Pet Grooming Orange County

Fleas Carrying Plague – Why Southern California Flea Control Is So Important!

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Fleas Carrying Plague – Why Southern California Flea Control Is So Important!

We all know how annoying fleas can be. What you might not realize is that fleas can carry diseases. This year, Southern California flea control may be more important than ever before. Just 475 miles away, in Flagstaff Arizona, prairies dogs are dropping dead from plague. Yes, you read that right. The same plague that ravaged Europe in the 14th century is being carried by fleas and killing prairie dogs today.

Residents throughout the Flagstaff area have been notified that plague is present and monitoring is expected to continue for quite some time. The situation is being assessed regularly to determine whether further action is necessary in order to contain the disease.

About Plague

The Plague, also known as the Black Death, wiped out sixty percent of Europe’s population in the 14th century. Caused by a bacterium, there have been three major outbreaks: the Justinian Plague, the Great Plague and the Modern Plague. The most recent outbreak spread through China and into the U.S. during 1860s.

With modern antibiotics and improved hygiene, plague isn’t feared today as it was in years past. However, you will still want to protect your pet from fleas and the possibility of disease. Fleas often bite humans and they are especially attracted to household pets such as dogs and cats.

The incubation period from the time an infected flea bites until when symptoms are experienced is one to seven days. Symptoms include a sudden high fever, body aches and bad chills. Anyone who suspects plague should be seen by a doctor right away.

Protecting your family from fleas is easy. Stop by Claws N Paws Day Spa to discuss flea control options. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please contact us at 714-962-1005.

Our Flea Free Policy

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Our Flea Free Policyflea free policy

Sooner or later every pet parent has to deal with fleas. If you know how to properly treat and prevent fleas, your pet will be happier and healthier. As a respected Orange County grooming shop, we feel that it is important to take action against fleas.

Any pet that arrives for grooming with one or two visible fleas will be given a bath in our citrus-based flea shampoo. This shampoo is safe for pets, but deadly to fleas. It will not damage the pet’s skin like other over-the-counter flea shampoos can. This basic flea treatment is complimentary.

Pets with several fleas and/or flea dirt present must undergo our full de-fleaing process. Pets with fleas are given a Capstar pill immediately. These pills are safe for dogs and cats over four weeks of age. They work hard and fast, killing adult fleas in as little as 30 minutes. After the Capstar has gone into effect, flea-infested pets are bathed in our citrus-based flea shampoo. The pet must sit in this shampoo for 10 minutes to ensure that it is able to work effectively. After the shampoo is fully rinsed, we apply a Dead Sea mud conditioner that stays on for another 20 minutes. This deep conditioning replenishes any lost moisture and soothes irritated skin. After the conditioner is rinsed, all dead fleas are removed before grooming is continued. The entire process takes approximately 80 minutes to complete, therefore an additional $25 charge is added for this service.

When we check in your pet it is sometimes difficult to tell if there are fleas present. It is greatly appreciated if you let us know if you suspect fleas when making your grooming appointment. If we discover fleas on your pet, we will do our best to try to contact you. However, for the safety of our other customers, any pet that arrives for grooming with fleas MUST be de-fleaed before we complete the grooming process.

We take a lot of pride in our grooming shop and keeping it clean and flea free is extremely important to us. Not all grooming salons take these steps to prevent your pet from bringing home fleas.  We take the time necessary to sanitize everything after a flea infested pet has visited our shop. We even have our salon treated monthly by Preferred Pest Control. Preferred uses a pet-safe spray to kill and prevent fleas and other insects.

Please keep in mind that we can only handle a part of the problem. To rid your pet of fleas you must treat your home as well. We use and recommend Orange County based Preferred Pest Control.  Claws N Paws Day Spa does not sell or recommend flea products such as Frontline or Advantage. We encourage you to talk with your veterinarian about safe and effective flea control products such as Comfortis.

