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Dogs and cats come to the grooming salon regularly. The owner expects a fresh, beautifully trimmed coat and groomed skin. Hairs between the toes are gone again and the coat shines and gleams. But before that happens, there is a lot involved-especially if a dog comes in with tangles or felty hair. Many owners don't realise how much work this can be.
Groomers look at skin and coat with a keen eye and are often the first to spot abnormalities. Plenty of time to find and assess abnormal spots. But when then is something to be done as a groomer, and when is it cause for a visit to the vet or dermatologist?
With a veterinary dermatology glasses on (because I am not a trimmer) I take a closer look at some common spots. The location of a skin abnormality says a lot about the cause. Some spots may be indicative of allergies, others may not. Without going into too much detail, I describe a few spots here.
Hairs at the base of the ear can quickly tangle, causing itching. Is the ear canal red or irritated? Then there may be more itching, leading to scratching of the skin. With this picture, you would expect that there is an allergy and that both ears would suffer from this, but this is not always the case.
Remove tangles and a closer inspection of the ear is necessary. For a mildly irritated area, work with a cream that soothes, repairs and reduces itching, such as a Cerazinc Cream.
Ears are supposed to smell good! So always stick your nose in the ears... Be careful with dogs that don't like it! Ears with too much black wax need not always be a problem.
It is a fable that any dog with too much black earwax always has ear mite! Conversely, ear mites do cause too much earwax. Ear mites are contagious to other dogs. In some cases, mites leave the ear and spread further over the dog, treating not just the ears, but the whole dog.
Cleaning the ears with a mild ear cleaner and removing earwax is important. Never use a cotton swab for this, as this actually brings the earwax further into the ear canal.
Pink skin (the ear canal is lined with normal skin with sebum and sweat glands) is normal, excessively red skin is not. In fact, too much earwax is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and yeasts, leading to a lurking ear infection. Keeping the environment 'maintenance-free' is also important; too much hair in the ears in doedles and poodles in particular is a challenge because earwax can get stuck behind the hairs, i.e. deep inside the ear.
Should you remove the hair or not? The truth lies in the middle. Avoid closing off the ears and letting the hairs form a mattress, but removing all the hairs quickly gives wounds that become inflamed.
An ear is simply not sterile. Making the earwax thinner so that it does come out past the hairs can be a solution. Any healthy ear will ensure that the earwax is worked out. Be kind to the ear canal and use mild oily products.
Gentle cleaning can help, but beware: too much earwax or an unpleasant odour may indicate an underlying problem.
With an ear infection: redness of the ear canal, a foul smell, wounds in the auricle or ear canal, severe itching and if the dog's head is crooked, it is advisable to seek help from a vet.
The neck is a hotbed. It is an inconspicuous spot and abnormalities are quickly missed by the owner. Here too, the coat can get dirty quickly and tangles can develop.
There may be allergies with red skin and a foul smell (yeasts!). It may help to keep the hair a little shorter in this area. This keeps the local temperature and humidity lower. There is then less chance of a skin infection. Remember that every dog's skin has both bacteria and yeasts. The infection does not come from outside but is a result of a disturbed skin barrier, combined with skin damage (scratching) and impaired immunity. Disinfectant and skin barrier support products prevent irritations. This can also be properly maintained by the owner at home.
Redness on the flexor side of the elbows? Chances are this indicates an allergy.
The red spot does not have to be on both front legs, but it often is.
A question to ask now is whether there is redness in other allergy spots too. (hollow of the knee, between the toes, armpits, groin and ear canals). Is there itching? More licking in those areas? As a groomer, you should pass this on to the owner. You may be able to support the skin barrier again with moisturising and a conditioning products.
A red, swollen spot between the toes may indicate a grass ear. There is often a small hole where the spike has entered. Bathing in soda helps in some cases. If it is too painful, it may be necessary to open the spot under sedation. A job for a vet.
Red irritated spots should be made hair-free and treated with a mild disinfectant and dry cream, such as Cerazinc. Besides being red, the spots can also turn black as a result of a lot of licking and subsequent infection. Also look at the underside of the feet. Yeasts can multiply well on these spots. Too many yeasts cause itching and the dog licks even more. This vicious cycle must be broken, by using a mild cleanser such as Sweet Itch and Yeastosol spray. If there is too much itching and the yeast infections cannot be controlled, the dog should be referred to a vet.
Do you see redness, black discolouration or a lot of licking? Then chances are that a yeast infection is at play. Cut away excess hair to better inspect and treat the skin. Giving the owner clear instructions on skin care can prevent worse.
Every trimmer checks these areas during trimming. Tangles and red skin may be present without any immediate alarm bells going off. But do you see red pimples? Then think fleas or an irritation, but it could also be the start of a skin infection. A mild disinfectant cream will prevent worse.
Dandruff and dry flakes in this area are common. Is there no itching? Then moisturising the skin is important. Is there itching? Then think fleas, fur mites (Cheyletiella, infectious to both dogs and humans), a disrupted skin barrier or an allergy.
I won't mention shampoos in this story, but of course they play a role. There are mild shampoos to support the skin barrier, disinfectant shampoos and keratolytic shampoos.
Unfortunately, one wash is usually not enough to solve a problem. Washing a dog at home is inconvenient and many owners are not compliant. Exceptions aside. My experience? Treatments with a mousse, spray or other leave-on solution are much more likely to be applied correctly.
As a groomer, you play an important role in the early detection of skin problems. By giving the right advice and looking closely at the coat, you can help prevent many problems. And sometimes? Then a visit to the vet is simply the best option.
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