Nowadays having a pet is a necessity for many households, but this often comes with their fair share of responsibilities. One of the most common pet-related chores involves grooming your dog.
Dogs are wonderful pets and grooming your furry friend can be a great opportunity to bond them. It can be an enjoyable experience if you are prepared and know how to avoid injuries when doing so.
Pets are like babies; they need to be groomed regularly and cared for. One of the most common injuries that can happen during the grooming process is causing dogs pain.
However, this article focuses on how not to hurt your furry friend when you are trying to give them a stylish new look or just keep them clean. Here are the 10 most common grooming injuries that you may want to avoid to keep your pet healthy.
1. Pulling Hair or Brushing Too Hard
Dogs with long and thick coats need extra care and proper brushing otherwise their hair can get tangled, matted, and painful for them. It is recommended to use a brush with soft bristles and wide tooth spacing like the Kong Zoom Groom. This will help you brush your dog’s hair without causing any pain or damage to their skin.
You should never aggressively brush your dog using a comb with very narrow spacing between the teeth as this can hurt them especially if they have short and thin coats since it can get caught in between the teeth of the comb. Instead, use a comb that is wide and smooth. This way it’s much more comfortable for your dog as you’re less likely to hurt them when grooming since the teeth are not too closely spaced together.
2. Eye Irritation or Injuries
Dogs have a sensitive sense of sight, so injuring their eyes by accident with a brush or comb can be very painful for them. Also, they are very sensitive to irritation, so anything that can be an eye irritant or cause inflammation needs to be carefully kept away from the eyes.
This is why it’s best not to use water with shampoo up against your dog’s face and it’s better if you avoid shampooing your dog too often as this can cause dryness and irritation.
If you must wash your dog’s face, don’t use shampoo with a high pH level since this can cause eye irritations or dryness. It’s best to opt for a tearless shampoo if you have to clean their eyes and face to avoid any discomfort from the chemicals.
3. Accidentally cutting nails too short and causing bleeding
Your dog’s nails are their only protection against the outside world, so they mustn’t get too long. If you can hear them clicking on the floor then you know that their nails are too long.
It is best to pay attention to your pet’s nails and cut them regularly, even if this is not a pleasant experience, to say the least. If your dog is struggling to get away while you trim its nails then this could end up being a dangerous situation for both of you.
Even though your dog is struggling, you should still try to stay relaxed and remember that they are trying to get away from you because they don’t want their nails trimmed. This is why it’s best if you have a muzzle or some type of protective device on them so that they can’t harm you while being groomed.
4. Getting The Hair Too Tight In Clippers
It’s natural for your dog’s coat to become matted and tangled. This can happen easily because it sometimes happens while they sleep and especially if you don’t regularly brush them or get their hair cut regularly.
Clipping your dog’s coat regularly is important because it will keep the hair from becoming too matted and tangled, but if done incorrectly then this can cause pain or injury.
It’s best to use a blade that is wide and easily cuts through the hair. If you use a blade that is too small then it can pull and tug at the hair which will cause pain for your dog, plus it can cut them as well, so always go with a wide blade for trimming purposes.
5. Grooming Around The Ears
While your dog’s ears should appear clean and healthy, it’s best to leave this job to a professional groomer. Cutting into a dog’s ear may quickly progress from an accident to a serious problem.
This is why you should visit a professional groomer or get mobile dog grooming services who know what they’re doing, as well as having the specialized equipment to groom a dog’s ears safely.
6. Razor Burn On Dog’s Skin
If your dog’s coat is very thick then you will require a good pair of clippers to cut through all that fur. This can be a daunting task, however, if you use a dull blade. A sharp blade helps prevent the skin from being nicked and this is especially important if your dog’s hair is thicker than normal.
Also, if you use a blade that is suddenly too sharp then it can also nick them and this can lead to skin irritations which will make the hair grow back quickly and they won’t like getting their hair cut either.
7. Burns from hot water or hair dryers
It’s best to use hot water on your dog only if you know that they are used to it, otherwise not only will they become nervous or stressed but also they can get burned by the sudden change of temperature. It is recommended that you always test out the water before you bathe them and this way you’ll be able to avoid any surprises.
This is especially important if your dog likes to escape because they won’t want a bath and they’ll do whatever it takes to avoid getting one.
f you’re going to use a hairdryer on them then be careful, especially if your dog is black or dark colored as this will cause their skin to burn more easily than lighter colored dogs. Also, make sure that you are using the appropriate amount of heat because if the dryer is too hot then it can also cause burns.
8. Skin Infections Contracted At Groomers’ Shops
The majority of dog groomers are professionals who know what they are doing. However, there are some that either doesn’t pay attention or cut corners on certain things that can affect your dog’s health. One example is washing them with very hot water because this can cause skin irritations.
Another thing to watch out for is the use of chemicals like antiseptics and solvents which can cause health problems in your dog. Skin infections are common in dogs because of the type of bacteria that are found on their skin, but this doesn’t mean that everyone needs to avoid grooming their dog.
You just need to watch out for any negative signs and if you notice anything then take your dog to the veterinarian so they can find the right treatment.
9. Retrieving Objects In The Mouth
When it comes to grooming your dog, avoid placing objects which are small enough for them to swallow down their throats in places where they can get them with their mouths so if you have scissors or thinning shears then place these things in a location where your dog cannot access them.
10. Cutting Hair Too Short
If you’re going to give your dog a trim then you need to be very careful and make sure that you do not shave their hair too short because this can cause skin irritations if their skin is exposed for too long. This is especially important for dogs with thinner coats and this will also depend on the area of your dog’s body where they’re getting the haircut as well.
If you have a dog with thin hair in an area where the sun can get to their skin, then it’s best to keep them protected so they don’t develop too much of a tan. If this is not possible, however, and you still shave their coat too short then make sure to use sunscreen on them every once in a while and perhaps invest in some dog booties so they don’t develop any nasty rashes on their feet.
The majority of people who own dogs as pets do everything they can to take care of them, but the grooming process can be something that many people tend to avoid. Grooming your pet can be fun, but it’s also important to consider safety.
Use these guidelines if you want to keep your dog happy while avoiding any unwanted accidents or injuries. Try to avoid washing your dog with very hot water, try to use the right amount of chemicals for their coat, and make sure not to keep objects that are small enough to be swallowed in places where the pet can access them.
Do not cut hair too short if you are going to give your pet a trim, always be careful when cutting the roots of your pet’s hair and make sure you have a good grip on them because if they slip then there is a chance that you could hurt your dog. If you avoid all these things then it will be much easier to groom your pets without having to worry about injuries.