvador Gomez, head groomer at VCA Hillcrest Animal Hospital
One of my primary roles as a pet groomer is to make pet owners aware of certain things we experience with your pets. In some cases, our findings are life saving.
One day I was grooming a dog and came across a new, mole-like growth. As a groomer, we always alert owners of new growths. However, in this case the mole was malignant. It was removed by the veterinarian, and as of today the pet is alive and well at the age of 15, and still going strong.
Ear infections can be very painful for your pet. By bringing your pet in to be groomed on a regular basis we can keep ears free of excess hair. This procedure enables air to get into the canals, which helps to keep infections from occurring. Dogs that have an excess amount of ear hair, not groomed on a regular basis, suffer more. That’s because there is a larger amount to remove at a single time. By delaying, it can be more uncomfortable, than if you came in regularly for this procedure.
Weight loss or gain are also life changing issues as groomers. We observe and alert the pet owners. As a member of our canine team, Meadow Beidler, who specializes in cat grooming at VCA Hillcrest Animal Hospital, will alert cat owners when she feels there has been a significant amount of weight loss on a cat. That’s because this can often be due to a health issue, and needs to be addressed by their veterinarian.
It’s always my advice to owners that food intake may need to be modified when there is a waistline issue. We may need to suggest a reduction on treats/cookies or food intake, as excess weight can lead to many health issues.
Additionally, as soon as your new puppy has received its last set of vaccinations, it is beneficial for them to get their first grooming. If you do this, they will receive early exposure to the clippers, dryers, and noise that comes with the grooming experience.
Ultimately, it should be your goal to provide your puppy with an enjoyable grooming experience, and your aging animal to being groomed on a regularly basis.
Category: Animals, Business, Health & Fitness, Local News
