Summer Shaves: To Shave or Not to Shave, That is the Question

In our home, summer time has always meant summer shaves. As soon as it was warm enough, off with the hair!

There is a bit of controversy regarding this issue. Some say that the natural state of the dog (and sometimes cat), is to have a coat even during summer. The thought is that is protects the skin from sunburn, briars, etc and it helps regulate body temperature.

While I do think that has some merit, my dogs have never been sunburned and I've never seen a sunburned dog while working in veterinary medicine. That is not to say it doesn't occur, but I've never observed it.

I personally think it has an advantage that is unrelated to keeping the pet cool. That advantage is getting to see almost every inch of skin on your pet.

Last year, after shaving Scrappy, my big ball of curly fluff, I found a growth near his rectum. There was no way in the world I would have seen it in a regular exam. He has no issues with full anal glands, so I normally did not "visit" that area. It wasn't an area (obviously) that I would normally pet. So, without a shave, I would not have known it was there. I had it removed immediately and after a year, so far, so good. No re growth.

I also think it helps prevent briars from being so attracted to the dogs. After living in Southern California where fox tails penetrate the skin, eyes, and ears of dogs every spring/summer, I realized just how easy it is for briars and fox tails to attach and hide among the fur without anyone realizing it. Having a clear view of the skin allows you to see any briars and remove them before they cause problems.

Another advantage is being able to spot fleas and ticks quickly. I watch for these parasites closely, because if I'm not careful, with a rescue full of pets, a parasite explosion can be difficult to contain. Its much easier to see the SOB's on a shaved pet, than a fully furred one. Frontline also applies to the skin directly, which is an advantage.

I did mention cats earlier. Normally, I don't shave my cats unless one is matted. However, I do have one cat named Peaches, who stands in line each summer to get her shave. When I took Peaches in, many years ago, she was covered in mats. I had no choice but to shave her. So, now, when the clippers come out, she gets in line. I don't ask questions, I just shave. It makes her happy.

UPDATE: Since this was written, another summer shave revealed another growth on Scrappy. It was removed and found to be cancer, but the report said it is unlikely to spread. Sadly, Peaches passed away after a long fight with hyperthyroidism. She was 14 years old.

If You Could Extend the Life of Your Pet, Would you Do It?? Here's How

The research is in, and what most every pet rescuer, vet tech, and veterinarian knows, has finally been backed up by numbers.

Pets Who are Spayed/Neutered Live Longer
 
Research from the University of Georgia which examined 40,139 death records from the Veterinary Medical Database from 1984–2004 found that unsterilized (NOT spayed/neutered) dogs lived only an average of  7.9 years vs. 9.4 years for sterilized dogs.

The reason for the difference is exactly what I covered in Secrets of a Vet Tech. Unsterilized dogs, particularly males, are more likely to die from trauma. They are more likely to get hit by a car as their hormones have them out looking for unspayed, in heat females. Females are more likely to die from reproductive related diseases such as infection of the uterus, death while giving birth, breast cancer, and more.

This is just the beginning. I go into great detail in the blog entry The #1 Way to Save Money as a Pet Parent

And if you think you don't have the money to get a pet spayed/neutered, there is financial aid available. At spay/neuter clinics, you can expect a dog spay to run only about $60 and a cat much cheaper. For financial aid information, see my blog Financial Aid for Vet Visits Options

There really are no excuses. Give your pet the one thing that can help extend his/her life. Show them as much love as they give you every day. Spay and Neuter.

Fighting the Outside Battle with Fleas

 

As I said in my last blog entry, I pay only about $2-5 per month for flea prevention, heartworm and intestinal parasite prevention. In my book Secrets of a Vet Tech, I tell you how I do that.

One of my biggest challenges has been how to eliminate fleas outside so that they do not jump on my pets to begin with.

I am hoping with the long cold depressing winter we had here in Tennessee, that the flea population will be reduced. Last year, we had little winter and the fight against fleas seemed all but lost.

I'm not a fan of using chemicals on the yard as I have wildlife that nibble on the grass. So after doing some research, I now use two natural items. One I buy at Tractor Supply, the other I buy at Amazon.

Before I go into what those items are, lets talk about how you know your pet has fleas. If I had a dollar for every pet parent that swore that their pet, who was scratching, did not have fleas and that there were no fleas in the house, I'd be driving a new car.  Some even assumed that because they had hardwood floors that they wouldn't have places for fleas to hide.

Pets with allergies to fleas can have a terrible reaction from just one bite. Its called flea allergy dermatitis

One of the first indications that there are fleas around is WHERE  your dog in particular, starts scratching. If its just above the base of the tail, you've got fleas somewhere. (This is usually when the pet parent starts saying "but Fifi doesn't have fleas and I KNOW I don't have fleas in my house". ) This is when a smart vet tech or veterinarian will get out the flea comb and look for flea dirt.

Flea dirt is basically flea poop. The way to differentiate flea dirt from regular dirt is to place the questionable dirt on a white paper towel and get it wet. If it turns reddish in color, that's flea dirt. for a heavier infestation, the picture is typical of what you will find.

Rest assured that if you have one flea on your dog or cat, you have a significant population in your house. You may not see it, but it is there. Fleas don't invade our lives and make them miserable by being easy to find, so the chances that you are going to sweep your house and find them are unlikely. You can sometimes vacuum up their eggs and throw away the vacuum bag, but you just will not know for sure as you can't see such microscopic eggs.

So for me, the fight starts outside. As soon as it is warm enough, I buy two products: Food Grade Diatomacious Earth and Beneficial Nematodes. Keep in mind that before it gets warm, I apply fipronil on each pet using the method and dosages in my book.

The Beneficial Nemotodes are tiny bugs that eat bad bugs including fleas. It used to be a pain to apply the nemotodes to your lawn, but recently, they came out with a spray formula that you can use at home. It takes a lot of them to cover a small space. I use 7-10 million in my dog lot. My property is nearly an acre, so I concentrate the nemotodes where the need is the greatest. Normally you only have to apply once a season.

Food Grade (and that's SUPER important) Diatomaceous Earth is my other natural solution. It is a powder commonly used with livestock. Its incredibly safe except you have to be careful not to inhale the dusty residue. I surround my cat house with it and most of my yard. A big bag only cost about $12 at Tractor Supply. One important note is that it must be applied to a dry ground and the ground will need to be dry for 12-24 hours. So make sure you know what the weather is calling for. DE can be applied as often as needed.

For the full story on flea control with all my secrets, please don't forget,  Secrets of a Vet Tech. My readers will tell you, its the best $10 you can spend.