Archive for the ‘Grooming’ Category

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Winter Paw Care: How To Protect Your Dog’s Feet

Monday, January 16th, 2012
Dog Paws Winter Care

"Give me five!" Make sure to keep those paws happy and healthy!

Results from a recently released study conducted by Japanese scientists at Tokyo’s Yamazaki Gakuen University suggest that dogs have special blood vessels in their feet that actually help protect them from the effects of snow and ice. The researchers propose a mechanism that they’ve termed a “counter-current heat exchange:” when a paw is cooled by contact with frozen ground, warmth from the arteries in the paw is transferred to the vessels in the paws which helps to keep the paw at a tolerable temperature. Of course, pads contain a lot of fatty tissue, which doesn’t freeze as easily as other kinds of tissue. In addition, the special blood vessels in the pads warm the blood before it flows back to the body – thus helping keep the dog’s body temperature from falling uncomfortably low.

Even though systems like this are seen in other animals, including penguins and foxes, many earthbath fans vehemently disagree with the thought that all dogs are cold-weather proof:

“Apparently, my pugs are lacking these vessels- one sniff of the cold air and they about face into the house. Then once outside they continually pick up alternate feet to avoid the frozen feet feeling.”

“Many short-haired dogs will not last more than 10 minutes in -35C before they start crying in pain and hopping about from foot to foot or leaving bits of skin frozen to the sidewalk.”

…and we too, have seen many dogs unhappily affected by the cold. Which brings us to our main point: take care of those little puppy paws in the winter months! We’ve got some easy tips for you to ensure that everyone is comfortable, even when the snow is blowing and the wind chill is dropping.

  • Trim the hair between the pads and around the feet to minimize the clinging of ice balls, salt crystals and de-icing chemicals that can dry on the skin.  Find a video on how to trim your dog’s paw hair at the bottom of this post.
  • After walks, use a basin of warm water and earthbath wipes to clean off stinging, irritated paws. After each walk, ensuring that your pet’s feet are washed and dried to remove ice, salt and chemicals will help make sure they stay comfortable and dry.
  • Check for cracks in paw pads or redness between the toes, and if you see signs of irritation or dryness, massage in a little SheaPet Aloe and Shea Butter Treatment Balm to soothe those toes. Just as with human skin, moisturizing after a walk through the ice and snow will always help prevent chapped paws. Best not to use petroleum jelly or other potentially toxic-when-ingested lubricating agents, as dogs like to lick their paws!
  • Booties help minimize contact with painful salt crystals, poisonous anti-freeze and chemical ice-melting agents. They can also help prevent sand and salt from getting lodged in between bare toes and pads, causing irritation.
  • Make sure to use pet-friendly ice melts whenever possible, even though you can’t control what your neighbors or your city uses on sidewalks and streets.
  • And remember, if the weather’s too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for your dog. Animal companions should remain indoors as much as possible during the winter months.

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Posted in Dogs, earthbath, Grooming, Pet News, Pet Owners, Pet Safety | No Comments »

The importance of winter grooming: follow our four tips!

Friday, January 6th, 2012
a happy winter dog is a healthy groomed winter dog

Raindrops on roses and snowflakes on noses... keep your dog happily groomed this winter!

There’s a common misconception that dogs don’t need to be groomed, or only groomed minimally, over the winter months. The (erroneous) belief is that a dog’s winter coat comes in and should be allowed to grow long to protect and warm the dog. In addition, because dogs, like humans, often follow a more sedentary and inside routine in the winter, many people feel that their dogs aren’t getting dirty enough to warrant bathing. But this is simply not true. In fact, in many ways, grooming over the winter months becomes even more important to the health of your dog than at any other time of the year. Long, wet, matted hair easily makes a cold, wet, and infection-susceptible dog.

While it’s true that double-coated breeds and others with thick, long fur are more winter-ready than short-haired dogs, the “blessing” of these thick coats in winter can turn quickly into a curse if the fur isn’t maintained in a healthy condition. Fur that’s matted doesn’t insulate or provide warmth; instead, it provides discomfort, pain, and hot spots. Matting can even lead to infections below the skin, so when considering the effects of letting the grooming go, consider how your dog’s health may in fact suffer as a result. Grooming isn’t just for a beautiful dog (though this is obviously one noticeable effect), it’s also crucial for your dog’s good health.

