Skin diseases like redness, itching, and stink are always the main trouble of cats and dogs owners. Skin problems are easily neglected when the weather gets dry in autumn and winter, however, they happen all the time. As an owner, we should recognise the skin disease of our pets as soon as possible and find ways to deal with them. Jan, a professional veterinary nurse from Nerdy Vet Nurse who has had tons of experiences, is here to share the key to deal with these skin diseases - bath & blow dry.
Professional Veterinary Nurse Jan from Nerdy Vet Nurse has tons of experiences on taking care of pets with skin problems.
Top 5 Most Common Skin Problems on Cats and Dogs, Both Internal and External Approaches are Required
‘Skin disease is common throughout the year, there can be few cats and dogs with skin problems seeking medical advice at a vet clinic everyday.’ As a veterinary nurse for more than 10 years, Jan has had experiences dealing with many dogs and cats with problematic skin. The most common skin diseases are Ringworm, Parasites, Bacterial Infection, Fungal Invasion and allergic to food or environment. ‘Skin is a barrier to isolate the harmful substances from getting into the body, when the screen effect of the skin is destroyed, bacteria and fungi from the outside environment will invade into their body. Therefore when pets scratch themselves, it is easy for them to get infected by bacteria. It is very common for fungi invasion, Yeast occupies 60-70% of the origin of the daily skin problem cases.’
Jan claims that most of the skin diseases require both internal and external ways to cure, especially for bacteria and fungi invasion. Aside from oral administration, it is also important to use external cleansing products to wash away the overloaded bacteria on the skin surface. Veterinary nurses are responsible for guiding the correct step of grooming to the owners once they are asked to groom their sick pets.
Jan states that once there was a novice owner brought a two to three months old kitten, who kept on scratching and shedding, to the vet,’ At that time, the skin problem of the kitten had already spread through the whole body, and it was difficult to heal just by the application of external medicine, while too much oral medicine is unhealthy for a young kitten, therefore the vet required the owner to groom the kitten with magistral medicines.’ Jan was responsible for guiding the novice owner on the steps of grooming, ‘Fortunately the owner was cooperative, the kitten’s condition was much better during the re-visit a few weeks after.’
Guiding owners to groom the pets is also one of the daily duties of a veterinary nurse.
The 4 Grooming Precautions A Little Carelessness may Worsen the Disease
Do not overlook grooming! Many owners might not handle in a proper way even though they know how to groom. Jan concludes her experiences on grooming with the below 4 main points:
1. Proper use of the Shampoo
For pets with skin problems, vets suggest using relevant medicinal shampoo so as to deal with the bacteria and fungi. They generally have strict instructions that require owners to read and follow carefully. ‘This kind of shampoo requires time for the medicine into the body after application, owners should be patient with it.’ Jan also reminds owners to be aware of the head to avoid the stimulation of eyes and harmful inhale of the shampoo.
2. Rinse and Dry
These two steps are critical to avoid the worsening of skin problems. Jan reminds owners to rinse in detail after using the medicinal shampoo as the residual will stimulate the skin. The damp of fur will also worsen the skin if it is not completely dry out after grooming, ‘Animals with thick fur are easier to infect due to the humidity and warmth of the wet hair. Especially for fur behind the ears, under the armpits, between the thighs and under the tails, bacteria and fungi grow rapidly under these warm and humid environments under 25-40 degrees.’
Areas behind the ear, under the armpits and between the thighs are easier for the growth of bacteria due to humidity and warmth, therefore owners should dry completely.
3. Be Aware of the Grooming Frequency
Dogs usually groom every one to three weeks according to the living environment and habits, when cats do not have to groom frequently. However, for pets with skin problems, vets will set the frequency of grooming, which might be more frequent than usual with every two to three days. Jan states some owners might not have enough time and they will seek help from a grooming store,’Pet groomers can help with the usage of medicinal shampoo provided by the vet, the guidance of the vet should be listened to so as to make sure the skin problem is solved.’
4. Choose an Efficient Dryer
When the frequency of grooming is higher, an efficient dryer can help owners to minimize the time cost. A dryer with higher wind speed can fasten the drying process and prevent the growth of bacteria due to humidity problems occurring on the fur. The choice of a dryer is important to pets that hate blow dry,’ Ringworm is common on cats, and medicinal shampoo helps. However, cats tend to be more nervous, and they may struggle and be scared during the grooming and drying process. The usage of a quiet and rapid dryer is more acceptable for cats.’ Although the wind power is important, owners need to avoid too high temperature, and keep on moving the dryer so as to make sure the fur is evenly heated up and to avoid from skin burns.
Jan suggests owners to use a quiet and efficient dryer so that it is more acceptable for pets, when ensuring the fur is completely dried out.
In order to tackle skin problems, veterinary diagnosis and prescription are only the first steps, future care is much more important. Understand the correct care procedures, learn how to groom your pets correctly, be aware of the cleaniess of living area, be aware of the choice of food. As long as owners are willing to cooperate, skin diseases can be tackled occasionally.
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- Gentle air attachment can diffuse the airflow and lower the temperature by 20 °C, while guaranteeing the wind speed, gently for pet’s skin and drying hair faster.
- Intelligent heat control to measure air temperature and regulate the heat, prevent extreme heat damage and uncomfort to pet during blow dry.
- Dyson V9 digital motor combines with Air Multiplier™ technology, producing high-velocity air and more airflow to fasten the drying process.
Dyson’s advanced technology can help owners to simplify the blow dry process, pets enjoy the grooming process more with the gentle touch and quiet sound. Dyson Supersonic™ Hair Dryer is the best partner for owners to take care of the health of their pets.
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Special thanks to : Nerdy Vet Nurse
