Some dog owners consider grooming a luxury, and wrongly so! Professional grooming is actually a necessary component of your dog’s wellness and healthcare planning, even for short-haired or other low-maintenance breeds. A knowledgeable groomer is the first line of defense between your dog and a host of potential health issues and can provide many of the same services as your veterinarian, but often at a lower cost without sacrificing experience or humane care. Let’s examine some important aspects of dog grooming in terms of their health benefits.
Eye and Ear Health
According to My Second Home Pet Resort, many dogs are prone to tear staining, eye infections, or cataracts. They say, “A good groomer can treat the first one of those for the comfort of the dog and may detect the others before you recognize them yourself. Detecting eye issues early make it more likely that, when treated by your vet, vision can be preserved.”
Grooming is a necessary measure for both treating and preventing the scourge of ear mites, which are common in many floppy-eared breeds, although any dog can get them. Regular ear care and cleaning helps to prevent or curtail a serious infestation of mites. Groomers can also attend to trouble ear hairs that may bother or discomfort the dog. These are often seen in poodles and poodle mixes.
Dental Health
While dental hygiene should begin at home, many groomers offer teeth brushing services for their canine clients. They are often the first to notice teeth and gum issues, including abscesses or tooth decay. Groomers can usually recommend good products and practices to supplement brushing, which some dogs find stressful. This is good preventative maintenance, since teeth problems are very common in dogs, especially those that primarily eat soft food. Dental care can also be an important way to detect oral cancers in dogs.
Skin Health
At some point in their life, many dogs experience skin issues, including dry skin, hot spots, or flea and tick bites. Not only can these be identified by a groomer, but many times, a groomer can treat them or provide necessary advice for successful home treatment. Dry skin, for instance, can be managed with dietary changes and special shampoos, while flea and tick shampoos can reduce bites, which could otherwise lead to more serious health problems.
Anal Gland Expression
Sometimes things get a little bumpy toward the back of the bus. Small dogs especially may need their anal glands expressed, or emptied, to prevent impaction or infection. This can be done by many groomers. A veterinarian is usually only required after a problem has developed. Prevention is the best option, especially since severely impacted glands are very painful to the dog and potentially life-threatening for the smallest breeds. Medication and/or surgery can be necessary if the glands are infected or left in an infected state for too long.
Early Cancer Detection
Cancer is relatively common in dogs, especially those that have not been spayed or neutered. Some breeds have a very high cancer risk, like the Golden Retriever, which has a cause of death rate for cancer of nearly 60 percent. Most dogs are not as cancer-prone; however, as dogs begin to live longer lives, much like humans have in the past century, cancer is increasingly becoming an issue of concern.
Most dogs are ideally seen by a veterinarian once per year for their vaccinations and annual check-up. Because dogs visit their groomers more than they visit the vet in many cases, a groomer is often the first person to detect a tumor or lesion. This can enable owners to seek help for their dog much sooner, potentially saving or extending their life.
Overall, groomers provide important services beyond simply keeping dogs clean and pretty. They are often the person who provides preventative maintenance and the first to know when something has gone wrong, including everything from anal gland impaction to cancerous tumors. All dog owners should consider using a knowledgeable and experienced groomer for the comfort, health, and longevity of their canine companion.