Winter pitfalls to your dog’s coat and skin include:

  • Dry forced-air heat
  • Bitter, cold temperatures
  • Wind
  • Snow and ice
  • Dampness
  • Salt and sand used on streets and sidewalks

Simply follow these four grooming rituals through the winter to combat these winter blahs, and ensure that your dog stays comfortable, dry, and healthy!

  • Regular rub-downs: Any time your dog is wet, whether it’s from playing in the snow, running in the rain, or just following a bath, make sure to dry him thoroughly. In the winter this becomes especially important because your dog is just as susceptible to chills as you are. Think about being outside in freezing temperatures with a head full of wet hair: then consider that your dog doesn’t have the benefit of indoor plumbing and don’t subject him to this discomfort! In addition, your dog’s skin can become very dry and itchy when its fur isn’t dried fully combined with the excessively dry air created from indoor electric heaters.
  • Getting 100 strokes in: The most important grooming procedure at any time of year is to brush your dog’s coat regularly. Brushing helps to keep away mats and tangles, which only get worse the longer they’re allowed to stick around.  Mats and tangles prevent the distribution of the oils that naturally occur in the skin that help to condition and stimulate the skin and coat. This means an increase in dry skin, dull coat, and worse: infected hot spots. During the winter months, mats are the worst enemy to a properly maintained coat’s natural insulating qualities. A beautiful, mat-free coat helps to insulate body heat and radiates this heat back into the body, keeping a protective barrier between the dog and external cold air. Mats have a tendency to hold moisture against the skin, attracting more snow and debris, creating a perfect breeding ground for bacterial growth and infection.  As you can imagine, with the increase in damp, wet conditions in winter, it becomes even more important to police mats and eradicate them at the first opportunity. Brushing your dogs daily, even for just a few minutes, is critical in the winter.  If mats get out of control, it becomes too painful for the dog and too time-consuming for you to attempt to brush them all out, in which case, the easiest thing is to cut the entire coat short before skin and health problems develop.
  • Pooch pedicures:   Keeping your dogs’ feet in tip-top shape is very important in the winter. Throughout the year your dog’s nails naturally wear down from regular walks outside on concrete and asphalt, but in winter, most humans and dogs reduce their outdoor activities. And even if you’re still diligent about taking your dog for walks in the winter, they are probably shorter in duration, and over more snow- and ice-covered areas, so the nails will not wear down as much as they normally would. It’s very important to keep the nails trim, because if the nails grow long such that you hear “click click click” on the floor when they walk across it, this makes it difficult for them to keep their balance on ice and snow. Dogs can fall on the ice too, and we wouldn’t want that!
    It’s also important to trim your dog’s fur around their paw-pads as excess fur attracts snow and iceballs to form, creating severe discomfort and pain to your dog. Hair that accumulates in the pads can become matted, and hold moisture from rain and snow, and even pick up rock salt and ice. Which is sort of like waking around with rocks in wet shoes? Sounds awful, doesn’t it? If your dog tolerates it, dog-sized boots are a great option to keep out the snow, ice, salt, and sand: all harsh enemies of little puppy paws. But if your dog refuses to wear booties, the next best thing is to keep a bowl of warm water by the door and give each paw a little soak and dry after returning from any outdoor activities: the warm water easily melts away the ice and snow and any loose dirt and debris is shaken loose before it can burrow deeper.
  • Moisturizing earthbaths!: Bathing your dog regularly is one of the most important things you can do for your dog in the winter, as a clean dog is a happy, healthy dog. During the cold winter months, many of us suffer with dry, chafed, and scaly skin due to the combination of cold air, wind, and interior dry air from our forced-air heaters. Even though they’re covered with a layer of fur, our dogs also feel the drying effects of winter, so it’s even more important to use a non-drying, highly moisturizing, gentle shampoo and conditioner. The dry heat found in many homes throughout the winter season can be tough on our skin and hair, so we apply lotions and conditioners to ease the scratchiness and irritation. Your dog doesn’t need lotion, but if his little pads and nose seem irritated or cracked, SheaPet Shea Butter and Aloe Treatment Balm stops itching and soothes dry, irritated skin fast.

 

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Posted in Dogs, earthbath, Grooming, Pet Owners | No Comments »

Pet grooming: it’s not just a vanity thing

Monday, October 17th, 2011
dog grooming dog bath

A "spa day" for your dog is good for his health and yours!

