5 Reasons Grooming is Vital to your Pet's Health

Maintaining a regular grooming schedule with your pet can boost their emotional well-being and help to sustain their good health. Although taking time out of your schedule to groom your pet may be inconvenient, the long-term benefits are largely preferable to not putting in the effort to care for your pet.

Here are our top five reasons you should be grooming your pet regularly.

• General Hygiene and the Prevention of Fleas and Ticks

Even regularly brushing your pet’s coat can have countless benefits for your pet’s well-being. Aside from promoting cleanliness by removing dead hair, dead skin and dirt from your pet’s coat, it also spreads out their natural oils to protect and strengthen their coat. Regular bathing also keeps your pet clean whilst discouraging infection and bacteria build-up. Maintaining good hygiene also helps to maintain your pet’s health.

Regular grooming also allows for the opportunity to check your pet for fleas and ticks, meaning that you can detect infestation quickly and treat it before it becomes unmanageable. 

• Checking for Abnormalities

Grooming your pet regularly gives you as a pet owner the perfect chance to check for abnormalities in your pet. Rashes, heat spots and other skin issues are difficult to spot if you are not grooming your pet as they will be hidden by your pet’s coat. Other abnormalities to check for may include lumps, spots and inflammation on your pet’s skin. Early detection is crucial in order for your pet to receive swift treatment, so make sure you contact your vet at any sign of abnormalities in your pet to prevent long-term health conditions.      

• Caring for Your Pet’s Feet and Joints

Overgrown nails may not seem like a serious issue, however not trimming your pet’s nails can lead to several future problems for your pet. First of all, long nails make it difficult for your pet to walk on the pads of their paws, and so may instead walk on the sides of their feet. This puts pressure on their joints and bones, leading to bad posture and possible arthritis as they age. Nails can also grow into the paw pad, causing your pet pain and discomfort and also leading to infection.

• Caring for Your Pet’s Eyes and Ears

Long hair can restrict your pet’s field of vision and cause accidents that may hurt your pet. Keeping your pet’s coat trimmed and neat allows for them to clearly see what they are doing and also avoid irritation by hair getting into their eyes. Ear infections can also be prevented through regular grooming as cleaning your pet’s ears can prevent a build up of dirt and bacteria. Some pets may also need the hair in their ears to be plucked to further prevent infection. Preventing ear infection is crucial as it helps to preserve your pet’s hearing.    

• Keeping Your Pet Comfortable and the Benefits as a Pet Owner

Grooming can be an enjoyable experience for both you and your pet. The act of grooming is a great way to bond as it allows your pet to feel calm and relaxed with you, whilst allowing you to have some quiet time, too. In addition to this, grooming can reduce odors in your home as your pet is fresh and clean. Brushing your pet regularly can also reduce the amount of hair your pet sheds, keeping your home cleaner and easier to manage. In the long-term, you will be able to save money on medical bills for issues you were able to prevent before they became too serious and costly.

To learn more about why grooming is important for your pet's health, call Vet Express at (868) 221-2257 to reach our office in Trinidad.