We have developed this flea free policy in order to maintain our reputation as a respected Orange County grooming salon. We want every customer to have peace of mind knowing that their pets will not bring fleas home after grooming.

We thank you for your understanding and we hope that this makes you feel more confident about choosing us as your pet’s groomer.

For more information, or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

 

Treating Your Dog For Fleas

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Treating Your Dog For Fleas

Fleas feed off of the blood of animals, including our beloved pets. Fleas can cause a significant amount of discomfort and they can be difficult to identify. Flea bites often cause intense itching. A bad infestation can lead to hair loss and severe skin irritation. Dogs with fleas should be treated promptly in order to prevent future problems.

Identifying fleas on a dog can be difficult. Signs of fleas might be easier to spot on the dog’s belly where the fur is thinnest. Flea bites and flea feces are typically more obvious than the fleas themselves. Flea bites are red or pink welts, approximately 1/8 to ½ inch in diameter. Flea feces look like brown or black specs, similar in appearance to coffee grounds.

If your dog has fleas you will need to get rid of them and ensure they won’t return. Over the counter remedies such as flea sprays, shampoos, collars and bombs are often ineffective and can be dangerous to the health of both you and your pet. The best method for getting rid of fleas is to have your pet professionally groomed. A professional groomer knows what products to use to safely eliminate fleas from your pet. If you wish to remove fleas from your dog at home you can use a fine toothed flea comb.  Whatever method you chose, make sure that you wash any areas where your dog has been sleeping, living or playing with soap and hot water.

To avoid future problems with fleas you will need to use preventative flea medications. These might be a liquid that is applied topically, or given in pill form. Ask your groomer or veterinarian for recommendations if needed.

We hope that this information has been helpful as we strive to provide education on all aspects of pet care.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers quality dog and cat grooming in Orange County, California. We offer some of the most effective flea treatments for pets. For more information, or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

Receive a free teeth brushing for your pet when you mention our blog!

 

Homemade Cat Repellent

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Homemade Cat Repellent

It doesn’t matter how much you love cats, there are always going to be certain places that you don’t want them to be. Since cats have very little respect for boundaries, it can be hard to stop them from doing exactly what they want. Fortunately, it’s possible to use natural remedies to deter them from visiting certain areas while keeping them safe. The following homemade cat repellents can help.

Try sprinkling some dried mustard, cayenne pepper, rosemary or coffee grounds to keep cats out of flower beds and other outdoor places. Cats tend to dislike certain smells more than others so you might need to experiment a little, or use a combination of different things.

Using an eye dropper, apply cinnamon, citronella, lemon, lemon grass, lavender, orange and rosemary essential oils to cotton balls. Tuck the moistened cotton balls into the corners of closets or rooms that you wish to keep your cat out of. You might also want to place them at the base of your potted plants.

Steep fresh or dried herbs such as lavender, rosemary or cayenne pepper in boiling water for five minutes. Strain the mixture and put the liquid into a clean spray bottle. Spray this infused water on baseboards, floors, furniture, counter tops or in closets or bedrooms where you don’t want your cat to go. The scent shouldn’t be detectable to humans, but will be very strong to your cat. You will need to spray these areas every week or two for this method to be effective.

To keep cats out of your garden areas, border them with citronella, rue, lavender, rosemary and garlic chives. These are attractive plants that will act as an invisible keep out sign to neighborhood cats.

We hope that this information has been helpful as we strive to provide education on all aspects of pet care.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers quality dog and cat grooming in Orange County, California. We can help you with your pet’s grooming needs this spring. For more information, or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

Receive a free teeth brushing for your pet when you mention our blog!

 

Introducing Your Dog to a New Cat

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Introducing Your Dog to a New Cat

First impressions are so important, especially when it comes to dogs and cats. If you are thinking of adding a new feline friend to your household, you will want to keep the introduction as calm as possible for both animals. Although it might take some time, if your dog is properly trained the introduction to your new cat should go smoothly.

