
Paws & Claws Animal Hospital ~ 2145 W. Park ~ Plano TX 75075 ~ Phone: (972) 867-8800

"Ask Dr. Shawn"

Questions for Dr. Shawn - Grooming

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Question #1 - Cat pulls out clumps of hair while she's grooming
Question #2 - Are there medical reasons to have pets groomed?

"Dear Dr. Shawn:
"My 5-year-old cat pulls out clumps of hair while she’s grooming, although she doesn’t seem to itch or appear painful. I’ve also noticed that she has some flaky skin. She eats hairball-formula dry food, which isn’t helping, but she won’t switch easily to another diet. Can you make any suggestions?"

Answer:
“If your cat has pulled out her hair for her entire life, this may be a normal, although overzealous, grooming pattern for her. Her flaky skin may simply be dandruff (mild seborrhea), but it may signal an underlying skin or even internal disease. My advice is to get a proper diagnosis, since any skin or internal disease can cause flaky skin.

In my practice, I recommend the following approach for cats that suffer from mild flaky skin with no other problems. First, feed a good natural food (homemade or processed) that’s free of byproducts and chemicals. If she simply won’t ever switch diets, I would prefer a canned version of the cat food for her. Second, try bathing her with a hypoallergenic or anti-seborrheic shampoo followed by a conditioner. This can be tough with cats, but I always encourage owners to try bathing their cats unless they are sure the cat will become difficult to handle. Bathing several times a week will help. Finally, a good fatty acid supplement (fish or flax oil) is also useful. Most cats like the flavor of the various products available, and extra oil in the diet can help control the flaky skin if no specific cause for the problem is discovered by the doctor.”

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"Dear Dr. Shawn:
"I don’t get my dog groomed on a regular basis. However, I’ve heard from several friends that regular grooming my benefit my pet medically in addition to the cosmetic aspect. Is this true? Are there medical reasons to have pets groomed?"

Answer:
”Grooming, which includes brushing and combing, bathing, clipping nails, and cleaning your pet’s ears and eyes, is important for several reasons in addition to its cosmetic value. Regular grooming also increases the bonding that occurs between owners and their pets, which is important for the emotional benefits of all involved. There are of course medical benefits to regular grooming. Preventing the coat from matting can decrease skin disease. Bathing cleanses the skin and hair, and removes foreign substances such as yeast, bacteria, parasites, and allergens from the pet. Cleaning out the ears decreases the chance of ear infections. Clipping your pet’s nails prevents disorders of the feet, including lameness that can occur is the nail growth is excessive and causes pain when your pet walks.

I know that many pet owners can’t do all of these procedures for their pets, as the pets have not been properly trained to allow grooming and may struggle quite a bit. If you’d like to try any of these procedures at home, I suggest asking your veterinarian to show you how to safely perform these grooming procedures. Starting slowly is the key; if the experience is pleasant the pet won’t fight you. And if needed, these procedures can be done by the veterinarian or groomer if you don’t feel up to it. However, I encourage you to get comfortable with as many grooming procedures as possible, as it really will help reinforce the bond you have with your pet and can prevent behavioral problems as well. It is important that your pet learn to enjoy grooming and not put up a fight; regular grooming can help your pet get used to these procedures.”

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