Pet Grooming Orange County

Is It Worms?

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Worms are extremely common in pets. In fact, most pets will have worms at least once in their life. Fortunately, worms are easily treated. All it takes is a trip to your vet and a pill given twice within a two week period.

How Pets Get Worms

Puppies and kittens can get worms from their mother. They can also get them later in life from playing outside, digging in dirt, grooming themselves, eating raw or undercooked meat, and eating infected insects and pests.

Symptoms of Worms

Worms get bigger over time and symptoms can range from mild to severe. Many pets show no signs of infection. Common symptoms include:

  • Bloody stool
  • Diarrhea
  • Excessive licking of the hindquarters
  • Weakness and fatigue
  • Poor appetite
  • Poor growth
  • Potbelly appearance
  • Rice-like segments found at base of tail
  • Visible worms in vomit or stool
  • Weight loss

It’s important to note that many of these symptoms can indicate another disease. This is why it’s so important to have your pet seen by a qualified vet. A simple stool sample can help determine if worms are causing the problem.

Types of Worms

Dogs and cats can become infected with a wide range of worms. The most common types include:

Roundworms – Roundworms are the most common form of worms. Most pets become infected at a young age.

Hookworms – Hookworms suck blood. These parasites can cause severe blood loss in pets.

Tapeworms – Caused by ingesting infected fleas, tapeworms are flat, segmented worms. You can tell if your pet has tapeworms by inspecting their tail. The segments look like little grains of rice.

Whipworms – Considered a highly infectious worm, pets infected with whipworms are at high risk of reinfection.

Final Thought

It’s important to remember that having worms isn’t a reflection of the care you give your pet. Pets can get into a lot of things and worms take advantage of this opportunity. If you suspect your pet has worms it’s important to have them seen by a qualified veterinarian. Diagnosis is typically quick and easy and treatment is as well.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers grooming for dogs and cats. Please contact us at 714-962-1005 to schedule your next grooming appointment.

 

 

 

Can Dogs and Cats Live Together?

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It’s commonly known that dogs and cats don’t get along. However, this isn’t always the case. As Orange County’s premier grooming salon, we’ve seen several families where dogs and cats are best friends. It’s important to note that this doesn’t always happen overnight. It often takes a lot of time and patience to convince household pets to tolerate each other. Sometimes they never become friends but they do learn to share their space.

Start Young if Possible

The best cat/dog relationships start when one or both pets are young. When introducing a dog into a household with cats, it’s generally best to start with a puppy. This will seem less threatening to your cats and gives you an opportunity to train the dog not to chase. This can take some time as dogs have a natural instinct to chase and cats will instinctively run, making it even more satisfying for your dog.

If you decide to bring home a kitten to play with your dog, you must take care to ensure it doesn’t get hurt. This can be difficult if your dog is large. You will need to watch them very carefully together. Just one grab and shake could seriously injure or kill your kitten. It is up to you to ensure this doesn’t happen.

Enforce the Rules

It’s important to ensure that both the cat and the dog understand the rules. Do not let them chase each other or steal each other’s food. This might take some time as both must adjust to their situation. Rewarding good behavior lets them know they’ve done something right. This is a much better approach than punishing your pet for bad behavior.

Make Sure You Spend Time With Both Pets

Even if the transition goes smoothly, your pets may feel left out if you spend too much time with one and not the other. Make sure that you set aside plenty of time for both pets.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers dog and cat grooming from our full service salon in Fountain Valley, CA. Please call 714-962-1005 to set up a grooming appointment.

Why it’s Important to Get Your Cat Vaccinated

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It seems like every year more and more illnesses claim the lives of our pets. Fortunately many of these illnesses can be prevented. Modern medicine makes it possible for humans to treat and prevent numerous diseases that previously wiped out massive populations of pets.

Your cat depends on you to keep them healthy and comfortable. They rely on you for everything they need from food and water to shelter and medical care. They cannot tell you when they need to go to the vet. That is up to you to decide.

Regular vaccinations help keep cats safe from dangerous diseases such as feline leukemia and FIP. Unfortunately, vaccines are only good for so long. You can’t just get them once and hope your cat will be ok. Vaccines must be repeated at regular intervals to provide the highest level of protection.

Preventing the Spread of Disease

One of the greatest benefits of vaccinating your cat is that it helps prevent the spread of diseases. Even if your cat spends its entire life inside, you still put other cats at risk by not vaccinating. Cats are notorious escape artists. Even the most content house cat can find its way outdoors. If this occurs, an unvaccinated cat can easily contract a number of diseases from coming in contact with the feces of other cats, fighting with neighborhood cats, or even drinking contaminated water. Once infected, your cat can spread disease to even more cats.

If everyone vaccinated their cat, these diseases might cease to exist. If nothing else, they’ll become a lot less common.

Other Considerations

In addition to vaccinating your cat it’s also extremely important to have them spayed or neutered. Having your cat “fixed” prevents them from reproducing, reducing the number of stray, unvaccinated cats around. This is better for everyone, especially the cats and kittens left to fend for themselves.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers dog and cat grooming as well as cat and kitten adoptions from our full service grooming salon in Fountain Valley, CA. Please call 714-962-1005 for more information about our services.

Dementia in Dogs

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Many people do not realize that senior dogs can suffer from dementia. In fact, thousands of dogs go undiagnosed with this condition each year. It’s up to every pet owner to recognize the signs of a potential problem and seek appropriate treatment.

The following are common signs that your dog might be suffering from dementia:

Your Dog Appears to Get Lost in Corners

This is one of the most common signs of a possible problem. Some dogs will stand headfirst in a corner or at the hinge side of a door. These dogs may look as though they are waiting to be let out. They might appear helpless, unsure of what to do next.

