Pet Grooming Orange County

Halloween With Pets

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Many people love Halloween. However, their pets often do not feel the same way. In fact, Halloween can be extremely scary for pets that aren’t accustomed to the sights and smells of this fun night. It’s important to think of your pet long before the holiday.

Trick Or Treat

On Halloween night, you will likely have kids coming to your door over and over again. While you might enjoy seeing their costumes, your pet will probably be very upset by the constant ringing doorbell and opening of your door. It’s a good idea to keep your pet in a quiet room throughout the night. Try putting on a radio or television to distract them from the commotion at your front door.

If you decide to take your pet out with you to trick or treat, remember to keep them close. Your pet will not understand why people are dressed up. This can be scary and they might even become aggressive in an attempt to protect their family. Try visiting a few homes before deciding if your pet is able to continue.

Halloween Candy

One of the most common reasons that pets are brought to the hospital this time of year is because they’ve ingested something dangerous. Always keep candy away from your pet, regardless of how good you think they are.

It only takes a second for your pet to consume something that could cause a problem. Even if they don’t have access to chocolate, a candy wrapper can pose a serious choking hazard for your pet.

Keep Them Inside

There are numerous things on Halloween that can scare our pets. Startled pets might run from their family. Unfortunately, they can get lost easily. If at all possible, keep your pet indoors on Halloween night. Do not let them have access to your front door or allow them to play outside.

Many people have their pets boarded during this exciting holiday. This might be the best option if your pet becomes nervous easily or if you are unsure how they will react.

Claws N Paws Day Spa wishes you and your loved ones a safe and happy Halloween. Please call 714-962-1005 to schedule your next grooming appointment.

Why Regular Grooming is Important

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Many people wonder how often they should have their dog groomed. While most people are pretty good about bringing their dog once every 4-6 weeks, there are some that only bring their dog in once a year. These dogs often come to us in really bad condition. They might be caked with dirt, infested with fleas, or matted from head to tail.

Regular Baths Keep Your Pet’s Skin Clean and Healthy

Allowing your dog to become so dirty that it takes three to four baths to get them clean isn’t just hard on your groomer; it’s actually really bad for your pet. Excessive dirt is uncomfortable and can lead to skin conditions and infections. These issues can go unnoticed under the layer of filth that your pet simply cannot remove on its own.

It’s not uncommon to find sores and other issues once your pet is clean. People often find that their dog scratches much more after grooming. This is because they were not able to reach their skin prior to their bath. Unfortunately, this scratching can become excessive, causing lesions and sores to develop.

A regular, monthly bath can help prevent this from occurring. Regular baths help keep your pet’s fur free from dirt and debris. This allows the air to reach the skin, decreasing the chance of sores caused by fungus or other problems. Regular bathing also helps locate issues like fleas before they are able to become a much bigger problem.

Preventing Mats

Mats are extremely painful for your pet. They pull on the skin, causing discomfort and sores to develop. Because the mats hide the skin, it is impossible to know if issues are present. Often, sores are only discovered at the time of grooming.

Mats cannot be combed out; they must be shaved. This is the least painful and most humane way to deal with this common problem. If you do not wish to have your pet shaved, you will need to take proper care of its coat. This involves brushing and combing your pet everyday. Professional grooming should be performed once every four to six weeks.

Professional Pet Grooming

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers professional pet grooming from our full service salon in Orange County, California. Please call 714-962-1005 to schedule a grooming appointment today.

Back to School Time

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It’s that time of year again. The kids are going back to school and most of us will be returning to our normal daily activities. As the long days of summer start to vanish, it’s important to remember that your pet needs your attention during this time.

Pets often find it difficult to accept the fact that their family is spending less time at home. This is especially true for newer pets that have never experienced this time of year before.

An Active Pet is a Happy Pet

If your pet is experiencing separation anxiety as you spend more time away from home, you can ease your pet’s discomfort by taking advantage of options such as daycare or a day out at the doggie spa. Keeping your pet occupied can help take their attention away from the fact that there are less people at home.

No matter how busy it gets, make sure that you continue walking your dog or playing with your cats. They rely on this time to get their exercise, while spending time with their favorite people. If at all possible, visit your pets in the middle of the day for a walk or playtime.

Basic Care is Important

Back to school can be expensive. Many pet parents attempt to avoid additional expense during this time. However, it’s extremely important that you don’t avoid taking care of your pet’s basic needs. Pets should be groomed regularly and see their veterinarian for their overall health and well-being.

Without proper care, pets can become ill, or matted, which can be expensive problems to solve. The extra expense to take care of your pet now will end up costing you less in the long run.

Remember that your pet will be missing your children as well. Keep doors and gates locked so they do not attempt to follow them to school. This can be dangerous and the risk of getting lost or injured is extremely high.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers pet grooming and cat boarding in Orange County, California. Our team is well prepared to care for your pet as they adjust to this time of year. Please call 714-962-1005 for more information.

 

 

Canine Vestibular Disorder

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Canine vestibular disease is common, especially in older dogs. Symptoms of this condition can be scary. It’s crucial that you take your pet to a qualified veterinarian if you notice anything out of the ordinary. Treatment can ease symptoms and allow your dog to live comfortably. Without treatment, symptoms can quickly become worse.

