Pawrenting: Grooming basics for your pet
Woman walking dog. Grooming is also a time to bond with your pet, so make it as regular as you can.
What you need to know:
- As much as cats are clean, there are parts of the ears they will not reach.
- Check the amount of dirt from the cotton balls, and if it is more than you normally see, they could be a sign of an ear infection.
- Other infection signs could be a discharge, ears turning red, an odour or swelling.
There are several points of consideration when sprucing up a pet, one of them is, grooming. From their fur, ears, nails and eyes. Let’s start with their nails, always keep them short. Long nails can not only scratch you or your children when playing with the pet, but they also make it difficult for the pet to walk.
Trimmed nails
The real test is cutting them because, if you cut them too deep it causes a lot of pain and excessive bleeding your cat or dog. For you to do it correctly, train your pet to have a good association with trimmed nails. Start by showing them the nail clipper and allow them to smell and tinker with it. Also, keep the trimmer around them, to familiarise with it. Do not be in a hurry, be ready with treats to reward them for any step they make. Then swiftly work your way around the trimmer, only when they are calm. It will take several attempts, but they will eventually tolerate the trimming.
Tear stains
Remember to regularly look out for any buildup of dirt, mixed with tears in the corners of their eyes. Wipe it away with moist cotton wool. If you have a fluffy dog, make sure the hair does not fall into their eyes, it irritates them.
Call your vet in case you see your pet having signs of an eye infection such as cloudiness, redness, excessive discharge or squinting. If your cat or dog has tear stains, especially noticeable on the white ones, call your vet to determine if they could be having allergies or issues with their tear ducts.
Clean ears
Many pet owners forget to clean their pets' ears. You need cotton balls and cleaning solution which you get from a pet shop to dab the inside of the ear flap. As much as cats are clean, there are parts of the ears they will not reach. Check the amount of dirt from the cotton balls, and if it is more than you normally see, they could be a sign of an ear infection. Other infection signs could be a discharge, ears turning red, an odour or swelling. Also, if your cat or dog is scratching the ear a lot or rubbing it on the floor and other surfaces, it would be a sign of a parasitic infection that causes inflammation and irritation to the ear.
Grooming is also a time to bond with your pet, so make it as regular as you can.