Before bringing home a new cat, train your dog to “sit”, “stay” and “leave it”. Sitting and staying will keep your dog calm and still during their initial meeting, and the leave it command can be used to stop your dog from chasing the cat. Just prior to their introduction, take your dog for a long walk. This will make your dog tired and less likely to chase the cat.

Put your new cat in a crate and give it plenty of treats to reinforce the experience as positive. Allow the cat to smell some of your dog’s things so that it can get used to your dog’s scent. If possible, try feeding your dog and cat on either side of a closed door. This will help them associate the scent and sound of each other with a pleasant experience.

To introduce your pets, crate your cat and place the crate on a table so that it’s out of your dog’s direct reach. Leash your dog and bring it into the room. Tell your dog to sit and stay. Once everyone is calm with no hissing, lip licking, growling, barking or lunging, offer both your dog and cat a treat. This will help each of them associate the experience as a positive one. Calmly praise each pet for calm, non-aggressive behavior. If both animals remain calm you can let your cat out of the crate. Continue to praise each animal for behaving calmly.

If your dog attempts to lunge at the cat during their initial meeting, use the leave it command. If the aggressive behavior continues, keep the cat in the crate and calmly take your dog out of the room on its leash. Try the introduction again on another day. Remember to only reward your dog and cat for non-aggressive behavior.

Claws N Paws Day Spa has been taking care of Orange County’s dogs and cats since 2001. We offer full service pet grooming at our state of the art pet salon in Fountain Valley, California. Additionally, we offer mobile pet grooming to all areas of Orange County. Claws N Paws also has many wonderful cats and kittens available for adoption. Two doors down from our pet salon we have a consignment shop offering several unique and interesting items. 100% of the profits from all pet supply sales at This n That Consignment go directly into our rescue efforts! For more information, or to schedule your next grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005 today.

 

Common Dog Skin Issues

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Common Dog Skin Issues

Dog skin issues are extremely common.  Dry skin, itching and hot spots can have multiple causes. It’s important to identify and treat skin problems early, before they become a much bigger problem.  Let’s take a look at the more common dog skin issues:

Dry skin

Dry skin is extremely common for dogs of all breeds. Most cases of dry skin are caused by temperature changes. Just like humans, dogs get dry skin when it is cold. Using a humidifier indoors during colder months might help. In addition to temperature changes, using human shampoo, or low quality dog shampoo when bathing your pet can strip the natural oils from your dog’s skin and coat. This can lead to skin irritation as well as dry skin.

Allergies

Dog skin allergies can be caused by foods, environmental factors and inhaled irritants. Common reactions to allergens include rashes, hives, itching, baldness and irritability. The most common dog skin allergen is a reaction to the saliva of fleas. This is different than a skin reaction to a flea infestation, as it only takes one flea to create an allergic reaction. Speak to your groomer about how to treat and prevent fleas.

Hot spots

Hot spots are wounds that are moist and hot to the touch. They have a tendency to spread like wildfire. Hot spots might be caused by fleas, an allergic reaction, poor pet grooming, an irritant or an infection. Hot spots start as small wounds that are then licked and scratched by the dog until they become infected. Because of the wide range of possible causes, hot spots require a trip to your veterinarian.

Skin diseases and infections

There are so many different dog skin diseases and infections that it can be difficult to know where to start. Common dog skin diseases range from impetigo in puppies to breed specific diseases of the skin. If you suspect that your dog has a skin disease or infection it’s important to take them to the vet for advice and medication. Grooming should not be attempted until after diagnosis because many infections can be spread through the grooming process.

We hope that this information has been helpful as we strive to provide education on all aspects of pet care.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers quality dog and cat grooming in Orange County, California. We can help you with your pet’s grooming needs this spring. For more information, or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

Receive a free teeth brushing for your pet when you mention our blog!