The vestibular system is responsible for your dog’s balance and sense of spatial orientation. Problems with the vestibular system can make your dog uncoordinated. This can lead to an inability to walk or function properly.

There are two different types of vestibular disease, peripheral and central. Peripheral is much more common. This is the type we will address in this article.

Symptoms

Symptoms of vestibular disease vary by pet. Some dogs experience milder systems than others. Common signs of a problem include head tilting, loss of coordination, circling and stumbling, falling and rolling, and involuntary eye movements from side to side or up and down. Pet parents often say that symptoms resemble those of a stroke.

Causes

Causes of vestibular disease include recurrent ear infections, overzealous ear cleaning resulting in perforation of the ear drum, trauma caused by head injury, stroke, tumors, polyps, meningoencephalitis, hyperthyroidism, and the use of certain medications. Anything that can irritate or damage the nerves of the inner ear can cause this condition.

Occasionally, the disease is present at birth, or it can come on later in life with no apparent cause. This is why vestibular disease is often referred to as old dog disease.

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian can diagnose vestibular disease. Diagnosis is typically based on history, physical examination, and neurological assessment. Blood tests, cultures and sensitivity tests as well as cytology will be performed to rule out other possible causes. Treatment varies based on the underlying cause.

Treatment

If an ear infection is to blame, medication should correct the problem. If medication is found to be the cause, discontinuing its use is generally all that is needed. Other causes of the disease are not as easy to treat. Treatment is typically focused on reducing symptoms. Anti-nausea medication might be given to reduce discomfort to your pet.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers pet grooming in Orange County. Our groomers understand that pets need care even when they’re suffering from this common condition. We take care to ensure that pets with vestibular disease are comfortable throughout their grooming appointment. Please call 715-962-1005 to schedule a grooming appointment.

 

Flea Treatment – Keeping Your Pet Safe

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It seems like fleas have been worse than ever this year. Unfortunately, this warm weather is expected to last well into November, making flea season especially long.

Many Orange County families struggle to control fleas on their pets and in their homes. Flea products can be expensive, and traveling to and from the vet every month isn’t always an option for today’s busy family. It can be tempting to opt for grocery store options in an effort to save both time and money. However, many over the counter flea products can be dangerous for your pet.

Flea Shampoo

Despite their harmless appearance, flea shampoos often contain harsh chemicals, which can be harmful to your pet. In fact, the insecticides in flea shampoo have poisoned several pets.

Symptoms of insecticide poisoning include seizures, difficulty walking, dilated pupils, extreme sleepiness, decreased heart rate, vomiting, excessive drooling, and diarrhea. If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, it’s crucial that you get them to their veterinarian as soon as possible.

Spot Treatment

There are numerous over the counter spot treatment products available today. These products are applied once a month to the base of the neck. While Frontline and Advantage are generally safe to use, the products provided by other companies have caused severe reactions in several pets.

Spot treatments are responsible for 80% of all deaths related to flea treatment. Reactions can come on suddenly, even if you’ve used over the counter spot treatments before. When in doubt, it’s always best to err on the side of caution. Talk to your veterinarian about safer options for your pet.

Flea Collars

Flea collars used to be the flea treatment of choice for families everywhere. Today, we have better options and know more about the harmful effects of these products.

Flea collars can cause severe allergic reaction. These collars supply a constant stream of insecticides, which can leach into your pet’s skin causing neurological issues and even death.

If you are having difficulty dealing with fleas, it’s important to speak with your veterinarian about safe treatment options. It’s also important to treat your home to prevent fleas from re-infecting your pet.

Please contact us at 714-962-1005 to discuss your flea treatment options with one of our experienced groomers.

Choosing a Groomer

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Choosing a Groomer

From mobile grooming, to grooming salons, and bathing at home, you have many options when it comes to grooming your pet. It can be difficult to figure out which choice is best.

Grooming Your Pet At Home

Grooming your pet at home can be difficult. Most pets don’t like to be bathed, and they may behave worse for their family. Also, improper grooming such as not rinsing properly or not releasing the anal glands can lead to problems for your pet.

Using the wrong shampoo can irritate your pet’s skin. If you do decide to bathe your pet at home, never use human shampoo, even baby shampoo. 

Mobile Grooming

Mobile grooming is another popular option. However, there are no regulations on mobile groomers and many are inexperienced and overworked.

The owners of many popular mobile grooming services do not provide adequate training for their groomers. Since their groomer’s earnings are based on the number of pets they groom, they will often take on more than they can handle. This can affect the quality of service and the level of safety they are able to provide.

Grooming Salon

A grooming salon is a physical location where you can meet your groomer and actually see them working with other pets. The right salon will have experienced groomers, each able to provide a variety of services.

Bringing your pet to the grooming salon should be an enjoyable experience. The groomers should take the time to answer all your questions and properly care for your pet. Never choose a grooming salon that takes an assembly line approach to grooming.

Claws N Paws Day Spa has provided pet grooming to numerous pets in our Orange County community for over fifteen years. Our groomers have extensive experience providing grooming for both dogs and cats. We’ve even had the unique opportunity to work with exotic pets such as guinea pigs and rabbits.

Please stop by our salon to meet our groomers and learn about the services we offer. While here, you’ll be able to see the love and care we provide each and every pet that walks through our door. Please call 714-962-1005 to schedule a grooming appointment today.