Pet Grooming Orange County

Keep Your Pet Safe This Summer

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As temperatures rise in Southern California, it’s important to keep your pet safe. While a day in the sun might provide a welcome escape from the rainy weather we’ve experienced for most of the year, the heat presents a number of dangers for your pet.

Never Leave Your Pet in Your Car

A vehicle acts like an oven on warm days, reaching up to 170 degrees inside. It only takes a few minutes for the temperature inside your vehicle to cause harm to your pet. Never leave your pet in your vehicle alone, even for a few minutes. If you need to go somewhere that you can’t take your pet, it’s best to leave them at home.

Check Sidewalk Temperatures

Always check the temperature of sidewalks and roadways before walking your pet. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot for your pet. It’s also important to make sure you check outdoor areas as well. Your pet should have plenty of room to get away from the sun and off the sidewalk. It might be best to keep them inside as much as possible during the summer. Pets that walk on hot cement risk serious burns to the pads of their feet.

Make Sure Your Pet Has Fresh Water At All Times

Just like humans, our pets need to keep hydrated throughout the summer. Make sure you keep fresh water available at all times. Try putting a few ice cubes in your pet’s water bowl to keep it cool.

Fleas

Fleas become more common during the warm summer months. Make sure you check your pet regularly for fleas. Look for flea dirt, which looks like coffee grounds against the skin. When wet, this “dirt” turns red. This is actually flea droppings. If present, you need to treat your pet for fleas. This is important whether you see live fleas or not.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers summer haircuts for dogs and cats. Our groomers have years of experience providing pet grooming from our full service grooming salon in Orange County, California. Please call 714-962-1005 to set up a grooming appointment.

The Benefits of CBD Oil For Pets

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The 2018 Farm Bill made the use of Cannabidiol (CBD) derived from hemp legal in all states at the federal level. This was due to the significant medical benefits it provided. Since then, the CBD industry has boomed, and many pet owners are taking advantage of CBD to treat their furry friends.

Why CBD?

While CBD is often associated with medical marijuana, it does not provide nearly the same results. Rather 

than creating a psychoactive “high,” CBD targets specific cannabinoid receptor sites in the central nervous systems of humans and our beloved pets. The result is a calming sensation free of intoxicating effects.

CBD is most commonly known to relieve pain and reduce anxiety, but it has many other effects. It is known to regulate appetite, promote better sleeping patterns, and enhance skin and heart health. In pets with more severe concerns, CBD products can be used to treat epilepsy and even prevent cancer.

Unlike many prescribed medications, CBD has no significant side effects for pets. This allows pet owners to use the products for a wide variety of reasons without worry. CBD can even be used to calm pets during Fourth of July fireworks or stressful home construction.

A New Market

Because CBD was approved for public consumption so recently, product labels can be misleading. Companies will often label their products as having more CBD than is actually included. Rather, these products rely on unnecessary additives and fillers. Owners using these products will assume that the pet has received a proper dosage, but in truth the effects will be diminished or even eliminated. Caring pet owners find themselves in a difficult position when selecting CBD products. It can be hard to know which companies to trust.

About the Product

Claws N Paws carries CBD products from 4 A Higher Good, a company devoted to health and healing using only organic ingredients. Their products do not contain unnecessary fillers, featuring short lists of ingredients that are easy to follow. These products have been tested and approved by the Claws N Paws staff, earning them their place in our display case. Furthermore, 4 A Higher Good is a local Huntington Beach company that is quickly available for all inquiries. More information can be found on their website.

Claws N Paws carries hemp extract treats, pet tinctures, and anti-itch skin and coat conditioner at our full-service grooming salon. Contact us at 714-962-1005 or visit our location in Fountain Valley, California for further inquiries about our CBD products.

Is Your Pet’s Food Making Them Sick?

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We all want to take good care of our pets. Proper care includes making sure your pet gets enough exercise and eats a healthy diet. Unfortunately, not all pet foods are created equal. Many cheaper foods can actually make your pet sick. This is because low quality pet foods often contain insects, mites, and mold. Exposure can lead to chronic allergies and disease.

About Mold

Molds are members of the fungi family. Unlike other fungi, mold spores are invisible to the naked eye. Mold reproduces quickly by creating small, seed-like particles known as spores. Because mold spores are microscopic, they spread easily on the bodies of mites and weevils. When this occurs, it doesn’t take long for an entire bag of dog food to become contaminated.

