Grooming your convalescing dog

by EcoWellDog– Natural Leaders in Grooming & Wellness

Dogs tend to be quite good at grooming themselves most of the time.But if they are feeling a little under the weather for any reason, or are recovering from surgery, they may not be quite as effective at self-grooming. So they may be relying on your help more than usual at this time.

The good news though, is that grooming doesn’t always have to involve boutique salons and fancy haircuts. On the contrary, most of the essential procedures can actually be done by you at home!

Seven Tips For Grooming Convalescing Dogs

Even if you are accustomed to grooming your dog at home, things need to be done a little differently during the hopefully short time that he is convalescing. Sick or uncomfortable dogs definitely need a little extra TLC:

• Groom him wherever he feels like laying down – now isn’t the time to try and drag him off to the bathroom.
• Having a bath may be out of the question until your veterinarian gives the go-ahead. So if his coat needs freshening-up in the meantime, opt for a spray cleanser. Dry Dog Instant Clean is a bath replacement spray is a quick and easy way to bathe convalescing dogs, and its key ingredient binds with, and gets rid of odors. This all-natural product works perfectly on dry skin too – no rinsing necessary.
• If he has a long coat, pick out some tangles with the edge of a comb first. Then continue with a wide-toothed comb or a soft brush to avoid irritating the skin. Comb out the fur gradually, moving from the outside toward the skin region.
• If tangles are tough and lie close to the skin, avoid cutting with scissors because you risk cutting the skin itself. Instead, as you comb, use the HappyTails Ruff To Smooth leave-in conditioner as a spot-detangler on dry coats to relax matted, tangled regions.
• Your dog may be more uncomfortable or tired than usual, so just work in short sessions if he seems low on patience.
• If he has a surgical skin wound with stitches, be sure to keep the surrounding skin clean and free from stray hair. For these areas, simplyuse warm water if any daily cleaning is necessary. Avoid using soaps or detergents that may irritate and inflame the wound further, and delay healing. And this is one area that you absolutely want to stop him from grooming himself! Make sure he doesn’t lick at his wound, or this will also delay healing.
• If you dog has had surgery that affects his walking on one or more leg, his paw pads may start to get rough as your dog is putting pressure on different legs than he is used to. Try some Paw Rub to keep those paw pads moisturized and free from cracks.

So if your dog is convalescing, he will likely need some special care in various areas of his life for a while. In addition to keeping his coat clean and healthy, grooming him is also an important way to maintain the owner-pet relationship bond. And even though making him feel special is probably not something new for you, this is just one of those ways that you can pamper him and remind that you are there for him.

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