ANOTHER trip to the salon – and how much for that wash, blow-dry, and style?  Sometimes it can feel like your dog gets more “spa” days than you do! But before you start to think the trips to the groomers are a frivolous extra that your dog could go without, think again. Brushing and shampooing your dogs isn’t just to beautify them (though of course that’s a major benefit) and decrease the offense to our human noses that can come with just a little too much “doggy” smell around the house. Nope, if your dog is looking a bit rough around the edges, chances are he’s feeling bad too.

That messy coat could be disguising hidden tangles and mats underneath, which, as they worsen, actually pull on the skin, stretching it into the mat and sometimes even causing sores and infections. Long-haired and double-coated dogs are particularly at-risk for painful and health-hazardous mats, as burrs, thorns, sharp grasses and even twigs can become lodged in their fur and burrow their way down closer to the skin.

Linebrushing is the key to successfully grooming a long-haired or double-coated dog. First, your dog should be settled comfortably lying down on the floor or on his grooming table. He should be used to being groomed, because this will take a bit of time – and if not, start slowly, use treats, and get him accustomed to laying still for longer and longer periods of time until you are done. Divide your dog into large sections (e.g., head, neck and chest, shoulders, each side, his rear end, his underbelly, and legs), and completely brush out each section before moving on. Within each section, using your brush, part the coat either horizontally across the dog or vertically down his spine. Use this part as the base for your linebrushing. As you brush, make sure you brush all the way to the skin and brush the hair up and away from the part. As you go, you can mist the coat with water or a conditioning spritz as you to help detangle and condition the coat.

The biggest problem professional groomers see is when dogs are brought in because their undercoats are so terribly matted yet their owners will be confused because they say they brush them daily. The reason for all of the mats is because they only get brushed on the surface, and never penetrate to the skin. Linebrushing solves this problem.

Double-coated breeds typically blow their coat twice a year, and if you have one of these dogs with a thick undercoat, chances are you’re going through a heavy shed period right now. It’s even more important to facilitate the coat-blowing process by constant brushing and grooming. Shampooing will loosen all of the dead hair, and being vigilant about daily brushing will ensure that mats are minimized, which can also inhibit the coat-blowing process.  For more specifics on managing coat-blowing, check out our blog post on shedding.

If you’re looking to save money on groomers’ fees, it’s not that hard to bathe your dog at home by yourself, provided you have all of your materials prepped and ready to go. Make sure to read our easy-to-follow 4-step DIY guide to dog bathing for more!

Know that every time you spend time with your dog brushing, bathing, or drying him off with a big hug, you’re not just making him look pretty: you’re doing good things for his health too, not to mention bonding with him!

Happy grooming!

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Posted in Dogs, earthbath, Grooming, Helpful Pet Hints, Shedding | No Comments »

Fleas: Does your best friend have hangers-on?

Monday, September 5th, 2011
Flea Prevention, Flea and tick treatment, fleas

Don't let fleas take over your dog!

It’s among the worst fear of every pet owner: a flea infestation. You know they cause major itchies and irritation, but there are other dangers that can cross the canine-human barrier.  Fleas can trigger problems like skin irritation, allergic reactions and anemia, and are just downright disgusting, since they can also infest your house and bite the human inhabitants living there!

This is all a prelude to say: you should know the signs of fleas and ticks so you can get any infestation under control before it gets, well, out of control.

 

          Flea facts:

  • Fleas are REALLY small: about the size of a pin head.
  • They are generally dark brown or black, and they move quickly and even jump.
  • If you notice your pet is scratching excessively, especially after time outdoors or with other animals, it’s time to search for fleas.
  • Check the head, neck, groin, back legs and base of the tail first, as fleas like to hang out in these areas best.
  • Fleas do not attach to the skin (like ticks), which means they can be transferred from your dog to anywhere in the house, and spread from there. (ick!!)