Mold Poisoning

Just like humans, dogs can be allergic to mold spores commonly found in lower quality pet foods. An even greater danger lies in the potential ingestion of the poisons produced by mold. Although rare, symptoms of mold poisoning include:

  • Fever
  • Jaundice or yellowing of the skin and eyes
  • Dark colored urine
  • Persistent violent bouts of vomiting
  • Bloody diarrhea
  • Death

Even small amounts of mold can accumulate in a dog’s liver, causing serious problems over time. Unfortunately, there is no known cure once mold enters the liver.

Avoid Poor Quality Pet Foods

Every time you choose to feed your dog commercial pet food made with cheap, low quality cereal grains you put them at risk for mold poisoning. It isn’t clear how much mold needs to be present to cause a problem. Even small amounts of mold in pet food should be considered unsafe.

In order to protect your dog from the potential dangers of mold ingestion, avoid buying cheaply-made pet foods that contain grain by-products or mill waste.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers dog and cat grooming in Orange County, California. Our groomers have years of experience providing a wide range of grooming services for our clients. For more information about choosing a pet food, or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

 

 

Deciding on a Summer Haircut for Your Pet

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Summer is almost here. That means it’s time to start thinking about your dog’s summer haircut. While some people shave their pets short during the summer, others prefer to leave the hair long. As long as your pet doesn’t have any mats in their fur, there are numerous haircuts to choose from. Summer is the perfect time to experiment with a new haircut.

Shaving

Despite what many people believe, shaving your pet does not make them cooler in the summer. A pet’s coat helps keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer, regardless of how long it is. However, there are exceptions to this rule.

Our Southern California heat can reach extreme temperatures. Dogs with heavy coats designed for year round cold climates might have a harder time staying cool throughout summer. Unfortunately, many of these breeds are not meant to be shaved completely. They have a double coat and shaving them can actually affect the way it grows back. For these dogs, we recommend a tummy shave. This allows them to lay on cold floors to cool off, without affecting the integrity of their coat.

Shedding

Another common belief is that shaving your dog will help prevent shedding. Unfortunately, this isn’t true. Short haired breeds still shed when shaved, the hair that falls is just shorter. These tiny hairs can become sharp little slinters, sticking into everything they encounter.

Dirt Build-Up

Certain breeds like cocker spaniels and poodles have a lot of thick hair on their legs. This hair can collect sand, dirt, and other debris during a trip to the beach. If your plan to take your pet to the beach this summer, you might want to consider keeping the fur on their legs short.

Personal Preference

Personal preference is the main factor when it comes to choosing a summer haircut. As Orange County’s premier grooming salon, we’ve seen everything from traditional breed cuts to Mohawks. If you’re unsure what’s best, please stop by our salon to discuss your options with our experienced groomers.

 

Summer Boarding for Your Cat

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Summer is almost here and many of us have already begun making plans. If you’re like most, you’ll be heading out of town this summer. Whether you’ll be gone for one weekend or three months, it’s important to consider your cat. Cats depend on us to keep them happy and healthy. Your cat relies on you to make sure they have plenty of food, water, and a clean litter box.  

Cats-Only Boarding Facility

Many pet parents worry about leaving their pet when they go on vacation. It can be stressful to leave the care of your beloved cat in the hands of someone else. It’s important to find someone who can properly care for your cat. This should be someone you trust with the experience needed to deal with any problems that arise.

Claws N Paws Cat Boarding offers cats-only boarding in our dog-free facility located in Fountain Valley, California. Our team has years of experience working with cats and know how to recognize and deal with a number of problems. We provide daily stimulation and activities for your cat to ensure they feel loved and get the exercise they require. We feed them twice daily and ensure they have fresh water at all times.

Our feline guests are never kept in cages. We provide each guest with their very own cat condo. Our condos are comfortable, climate-controlled, and provide your cat with plenty of room to move around. Rooms are available in two sizes to accommodate one or more cats.

All of our guests are provided with toys, blankets, and scratching posts. Our skilled cat experts love cats and are well trained to give our clients medication and special diets when needed.

Cat Grooming & Boarding in Southern California

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers dog and cat grooming at our full service grooming salon. Although pet parents can schedule grooming for their cat at any time during they stay in our boarding facility, many of our clients prefer to have their cat groomed immediately before pickup. Please call 714-962-1005 for more information about cat boarding or to set up a grooming appointment.

 

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.