Spa days are not just for humans
Everyone can benefit from a spa day! Just like us, our pets may need an occasional bath, haircut or nail trimming.
However, to make these activities enjoyable and stress free, it’s important to prepare your critter for grooming.
Getting your pet used to grooming techniques from a young age can make their future less stressful for you, your pet and your groomer. At a young age, regularly maneuvering their feet and body into various positions and restraints that may be used to groom can create a safe situation. The use of treats, toys and lots of rewards can also make experiences such as bathing and nail trimming enjoyable.
Whether your pet frequents a grooming salon or vet clinic for their routine nail trims or haircuts, as a pet owner, it’s important to have some level of comfort doing basic grooming on your own if need be. This will help avoid a potential stressful situation if you are unable to get to a professional in a timely manner and your pet requires care. Watching educational videos, chatting with a professional for tips and having an extra set of hands can help if you do attempt to groom at home. However, I recommend leaving things that are out of your comfort level to the professionals.
Maintaining a routine grooming schedule is necessary for proper animal welfare. If this is neglected, it can cause concern for the pet’s health. For instance, nails that become too long can cause discomfort while walking. If the nails become long enough to curl into the pads of the animal’s feet, it can cause extreme pain and the potential for infection.
Also, for an animal that tends to accumulate mats in their fur, the knots may cause a constant tug at their skin, leading to irritation. Unfortunately, these issues also have the potential to lead to behavioural problems due to the ongoing discomfort. It’s important to remember that regardless of the pet you have, there is a chance they will need to be groomed. Guinea pigs, rabbits and birds all require occasional grooming, along with dogs and cats.
The next time you decide to treat yourself to a haircut or manicure, you should consider booking your pet in to their groomer as well. We all feel better after some pampering and our pets deserve to feel their best!
Laura Gauthier is a veterinary assistant at Central Nova Animal Hospital in Bible Hill and an aspiring veterinarian. With a love for all animals, large and small, she is dedicated to sharing the joy and magic that animals bring.