Pet Grooming Orange County

Traveling With Pets

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Most of us view our pets as members of the family. It’s only natural to not want to leave them home when you travel. However, it’s important to plan in advance if you want to take your pet with you on vacation. The following tips can help.

Accommodations

One of the hardest parts of traveling with pets is finding pet-friendly accommodations. Fortunately, there are several hotels and motels that allow pets for a small fee. Vacation rentals are another option.

Make sure that you indicate that you’re traveling with pets when looking for a place to stay. It’s also important to follow all of the rules regarding the type and number of pets allowed. These rules are in place to protect property and future travelers. Failing to follow them could affect your ability to bring pets in the future.

Bring Special Foods and Medications

Most places you go will have places to buy pet food and other necessities. However, selection can be limited. If your pet is on a special diet or they take medication, you will need to bring these items with you on vacation. In fact, it might be a good idea to bring your pet’s food unless you are absolutely certain you can get it where you’re going. Switching your pet’s diet suddenly can upset their stomach. This can negatively affect your vacation.

Bring Important Paperwork

It’s a good idea to bring any important paperwork such as vaccination records and other veterinary information. You might need this information in the unfortunate event that your pet requires emergency care during your trip. These documents might also be required if you decide to have your pet groomed or placed in a boarding facility while traveling.

Bring Comforts of Home

Pets can become stressed when traveling. Providing them with familiar objects such as their bed, toys, leash, and/or dishes can help them feel more comfortable.

Claws N Paws offers pet grooming in Orange County, California. When traveling to the beach this holiday season, bring your pet in for some much needed pampering. We offer full service grooming for both dogs and cats. Please call 714-962-1005 for more information about our grooming services.

Should You Let Your Cat Outside?

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There’s a lot of debate over whether or not it’s a good idea to let your cat go outside. While many people believe it’s cruel to keep your cat inside, the statistics and facts prove otherwise. Allowing your cat to go outside exposes them to numerous dangers, reducing their lifespan and putting other animals at risk.

While most pet parents have good intentions when they let their cat outdoors, there are numerous reasons why you shouldn’t. Below, we detail the top reasons why it’s better to keep your cat indoors.

Reduced Lifespan

Allowing your cat outdoors reduces their lifespan by as much as three to five years. Every single time a cat is put outside, their life is at risk. Common dangers include vehicles, other animals, diseases, and ill-intentioned people. While not every cat that goes outside will get killed, their chance of being injured is extremely high.

Reduction in Bird Populations

Cats are natural hunters. Unfortunately, even the best fed housecat will hunt and kill other animals for sport. While you might think that this is a small problem, it’s actually quite large. Cats kill an approximate 1 to 4 billion birds each year in the United States. This not only affects bird populations, it increases the amount of insects we have to deal with, as birds often feed on these common pests.

Overpopulation

Cats reproduce extremely fast. Many people don’t realize that cats can become pregnant at just four months old. Once they give birth, they can reproduce almost instantly, producing a large amount of offspring in just a short amount of time.

It’s important to have your cat spayed or neutered, even if they never go outdoors. Cats are excellent escape artists and will find a way out if they have the opportunity to reproduce. Spaying and neutering reduces the desire to go outdoors and eliminates the chance of reproduction.

Cats Can Easily Become Trapped or Lost

Cats like to squeeze into tight spaces. They will often follow small critters into unfamiliar territory. Once a cat becomes trapped or lost, they often don’t make it home.

Final Thoughts

Many people believe that cats become bored when left indoors. This is true for both outdoor and indoor cats. Cats need regular interaction. Keep your cat happy by playing with them daily. Claws N Paws Day Spa offers a variety of toys for your cat. Please visit our grooming salon to see our selection.

 

 

 

Winter Grooming Tips

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During the winter, our pets need special care. It’s up to us to make sure they look and feel their best. The following are our top winter grooming tips for pets.

Brush More Often

You might have noticed your pet is shedding more now than they did in the fall. This is due to indoor heating. Just like us, our pets tend to spend more times indoors during the winter. Most animals do not enjoy being outside in the cold. Unfortunately, the warm indoor temperatures can cause your pet to begin shedding its winter coat. Without regular brushing, this can make a huge mess. It can also lead to mats as the hair tangles on its way out.

During the winter, make sure you brush your pet daily. If you notice any tangles that you can’t easily remove, it’s time for a trip to the groomer.

Take Care of Your Dog’s Feet

Many people travel out of town during the winter. If you’ll be taking your dog to an area where it snows, you need to take extra care of their feet. Snow, ice, and the salt used on roads and pavements can cause injury to your dog’s feet. After playing or walking outside, rinse your dog’s feet with warm water.

It might be a good idea to have your groomer remove the hair between the pads of your dog’s feet prior to visiting the snow. This will help keep snow and ice from sticking to their fur.

Set Goals

Many of us become overwhelmed with everything we have to do this time of year. Instead of trying to set aside hours of time for grooming your pet, set small goals that are easier to keep. Five minutes a day might be all you need to keep your pet happy and healthy.

 Schedule a Grooming Appointment

Regular grooming helps keep your pet’s coat healthy and clean for longer periods of time than grooming at home. Instead of placing the burden on yourself, schedule a grooming appointment for your pet. At Claws N Paws Day Spa we are well prepared to handle all of the brushing, bathing, and grooming your pet requires this winter. Please call 714-962-1005 to set up a grooming appointment today.

