Having a pet at home implies a series of responsibilities. One of them is their toilet and not only because, in addition to giving them much of our time, we also share blankets, a sofa and even a bed with them… It is because, as happens with humans, for our dogs to be healthy and happy, we must take care of their hygiene.
Bathroom
Although, as reported by Madrid Salud, the experts do not agree on the frequency with which baths should be performed, what is clear is that it is not necessary to bathe our dog daily. In fact, according to Barkyn veterinarian Irene Martínez, excessive hygiene can also lead to problems for our dog, such as itching, skin infections and parasite infestations:
“Bathing them too much removes the layer of fat that they have on their skin. This layer protects your skin from external agents and moisturizes it.. When it disappears, it changes the pH of the skin, predisposing the dog to a multitude of agents that can damage it.”
The frequency with which we should bathe our dog, according to the expert, may depend on different factors such as breed, health problems or lifestyle. However, although some animals may go without bathing for longer or need it sooner for medical reasons, in general, a bath a month is enough to keep the coat and skin clean and healthy.
From Hills, they recommend combing or brushing your dog before starting the bath. “This way you’ll get rid of dead hair and knots, which are harder to deal with when wet. In addition to we must ensure that the water is warm. And it is that dogs do not like cold water, but if it is too hot you could burn them.
Finally, Happets experts point out the importance of using a shampoo specially formulated for dogs and that suits your skin type.
Brushed
The best way to maintain hygiene without altering the skin of our furry is daily brushing, as pointed out by the Madrid Salud portal. In addition to being important for keeping the coat healthy and shiny, it helps to remove excess hair and keep the house cleaner.
For Happets specialists, in fact, cbrushing our dog’s hair should be the first daily habit to acquire when we adopt it. That’s because “walks, games, and airborne contaminants make their coat dirty, and the easiest method to remove that dirt is brushing.”
Of course, as Barkyn’s veterinarian reminds us, “if we brush the hair with an inappropriate brush we can weaken the fur and it will break more easilycausing hair loss in specific areas where we tend to brush more”.
The ears
According to the experts consulted, they agree that It is convenient to clean our dog’s ears weekly., except in specific cases in which the animal has otitis, which will require daily cleaning. Also, for Happets specialists, if our furry has short ears, twice a month may be enough.
Of course, as Irene Martínez reminds us, “if we overdo this cleaning, we eliminate the protective wax that the animal has and we can cause an otitis ourselves”.
From Madrid Salud they specify that the ears should be cleaned with gauze. In the market there are specific products that are sprayed into the ear canal and the area is subsequently massaged, proceeding afterwards to cleaning with the gauze.
The eyes
The cleaning of the eyes prevents possible infections such as conjunctivitis. To eliminate the annoying legañas, it is enough, for the Happets experts, to use gauze moistened in physiological serum and drag them gently.
Nails
In dogs that do not wear them well with the tread, the nails will have to be cut, especially in the spurs. When this nail is too long, there is a risk of get caught somewhere while playing or walking and that it breaks and the animal ends up bleedingas explained to us in consultation by a veterinarian consulted by trends.
Dental hygiene
Some things to watch for inside our dogs’ mouths, according to Hills, are: yellow and brown tartar deposits at the gum line, eating difficulties, swollen and bleeding gums, and bad breath.
From the point of view of Happets experts, a couple of brushings a week It will avoid possible dental problems in our furry ones. There are toothbrushes for dogs on the market that will make your task easier.
From the Hills we are reminded that do not use toothpaste for people because the foam bothers them and can even make them feel bad. For this “there are pastes formulated especially for pets that are safer and whose flavor they will like much more”. The recommended process these experts suggest is as follows:
Brush your teeth with circular movements paying special attention to the union of the teeth with the gum. Then, when you’re almost done, vertically brush your teeth to move the plaque you’ve removed into your mouth.
In the event that your furry friend does not like you to clean his teeth, there are also special snacks for dental cleaning.
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