Why grooming your dog is important

Written by Valerie – ZimmVet CSR Lead

Grooming is vital to your dog’s health and well-being. The amount of grooming your dog needs will depend on their coat type, but adequate grooming is important for all dogs. Whether you take your dog to the groomer or tackle the task yourself, keep in mind the reasons why grooming is so important.

Nails – some dog’s will file their nails down as they walk on hard surfaces, but the nails should still be monitored to ensure that they are not getting too long as this can have adverse effects. If the nails are left to grow they can curl into the pad of the foot, get stuck as they are running and tear or break, or even cause mobility issues if your pet is experiencing discomfort when they walk; this may result in them compensating for the discomfort and changing their gait.

Skin and coat– the hair should be brushed regularly to avoid matting and to disperse the oils in the skin. Matting pulls on the skin and coat and is not only painful but often causes of sores. Regular brushing removes any dead hair to allow new healthy hair to grow in. Double coated dogs should be brushed with an undercoat rake to ensure that the dead hair in the undercoat is removed. Regular brushing will also decrease the amount of shedding from your pet. Always be sure to get your dog completely dry after bathing to minimize the risk of them developing hotspots.

Ears – ears should be cleaned regularly with an ear cleaner made specifically for pets. This will keep the ears clean of debris and wax that may build up and cause discomfort, odor or ear infections. Often times ear cleaners contain a drying agent that will dry any moisture in the ears that can cause an infection if left in the ear canal, it is especially important to clean the ears following, bathing, swimming or hunting.