Pacing

A dog suffering from cognitive dysfunction syndrome might pace or wander around the house. These pets often appear anxious.

Sudden Onset of Accidents

A pet suffering from dementia might suddenly appear to have forgotten that they are supposed to go outside. It’s important to note that a loss of housetraining isn’t always related to dementia. It might be a sign of another issue such as a urinary tract infection or gastrointestinal problems. A trip to the vet can help you determine the cause.

Not Greeting Family Members

If your dog used to eagerly greet family members but now avoids human companionship, it’s important to have them seem by a vet. This is often a sign of a problem.

Pointless Barking

A dog that barks for no reason might be confused. They may bark because they no longer recognize family members, or because they don’t know where they are or what to do next.

Loss of Appetite

Anytime a pet stops eating, it’s important to have them seen by a vet. If your pet is suffering from dementia, they may have forgotten they need to eat.

Sleep Changes

A dog suffering from dementia might sleep more than usual or mix up day with night.

Stops Responding to Voice Commands

It’s time for a visit to the vet if your pet suddenly seems confused by their name or other voice commands.

Keep in mind that senior dogs can suffer from hearing loss. This should be ruled out before assuming your pet has dementia.

 

 

Understanding Hip Dysplasia in Dogs

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Hip dysplasia is common in large breed dogs. This condition is hereditary and amplified by environmental conditions such as excessive growth, weight, diet, and exercise.

What is Hip Dysplasia?

In order to understand this common skeletal condition, you need to know the basic anatomy of the hip. The hip joint consists of a ball and socket. In dogs with hip dysplasia, the hip joint fails to develop properly. It rubs and grinds against the socket, as opposed to sliding smoothly. Over time, the joint deteriorates and eventually becomes unusable.

Hip dysplasia reduces quality of life as it causes pain and discomfort for dogs affected. Some dogs begin showing symptoms of this condition as puppies, although symptoms are more common later in life. The severity of symptoms depends on the level of inflammation. Common symptoms include:

  • Decreased activity
  • Decreased range of motion
  • Difficulty rising, jumping, and running
  • Pain
  • Stiffness
  • Lameness
  • Narrow stance
  • Swaying gait
  • Audible grinding of the hip joint
  • Loss of muscle mass in the thighs

If your pet is exhibiting any symptoms of hip dysplasia, it’s important to discuss your concerns with your vet. Your veterinarian can help you determine if your pet is suffering from hip dysplasia through physical examination and x-rays. Proper diagnosis is important, as the type of treatment used depends on the severity of the condition.

Hip Dysplasia Treatment

Treatment for hip dysplasia commonly revolves around lifestyle changes. It’s important that your dog loses weight to remove any additional stress to the joint. Physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medications are often recommended. You may wish to restrict your pet’s activity as well.

Surgery might be necessary if symptoms are severe. The most common surgeries used to treat hip dysplasia include:

  • Double or triple pelvic osteotomy
  • Femoral head osteotomy
  • Total hip replacement

Special Consideration – Grooming

Dogs with hip dysplasia often have difficulty standing. This makes grooming painful and uncomfortable. Many grooming salons are not properly equipped to deal with this common condition. At Claws N Paws Day Spa, we care about your pet. We want to make sure that they are comfortable and safe while in our care. Our salon has a lower tub for easy access by pets with special needs. We also offer grooming on the floor.

Our professional groomers have years of experience working with pets. They know how to ensure your pet’s comfort and safety. Please call 714-962-1005 to schedule a grooming appointment today!

 

 

 

Dangers of Tea Tree Oil for Pets

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Recently, tea tree oil has gained popularity for treating skin conditions in humans. This has led to the creation of several veterinary skin care products containing small concentrations of the oil. Unfortunately, numerous pet owners believe that this potent oil is totally safe for use on pets. This simply isn’t true. Using over-the-counter tea tree oil, which contains 60-100% oil, is extremely dangerous to pets. Products used on pets should never contain more than 1% tea tree oil.

Tea tree oil contains chemicals known as terpenes. These chemicals make the oil effective against bacteria and fungi. Unfortunately, terpenes are toxic when ingested or absorbed through the skin. Since pets are more likely to groom themselves and swallow the oil, topical application is twice as likely to cause a problem for pets.

Symptoms of Tea Tree Oil Toxicity

Symptoms of tea tree oil toxicity in pets will vary depending on how much oil is ingested and/or absorbed by the skin. These symptoms generally appear two to twelve hours following exposure. Drooling and vomiting are common with the ingestion of small amounts of oil. Animals that ingest a moderate amount of tea tree oil may appear weak, have difficulty walking, or appear partially paralyzed. Severely ill pets might have life-threatening symptoms such as tremors, seizures, or coma.

There is no cure for terpene ingestion. Treatment depends on the type and level of exposure and might include skin decontamination followed by support therapy using intravenous fluids. Medication is sometimes given for severe symptoms.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure!

It’s far easier to prevent tea tree oil exposure than it is to successfully treat a pet that is experiencing symptoms from exposure. Although tea tree oil is effective at treating certain skin conditions, it is not superior to other, safer medications. Never use anything with more than 1% tea tree oil. This includes any and all products designed for use on humans.

If your pet is experiencing itchy skin caused by the cold weather, we can help! Claws N Paws Day Spa offers soothing baths using our special mineral shampoo with green tea to moisturize the skin and prevent a number of winter-time skin conditions. Please call 714-962-1005 to set up a grooming appointment today!