The more you know!

Here is some information about interesting stuff that most people do not know. I believe it is incredibly important educate my clients on some of the issues that can affect their babies.  Some issues are more of a vet issue rather than a groomer issue….anal glands being the first….ear plucking being at the bottom with links to a very informative grooming blog, Grooming Smarter by Debbi Hilley.

This is why I will not do anal glands…unless a vet says it is needed. I am not going to intentionally cause harm and a lifetime of problems for a healthy dog. Very good video.

Why diet is so important!

Yeasty dogs (ears, skin, itchy ect)

Hot spots

Here is why I do not pluck ears.  I do not want to cause more damage to your pup.  Several of my return clients are seeing improved ears! It is so exciting for me when I can make a difference in a client dog and make them feel better!

http://groomwise.typepad.com/grooming_smarter/2012/04/ear-care-101.html

http://groomwise.typepad.com/grooming_smarter/2010/10/cleaning-ears-in-the-tub.html

http://www.petgroomerforums.com/chat/showthread.php?56286-No-More-Ear-Plucking!-BBird-Article

I hear this all the time…cotton in the ears…water doesn’t cause the infection.  Dogs need regular ear cleaning just like people….so of course they will have ear trouble if they only get cleaned once or twice a year.  My personal dogs have NEVER had ear trouble (knock on wood) and, guess what, I have never plucked their ears nor have I used cotton in their ears.  It is all about a nutritious diet and proper doggie-maintenance.  Granted, some doggies can have chronic ear issues just like humans, but again that is a vet issue, not a groomer issue.  Bottom line is our dogs depend on us, the owner, to be responsible and maintain and do our very best to take care of them, just like a child.  We clean our kids ears, we brush their hair and give them a bath and haircut more than once or twice a year.  We wouldn’t let a child walk around with an ear infection without trying to fix it and make them feel better?  So why should it be different for our furry kids?  Proper cleaning and care at home, in between grooms is essential to maintain a healthy ear and a healthy pup.  It will save you vet bills in the future as well as pain and suffering for your doggie.

NO MORE EAR HAIR PLUCKING!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contrary to what you may have been previously taught, requested, or commanded, the current advice from veterinary dermatologists is that plucking ear hair can do more harm than good.  Rather than prevent ear infections, this procedure can actually create a greater likelihood of infection by damaging the tender inner ear tissue and allowing a foothold for bacteria to thrive. 

In her presentation to Tucson, Arizona groomers, “Ears: What Every Groomer Needs to Know”, Dr. Heide Newton, DVM, DACVD plainly stated that groomers should stop plucking ear hair from inside dog’s ears. “Healthy ears are self-cleaning”, stated Dr. Newton. She encouraged groomers to continue the practice of ear cleaning, however, using products formulated for ear care, and massaging the base of the ear to allow the product to loosen wax and debris from deep in the ear canal.  Clipping and/or careful scissoring of excess hair around the ear opening is also helpful for maintaining ear health. Q-Tips should be used only on the crevices of the outer ear, not down into the ear canal.  The concern is not that the eardrum might be damaged as with human ears, but that waxy material may be inadvertently packed further into the ear canal.

Another clear statement from Dr. Newton was that “Bathing with clean water will NOT cause ear infections.”  Contaminated water may introduce microbes that lead to ear infections, but clean water is not a problem. 

The possibility of cross-contamination from an infected ear to the other ear or another animal is the one area where groomers might be at fault.  It is very possible for pseudomonas bacteria, the most common infection agent, to transfer from an infected ear to various surfaces and then be picked up by other animals or even humans.  The most obvious sign of a pseudomonas infection is what vets call a “purulent exudate”. Translation: yucky discharge.  If the groomer suspects an ear infection, Dr. Newton suggested the following protocol:

1.     Clean the GOOD ear first. 

2.     If the ear with the suspected infection is cleaned, be gentle and use a non-stinging ear cleaner. The groomer may also choose to not clean an ear with a suspected infection, especially if it looks serious.

3.     Disinfect everything that has had contact with the suspicious ear or might  be sprayed with shaking of the ears.  This includes, your hands, the tub, the faucets, any tools, the table, the kennel and bedding, and the tip or spout of the ear cleaner bottle. 

In addition to ear discharge, other signs of ear abnormality are redness, itchiness, odor, swollen tissue of outer ear, hair loss on earflap, and scabs or scaliness.  Ear problems are often quite complex and difficult to nail down and treat.  A referral to the veterinary dermatologist can result in a quicker and more accurate diagnosis and more effective treatment, thus lessening the time the pet has to suffer with uncomfortable, often painful conditions.  By encouraging pet parents to seek treatment for suspected ear problems, the professional groomer is serving the needs of the pet. 

Speaking to about forty Tucson pet groomers, Dr. Newton is a member of Dermatology For Animals, a group of practicing veterinary dermatologists based in Gilbert, Arizona with practices in several states across the U.S.  Veterinary dermatologists such as Dr. Newton, undergo several years additional training and examinations beyond that required of general practitioners.    In addition to working full-time in the Tucson practice, she currently serves on the American College of Veterinary Dermatology (ACVD) Exam Committee (the certifying board) and is a lecturer for the North American Veterinary Dermatology Forum (NAVDF) Resident Education Forum. 

Additional References:

Pseudomonas Article – http://www.allergyearskincare.com/animal-care/component/content/article/81.html

No More Us for You by David Fernandez (2009)

The one-year anniversary of the death of my boyfriend was approaching and the events of that Monday afternoon were coming back to me, playing in my head like a movie (p 13).

Isabel is still dealing with the accidental death of her boyfriend, Gabriel, when she meets Vanessa, the new girl at school. Vanessa works at a contemporary art museum downtown where Carlos was recently hired as a guard. Through Vanessa, Carlos and Isabel meet… but will Vanessa be their undoing?

Told in alternating perspectives (Carlos and Isabel), this book is a rather hum drum story, touching on a variety of heavy topics like teen pregnancy, dating, cheating, drinking, death and grief. With the exception of grief, none were dealt with in much deapth.

There is a surprising twist in the late middle of the book that propeled me to the finish, but I probably wouldn’t have read this if I wasn’t assigned it as a Garden State Teen Book Award reader. Just not my type of read. However, I think it will stike a chord with a large number of (average or below-average reader) teens.

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