Bathing Your Pet

Should You Bathe Your Pet?

So often, people say to me that they have been told dogs do not need to be bathed. To a certain extent this is true, however, if your dog suffers from skin problems then bathing can be extremely beneficial.

Most healthy dogs do not need frequent baths. It is sufficient to rinse them when they get muddy and give them occasional baths when they roll in something unpleasant. However, with the gentle shampoos available for our pets today there is no reason not to bathe your dog every week if you would like to do so.

We are often told that if we bathe our pets frequently it will remove the natural oils from their coats, making them dry and dull. This may have been true in the past with the harsher shampoos which were available, and is still true today if we try to wash our pets with human shampoos which are formulated for our skin which has a different pH to that of animals. However, with modern pet shampoos many dogs do very well with regular washing, and it is a very positive benefit for animals with allergic skin disease.

One of the simplest ways we can help animals with skin problems is to keep the skin clean. We know how good it feels to be fresh and clean after a shower or bath; we also know that if we have an area of skin which is damaged the first thing we do is clean it and then keep it that way. Why not the same for our pets? Bathing our pets, especially those with skin problems, can help to reduce the bacterial and yeast population on the skin, remove allergens from the skin surface, help remove skin scales and dead hair and remove parasites such as fleas. Pets with skin problems may need to be bathed several times per week.

Bathing Tips

When bathing your pet you should choose a shampoo which is gentle on the skin and formulated specifically for pets. Many different shampoos are on the market. You may wish to use a herbal shampoo or one of the medicated shampoos may be better for your pet's particular problem. If your pet has a skin problem then ask your vet what type of shampoo they would recommend for that particular condition.

When washing your pet use luke warm water, it should not be hot. It is fine to use a hose on a gentle setting for dogs in hot weather, but only if they enjoy this. It can certainly help to cool them down and make them feel more comfortable. Whatever you do, you should try to keep bath time as fun and stress free as possible - both for you and your pet!

Remember not to let shampoo get into eyes or ears, you can use a damp cloth to wipe around these delicate areas if necessary. Stay away from really sore areas with the water but if medicated shampoo is required here blot gently with a moistened cloth or cotton wool. Remember to wash (and dry) feet and toes.

Wherever possible, medicated shampoo should be allowed to remain in contact with the skin for 10 minutes before rinsing in order to have the best effects. Rinsing should be thorough since residues of shampoo can be irritating to the skin later.

Your pet should be gently towel dried (if you do not wish your dog to shake the water from the coat before you have a chance to dry them, gently steady their nose until you have the majority of the water off - the shaking starts with the head and if the dog cannot get started it will not happen!) You can finish drying with a hairdryer on a "cool" setting, however stay away from hot-spots and other sore areas.