Pet Grooming Orange County

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!

Why Does My Dog Smell Bad?

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Pet parents can become obsessed with the various smells that come with living with a dog. Sometimes the smell is easily resolved, other times it’s related to a health problem that requires treatment. It’s important to get to the root cause of the smell to determine whether or not your pet requires more than just a bath.

Bathing At Home

Bathing your dog at home can help them smell better. Unfortunately, this is often temporary. Most dogs begin smelling bad shortly after being bathed. Sometimes, they even smell worse after a bath.

Most people do not have the tools and equipment needed to properly clean their pet at home. A professional groomer uses high-powered sprayers and dryers to get them clean and ensure they are completely dry after their bath. This is important. Leaving your pet wet can cause them to develop a mildew-like smell shortly after being bathed.

Most people don’t realize that their dog requires their anal glands expressed during their bath. This is especially true for small dogs, as they do not have the muscle strength needed to clear these glands themselves. The anal glands are located on either side of the rectum. They fill with fluid, which can turn solid and cause serious health problems if not removed regularly. If not expressed, these glands can cause your dog to smell extremely bad.

Skin Conditions

Dogs are prone to several skin conditions that can cause them to smell. These conditions might cause oily skin, bald patches, or sores to develop. Sometimes the only sign of a problem is a continuous yeast-like smell that does not go away with regular professional bathing.

If your dog is experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, it’s important to take them to a qualified veterinarian. A vet will diagnose the problem and prescribe the appropriate medication. This is typically a special shampoo, although your vet might prescribe other medications as well.

Ear Infection

Ear infections often cause the ears to smell. If you notice a bad smell coming from your dog, inspect their ears. Call your vet if dirt, redness, or other irritation is present.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers professional pet grooming in Orange County, CA. We can help you determine the cause of your dog’s bad smell. Please contact us to set up an appointment.

 

 

Preparing for the Holidays

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Twinkling lights and decorations will soon fill the walls of every store. This is the time of year when many of us begin shifting our attention to the holidays. This is a favorite time of year for people everywhere. While you might be ready to begin decorating for the holidays, it’s important to consider your pet. Many decorations are dangerous to pets and should always be kept out of reach.

String Lights

Electric lights look beautiful on a tree or decorating your home. However, these lights can pose a serious risk to pets. Pets can chew on cords, leading to electric shock. They can also become tangled, unable to break free. Cats are generally more susceptible to injury from cords, but dogs might be injured as well. It’s important to keep cords well out of reach of pets.

Glass Ornaments

Glass ornaments look a lot like your dog’s favorite ball.  Unfortunately, when chewed, glass ornaments shatter into sharp pieces. If ingested, these pieces can pose a choking hazard and can cause serious injury to the digestive tract. Broken ornaments also pose a risk to other pets and family members who might unknowingly step on pieces of glass. If you must use glass ornaments, make sure that they are kept out of reach of your pet.

Holiday Plants

Poinsettias might look pretty in your home, but these plants are poisonous to pets. When ingested, poinsettias cause serious gastrointestinal distress. Other poisonous plants include holly and mistletoe. It’s important to ensure that pets are not able to access these plants.

Imitation Snow/Tree Flocking

Imitation snow produces a snow-like appearance on Christmas trees. The substance used to create this appearance is dangerous to pets. Dogs often chew on Christmas tree branches. If flocking is used, it will be ingested.

Edible Ornaments

Ornaments and decorations made from food might look cute on your tree or around your home, but they pose a serious risk to pets. The sugar content in candy canes is unhealthy and the glue and other elements used to preserve and hang edible ornaments can be toxic.

Claws N Paws Day Spa hopes that you and your furry friends have a safe and happy holiday season.

Fear-Based Aggression in Pets

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Pets can show aggression for a number of reasons. Sometimes it’s due to lack of socialization or training. Other times, aggression is caused by fear. Pets visiting the groomer often feel afraid. This is especially true for pets that have never been groomed.

At Claws N Paws Day Spa, we’ve seen a lot of fear-based aggression in pets. Sometimes, we can alleviate a pet’s fear by avoiding certain aspects of the grooming process such as kennels and dryers. However, there are other times when pets are simply too afraid to be groomed.

Fear-Based Aggression Puts Pets And Their Groomer At Risk

Pets that show fear-based aggression put themselves and their groomer at risk. These pets will bite and scratch relentlessly until they are able to get away from the situation causing them fear. Unfortunately, this isn’t ideal in a grooming salon. Once free, pets can become injured by falling from tables or colliding with other pets.

While our groomers might attempt to groom an aggressive pet, there is always the possibility that the stress and danger become too great and grooming cannot be completed. At this point, we will have no choice but to send them home. This might mean sending pets home with half a haircut or partially bathed. The safety of your pet is our first concern.

It is strongly recommended that aggressive pets be taken to their vet for grooming. Veterinarians are used to dealing with fear-based aggression and know how to safely sedate pets so that they do not pose a risk to themselves or others. While this might cost more than taking your pet to the grooming salon, it’s safer for your pet.

Pets that show mild aggression can usually be trained to trust their groomer. Frequent visits to the grooming salon can help. Bringing your pet in for simple services such as nail trims and ear cleaning allows pets to adjust to the sights, smells, and sensations of being groomed. As pets learn to accept these services, more can be done. While this type of training won’t work for every pet, it does work for many.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers humane grooming services. This means we WILL NOT put your pet’s health or safety at risk for any reason.