MARCH 2011: CANINE
“Dogs
are miracles with paws” ~ Maneera ~
With
spring just around the corner, dogs may be spending more time outdoors. Since
they’re very sensitive about their paws, it’s important for their owners to
handle feet early in life. (If a dog is older, develop trust through gradually
touching and handling.)
Along
with nail care, inspecting client paws is an important and routine part of a
groomer’s care. Because dogs are “toe walkers”, it’s especially important to
keep nails trimmed. Following are several routine steps in foot care:
v
Keep
nails trimmed (see below).
v
Dry
feet after your dog’s been stepping in water.
v
Protect
feet from puddles that may contain dangerous chemicals like anti freeze.
v
Protect
feet from hot surfaces like asphalt in the summer time, and cold, wet or icy
surfaces in the winter.
v
Inspect
pads for cuts, splinters, and other foreign materials.
v
If
your dog is a breed that grows long hair between the nails, be sure to trim so
that it doesn’t impede walking or get slippery when wet.
Three
tiers to nail trimming are: a.) routine trimming by the owner, b.) cutting
closer to the quick (the nerves & blood vessels that run through each nail)
by a groomer; c.) by the vet, if the nails are very long and/or the dog need to
be sedated.
If
you want to trim your dog’s nails yourself, this link provides good written and
visual instructions: http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/dog_claws.aspx.
Try to be prepared in case you ‘quick’ (cut the nerves & blood vessels) the
nail. While this is painful for your pet, and can produce a lot of blood, try
not to panic. The following link (best to view before you begin trimming, but
you may have to cut & paste the address into a search engine) provides a
short video with first aid instructions: http://www.ehow.com/video_2298915.
If you don’t have a prepared first aid kit, at least have flour or corn starch
to pack the wound, along with a sock, on hand. Nail trims should be a
pleasurable part of routine hygiene and not a torture session; accidents can
make a pet afraid & weary of future trimmings.
If
paw injuries aren’t treated, or if nails are long enough to become painful, a
dog may start licking, perhaps compulsively and chronically, and this creates
further problems.
Other
reasons for a dog to compulsively lick its paws can include a flea infestation,
a yeast or bacterial infection between the toes or dermatitis due to food
allergies, so it’s best to check with your vet to rule out physical causes.
Some
dogs compulsively lick their feet due to stress & anxiety. They may be
diagnosed with Canine Compulsive Disorder, seen in 2 out of 50 dogs, or roughly
2%. (Other forms of CCD are compulsive barking and tail chasing. Experts also
warn against exposing dogs to laser lights they may then obsessively chase.) There are many reasons a dog may engage in
stress related CCD, including discomfort with other pets or past and present
living conditions. It’s very important not to scold or punish a pet as this
will only make it worse by reinforcing stress & anxiety. It’s also crucial not to send a wrong message
by rewarding with petting or treats because she will most likely interpret the
behavior to be one that brings rewards.
A
dog might react to a stressful situation by barking, biting, etc., but then, when
the stress is removed, continue to respond to triggers, no matter how slight,
with this default response, after which no trigger is necessary. At this point,
the ‘self-calming’ behavior becomes compulsive and obsessive.
To
treat CCD, it’s first recommended to try to figure out and remove whatever
might be bothering the dog. Also, take the dog on walks—exercise helps
enormously because the dog can stimulate all its senses. To learn more, please
see: http://www.ehow.com/about_6127431_canine-compulsive-disorders.html
If you
would like to learn how to become a dog groomer, our classes begin the second
Tuesday of every month. Please contact our
Linda is
proud and happy to announce the birth of her Arabian filly, L.V. Gambler’s Joy,
born February 23rd . at
http://www.arabiansltd.com/our-horses/recent-sales
. Her sire is Mishaal HP, seen here on the cover of ‘Arabian Horse World’s Special Edition’. http://www.pyramidsociety.org/article/mishaal-hp-covers-arabian-horse-world-special-edition
All
three of our locations need groomers & bathers. If you or anyone you know
is interested, please see below, and give us a call!
~ Written by Rebecca Nilson ~
703-378-9500;
featherlepetcarechantilly@verizon.net,
703-430-0414; featherlepetcaresterling@verizon.net,
703-221-3647;
canineclipperschool@verizon.net