Popular Gifts for Pets

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Our pets bring us so much joy all year round. The holidays are the perfect time to show them how much you appreciate them. If you’ve been wondering what to get your furry friend, we can help! The following are some of our favorite holiday gift ideas for pets.

New Toys

Toys make wonderful gifts for playful pets. Consider choosing toys that are different from anything your pet has already seen. Some of our favorites include Kong toys for dogs (don’t forget the treats to stick inside), feather wands for cats, and laser pointers. These toys provide your pet with hours of entertainment and provide the perfect opportunity for bonding and exercise.

Treats

Pets of all ages are sure to appreciate some new treats for the holiday season. Fortunately, there are numerous treats to choose from at your local pet supply. You can even get your pet gourmet frosted cookies. Just make sure that the treats you choose are appropriate for your pet’s age, type, and weight and that they are meant for consumption by pets.

New Dishes

Over time, dishes can become stained, cracked, and difficult to clean. The holidays are the perfect opportunity to replace your pet’s dishes. Consider upgrading plastic dishes to something more durable and safer such as stainless steel or ceramic. There are numerous options to choose from.

Sweater

Some pets get extremely cold during the winter. This is especially true for small shorthaired dogs such as Chihuahuas and Miniature Pinchers. A new sweater might be just what your pet needs to make it through the winter.

Not all pets appreciate wearing clothing. It’s a good idea to see how your pet reacts prior to spending a lot of money on a new sweater. If possible, take them to the store for a test run.

Holiday Grooming

Grooming helps your pet look and feel its best. This is the perfect gift for any pet! Claws N Paws Day Spa offers full service pet grooming for dogs and cats. Holiday grooming appointments are already filling up. Please call 714-962-1005 to reserve your spot today!

Causes of Swollen Elbow in Dogs

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Swollen elbows are extremely common in dogs. The most common causes include calluses and elbow hygromas. It’s important to understand the difference between the two, as each has it’s own treatment. 

Calluses

Calluses are a thickening of the skin. They are common on the elbows and other bony prominences. Calluses are typically dry, although they can break open and bleed. They are more common in large breeds and overweight pets. 

Lying on hard surfaces causes calluses to develop. Calluses are not usually serious, although they can spread to the bone or become infected. Prevention is generally easier than treatment.

Provide your dog with a soft place to sleep. This might be a blanket, pillow, or foam mattress. You might need to experiment with a few different things in order to figure out what your pet prefers. Put bedding in various places so that your dog always has a soft place to lie. It might be best to allow your dog to sleep indoors. This can make them more comfortable while they heal and encourage them to avoid lying on rough surfaces such as concrete.

It’s important that you help your dog maintain a healthy weight. This is crucial to their overall health and can reduce the occurrence and/or severity of calluses. Your veterinarian can help you develop a weight management plan.

Elbow Hygromas

An elbow hygroma is a fluid-filled swelling of the elbow. Hygromas can be quite large and develop suddenly. Hygromas are more serious than calluses and require a visit to your veterinarian.

Treatment generally involves draining the hygroma and wrapping it tightly. Keeping the area wrapped prevents the hygroma from coming back and protects the elbow from infection. 

Like calluses, lying on rough surfaces can cause hygromas to develop. Providing your dog with a soft place to sleep and helping them maintain a healthy weight is the best way to prevent hygromas. 

It’s important to note that any swelling warrants a trip to the vet. A lump that grows quickly could be a sign of cancer. 

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers pet grooming for dogs and cats. Please call 714-962-1005 to schedule a grooming appointment.

 

 

 

Why Your Matted Dog Needs to be Shaved

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Most people have every intention of taking care of their dog’s coat. Unfortunately, busy schedules and life events can get in the way. When this occurs, your longhaired friend can become matted. A matted coat is painful and can hide skin problems and parasites.

A matted coat is different than tangles. Tangles can typically be worked out with your fingers or a comb. They do not hinder your ability to view your dog’s skin. When your dog’s coat is matted you cannot see their skin. The fur develops a mat-like quality that covers some or all of the body. A severely matted coat can stretch from the tip of the tail to the tip of the nose. Dogs in this condition will often have feces and urine stuck in their fur.

A Matted Coat Can Hide Skin Issues and Parasites

Since mats prevent you from viewing your dog’s skin, they can hide serious issues. Fleas and ticks are common under a matted coat, as are sores from the constant skin pulling that occurs as a result of having a severely matted coat. Moisture can become trapped under mats, causing fungal and other skin infections. This is uncomfortable and can cause your dog to smell. Treatment of these conditions cannot take place until the mats are removed.

Attempting to comb or brush mats causes extreme pain. Using scissors to remove mats is not a viable option either. You can easily cut your dog’s delicate skin when cutting mats. Bathing a dog with mats causes the mats to become tighter, increasing the amount of pain your dog endures.

At Claws N Paws Day Spa, we will not cause your dog unnecessary pain or distress. This is why we will only shave a matted pet. Shaving removes the mats quickly and safely. This relieves your dog of pain and enables you to treat any underlying skin problems or parasites. We will not bathe matted pets until all mats have been removed.

We are already booking holiday appointments. Please call 714-962-1005 to schedule your next grooming appointment today!