    Finding and Getting Rid of Fleas:

  • On short haired dogs, run your hand against the direction of fur growth and look for tiny fast-moving specks against the skin.
  • Use a flea comb (with very fine-toothed metal tines) to search for fleas in cats and short-haired dogs:  Run the comb against the direction of growth through the fur, slowly and in sections. Rubbing petroleum jelly on the comb will make any fleas you do find stick to the comb.
  • If you’ve actually found fleas on your fur-baby, sorry, you’ve got an infestation. Now is the time to also check for fleas on your dog’s bed, rugs, or on any  soft places that he spends a lot of time.
  • Bathe your dog: to ensure you’re fully rinsing out the fleas, place a white towel beneath your dog, since fleas often fall off during the rinsing process. You can use any of earthbath’s shampoos, or else your vet may prescribe a special “flea dip” treatment to kill the infestation. Eucalyptus and Peppermint earthbath shampoo is a favorite to soothe skin irritation from flea bites.
  • To get rid of fleas in your house, thoroughly clean and vacuum any area with which your pet has had extended contact (and empty the vacuum receptacle immediately).

    Flea dirt:

  • If you’ve found black/brown dust on your dog or cat’s fur or bedding, there is a good chance this is “flea dirt,” which is the excretions fleas leave behind after they’ve had a meal of blood (hope you’re not eating while reading this!)
  • To confirm it’s flea dirt and not just dirt, wet a white paper towel, press it to the dust and if it turns reddish brown then voila, it’s flea dirt for sure. The reason it turns reddish is because it’s basically digested blood.

    Preventing Fleas:

  • There are many ways to prevent your dog from getting fleas, from all-natural remedies (detailed in our blog post on this topic) including certain essential oils and nutritional additives to topically-applied solutions, and even prescription pills that prevent and also kill any parasitic activity. Check with your veterinarian for the preventative that makes the most sense for your pet.
  • But the best way to prevent fleas is to keep your pet healthy! Fleas and ticks are far more likely to attach to animals with poorly maintained coats and dirty, matted fur and also animals with weak immune systems.
  • Bathing your dog and cat regularly with a good, natural shampoo is also a first line of defense against fleas and ticks. earthbath’s Orange Peel Oil Shampoo is great for flea prevention due to its concentrated citrus oil. Orange Peel Oil is the natural oil rendered from oranges, and is also called d-Limonene. d-Limonene is registered with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency as an insecticide and is very effective at killing fleas
  • Ultimately: prevention is ideal, but if you notice an infestation, don’t worry: treating a problem (any problem) as soon as you notice it will help both you and your pet feel better quickly. If your pet is scratching more than usual, take note. Do an examination and if you still can’t detect anything, it’s time for a trip to the vet. As long as you follow proper prevention techniques, you can ensure there won’t be a relapse.

 

Posted in Canine Health, Cats, Dogs, earthbath, Fleas and Ticks, Grooming, Skin Care | No Comments »

Why is my dog itching? — Identifying and Preventing Pet Allergies

Monday, August 8th, 2011

Your dog is scratching constantly, rolling around in the dirt more than usual, licking its paws, and biting himself like he’s his own vicious enemy.

It’s clear he’s uncomfortable and itchy, but why? It’s probably dog allergies. But is it due to pollen, food, dust mites … or your other pets? There are nearly endless possibilities.

We help you narrow it down to the likeliest ones. Once you know what’s causing your dog to itch, you can take action to provide your dog with some much-needed relief.

First, does your dog itch all year-round, or just in certain seasons?

Seasonal dog allergies. Seasonal environmental triggers are the most common cause of dog itching and scratching. Allergies usually develop after a couple of years of exposure, if they’re going to develop at all. It’s still unknown as to why one individual will develop allergies, while the next one won’t.  Just like in humans, genetics are thought to play a part, since allergies often run in families. Repeated exposure is important, too.

If you’re desperate to pinpoint the specific cause of seasonal allergies in your dog, your vet can do a “scratch test” (again, similar to the kind of test you’d take yourself to find out what you’re allergic to). Extracts of different pollens and allergens are injected just under a shaved area of skin, and reactions are noted a few minutes later.

Treatments:

You should consult your vet to determine the exact reason your dog may be itching, and for specific prescribed treatment of any identified allergies or problems like hot spots. However, using earthbath wipes frequently: after every outside excursion, before you notice your dog starting to try to clean himself, and before bed each night, can really reduce the pollen that clings to your dog’s fur, reducing the likelihood that allergies will develop.

Frequent baths are important, especially in the summer, when everyone is outside playing more. If you’ve never bathed your dog yourself, check our DIY how-to guide in which we take you through it, step-by-step! Using earthbath shampoos with itch-soothing ingredients like Oatmeal and Aloe, Tea Tree and Aloe, or Eucalyptus and Peppermint (great for soothing bug bites and general dermatitis) can really help calm the itchies.

