What a Groomer Should Look for When Health Checking a Dog

Health Checking by Groomers

dog groomers often have the opportunity to do a health check of a dog and can help provide early detection of the things that may be more serious. It is always important to remember that you are not a qualified veterinarian. Although you can get a good idea of ​​what is wrong, you should always recommend that homeowners seek the advice of a veterinarian.

The content of the cover story of the unit 4 of the City and Guilds Level 3 Dog Grooming

health research occurs HEAD UP, avoiding eye contact with the dog.

- The review and ear cleaning;

Most dogs end up with dirty ears and this can be easily solved by using baby / dog ear wipes or ear cleaner and cotton wool.

particular issues to consider are.

- very hairy ears;

· It can cause a lot of ear wax accumulation or

· It is difficult to manage cleaner ear or ear drops

solution

· Cut the ears with scissors

· Caregivers Pluck use the ear of dust and / fingers pincers

- ears very red or painful ears;

· It can be a sign of an ear infection

solution

· Use a pH balanced ear wash and clean gently with cotton

· Owner warning of the problem and suggests a visit to the vet may be necessary.

- ears smelly / Download

· It can be a sign of an ear infection

solution

· Use a pH balanced ear wash and clean gently with cotton

· Owner warning of the problem and suggests a visit to the vet may be necessary.

- Ears striped / red spots on the ears;

· It may be a sign of fleas, ear mites or other parasites.

solution

· Check for signs of parasites

· Using flea shampoo / flea comb

· Alert the dog owner will need treatment and see a vet

· Make sure the area and married equipment is cleaned thoroughly before preparing the next dog

- care nose;

Generally, you do not have to worry about downloading the clear nose in dogs unless persists or other symptoms. However, the discharge that is cloudy, yellow, green or smelly is always a concern.

- The discharge could be a sign of: 

· Allergies

· Lock

· infection

· Polyps and tumors 

- Eye Care;

The exam is important. Many dogs have a dream download. This can be kept to a minimum by cutting around the eyes. Cleaning the eyes with a cloth or a baby dog ​​must clean up the spill. If it has been particularly bad accumulates around the eyes, it may be useful to absorb the moment in the bath to soften and then use the wipes.

Problems to look for when checking are eye dogs

· Do they look different in any way?

· Is there pus or discharge?

· The eyes dark?

· Network around the iris?

These can be signs of infection or other problems. The owner must be notified and suggest that could lead to the vet for a thorough examination.

- Mouth Care;

Check the mouth during inflammation, gum infections, tartar, tenderness, tooth loss and bad breath.

The teeth can be cleaned with a toothbrush and dog toothpaste or dog dental wipes. There are many products available for bad breath, you might want to recommend to the owner.

For heavy accumulation of tartar or any other matter relating to the mouth, a trip to the vets should be recommended to the owner.

- Cysts, lumps;
Many dogs have cysts, lumps and bumps especially as they get older. They are mostly harmless but can be a sign of something more serious.

Things to consider when grooming

· Clippers can cut the head of small cysts. Go slowly around / above them with a razor.

· In some cases, you may not be aware that the cyst until you cut through the skin and accidentally cut. In this case, stop the bleeding with Trimmex and cotton swab. Reassure the dog.

· Be careful when you dry with a towel as this can hit the head of a cyst.

· Many owners are probably already aware of bumps, but it should be noted that in case you wish to be done by a veterinarian.

- breast line and the genital area;
Breast line runs along the chest, between the nipples. This area and genital area should be checked for lumps, as they may be more severe than in any other region.
Also check genitals for any discharge, inflammation or abnormality.

- Female in heat;Have a female in heat can cause problems in the dog grooming salon. Normally a landlord avoid having your dog ready at that time or at least warn you when you wear them.
Signs of a female in heat

· Extended Vulvar

· Vulvar Spotting

· The excitement in dogs

If you have a female in heat in the room, separating men. If mating unplanned place, inform the owner to take the dog to the vet if they do not want unwanted puppies.
It may also be necessary to keep the male dogs are separated to avoid fighting.

- Rectal area and the tail;
Check for swelling, discharge or abnormalities.

A background may mean swollen anal glands are empty. Normally, the glands discharged a little liquid when the dog toilet. But sometimes the glands can not be emptied or empty enough and leads to an accumulation which can be uncomfortable, leaking at inappropriate times or be affected and infected.
Signs of problems in the anal glands.

· Slide along bottom floor

· A strong fishy smell of dog

· Swollen anal region

· Snapping lower

Some dog groomers offer compression or anal glands that can be made to the vet.

- Paws and claws;

To ensure the comfort of the dog's paws and claws should be checked.

Things to consider when grooming

· Claws can grow so long that they will start to curl and grow back into the dog. This causes extreme discomfort. This can be a particular problem with dew claws not milled. All dogs should not clip their claws, but should review and if necessary a clip, do it early in the husband after the excess skin is dissipated.

· Sometimes it may be necessary to purge or accidentally claws can be cut quickly. If this happens Trimmex apply coagulant. If it is particularly bad bleed notify the owner and give them a small amount of Trimmex applying the bleeding may occur again if I am stunned.

· The feet should be examined on the carpet between the pads and toes and cleaned with a razor or scissors. Estero between the pads and toes can be difficult for dogs and can cause pain in the skin.

· The seeds may cause problems and could be the cause of the carpet. Check between the pads and toes, while reducing. If the grass seeds are stuck in the dog removed with tweezers. It informs the owner of what they did and recommend apply antiseptic cream or to keep your eyes on it while not going septic.

- Ectoparasites;

An ecto-parasite is a parasite that lives outside the body of the dog rather than inside, The most common types are;

· Fleas - it can be seen with the naked eye, and their dung. They jump from one host to another. They can cause itching in dogs due to bite and also for humans. flea shampoo can be administered in the living room, but the owner also must advise buying a large flea treatment from their veterinarians, because treatment only lasts a month and the chip cycle is 6 weeks, the dog must have at least twice the processing. If the dog has fleas are all equipment and toilet is cleaned before moving on to another dog. flea bombs can protect your room for 3-6 months fleas. In addition, regular use of a tree shampoo tea in the lounge not only relieves the skin of a dog that has been set, the chips do not like tea tree so that you can prevent cross contamination treats in the room.

· Dust mites - can not be seen by the naked eye. Signs of ear mites are small red spots on the ears and the dog is constantly scratching his ears. Another common mite is one that causes scabies. Watch for skin lesions and alopecia. The mites should be treated by a veterinarian. Again do the grooming equipment and the insurance area are thoroughly cleaned if you suspect you have a dog with mites.

· Ticks - looks like a gray bubble. They have a very small head that hide in their host, and his body becomes larger as they consume blood. They can cause certain diseases and infections. Or use a special tool that removes the head of removing the tick (simply pulling the body out and leaving the head will lead to infection) or advise the owner to use a point solution that will kill ticks ticks. Then they die and fall within days.

- Potential problems with the medium or long hair dogs;

The seeds of the grass and thistles can be grabbed by the hair and stick in the dog causing infection.
They can also cause carpet.
Also dogs with long curly hair is prone to matting if not regularly maintained.
excessive matting is a problem, because it puts pressure on the skin of a dog as they advance that can cause skin infections. It can also lead to poor circulation.
Another problem with excessive mat is that the skin can not be examined for parasites or other problems.