Chances are, the itchies will disappear as fast as the summer sun does, but if not, note that there are only a few causes of year-round canine allergies:

Food: This is the first thing many people think of as causing canine allergies, but it’s actually one of the least likely. True food allergies are uncommon in dogs, with only about 15% of allergic dogs being allergic to certain ingredients. That said, there are some ingredients that some dogs are more sensitive to than others: like humans who are sensitive or downright intolerant of wheat, many dogs are allergic to wheat gluten. Sensitivity to corn and soy can also crop up fairly frequently:  If you have an itchy dog, start eliminating foods containing soy, corn, and wheat.

Try switching to a food with a different protein source or with a different grain content. Test this food for 6 weeks and see if there’s any difference in your dog’s itchiness.

Also, to prevent food allergies, one of the best things you can do is give your dog some variety in his diet. The more exposure to an ingredient, the more likely an allergy will develop — so change it up — not only will his tastebuds thank you (wouldn’t you get bored of eating the same thing day after day? Thought so. So does your dog.), but so will his state of health.

Mold. If you live somewhere humid, or if your kitchen and bathroom are unventilated, mold spores may be causing dog allergies (if they aren’t already causing allergies in you!)  Mold grows wherever and whenever there is moisture. Depending on where you live and what your drainage conditions are like, this can be seasonal or year-round.

What to do? If you live in a humid environment, or if summers get rather damp around your neck of the woods, keep the humidity low in your house by using a dehumidifier and/or air conditioner. Fix leaks when you notice them Use the exhaust fan in the bathroom after showering, and, when cooking, use your stove air vent.

Other animals. You may not be the only one who’s allergic to your cat!  Dogs can become allergic to the potent and persistent allergen known as FelD1, found in cat saliva. When the cat licks himself, the saliva dries and flakes off, then floats away.  It’s no wonder there are so many people (and dogs) with allergies to cats: FelD1 is very lightweight and very sticky. It sticks to walls, furniture, carpet and drapes. It also can stay active in a home environment for at least 10 years (yikes!).

As with cats, even people, other dogs, birds, and any other furry critters (rabbits, hamsters, weasels, ferrets, etc.) are possible allergy-inducers. Again, keeping everybody clean makes a difference: no skimping on earthbaths! Also keep in mind that long-haired or fluffy dogs can easily track pollen in on their fur. Even short-haired dogs aren’t immune: pollen clings to their coat easily, even if it may not look like it.  One good shake and it spreads throughout the house.

Treatments:

Wipe-down:  Keep a box of earthbath wipes by the door and in the car and wipe your dogs down before they come inside. Since earthbath makes four different varieties (Green Tea, Mango Tango, Cherry (Puppy), and Hypo-Allergenic), you’ll be able to keep a different flavor at every entry point! Make sure you get between their pads as well as a quick rub down all over their coat. This will greatly reduce the amount of pollen that clings to their fur.

earthbaths!: Bathe your animals regularly, including your cats, and use wipes to rub them down frequently, especially after they clean themselves. For a great “how-to” guide on bathing your cat yourself, check out our blog post which has a lot of great tips on corralling your kitty in the bath! Good thing earthbath has a great cat shampoo (with a delectable cherry scent) and cat wipes (in both Green Tea and Hypo-Allergenic varieties)!

Clean your house: Obviously “fluffy” surfaces like carpets, drapes, pillows, bedding, and fabric couches trap dander much easier and in greater volumes than wipeable surfaces (like wood floors, tile, stone, blinds, leather, etc.) but in both cases, consistent and thorough cleaning can help keep dander at bay.

Purify the air: HEPA air filters are really effective in trapping large amounts of allergens, including pollen, cat allergens, and other air pollutants. Invest in a great quality air purifier, and ensure your vacuum has a HEPA filter as well.

Have you noticed an increase in allergies this summer? How do you deal with them? Share your tips with us! If you leave a comment below and post it to Facebook, you may receive a little earthbath surprise from us!

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Posted in Canine Health, Dogs, earthbath, Grooming, Helpful Pet Hints, Natural Remedies, Pet News, Pet Owners, Skin Care | No Comments »

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