Pet Grooming Orange County

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.

 

Looking For A New Pet? – Why Adoption Is The Better Choice

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Looking For A New Pet? – Why Adoption Is The Better Choice

Most people have fond memories of the pets they lived with as a child. Sometimes, the pet you acquire as an adult is your first experience living with a furry friend. Whatever the case, adding a new pet to the family is exciting.

You have many choices when looking for a pet. There are pet shops, shelters, rescue groups, and breeders. There are also several people looking for homes for their pets on websites like Penny Saver and Craigslist. Although you might have an idea of what type of pet you’re looking for, there are some things you need to consider before choosing where to get one.

The type of place you get your pet from can help determine its health, behavior, and the future of millions of other pets. Please read below for more information.

Pet Shops

Unless they offer rescued pets for adoption, pet shops are one of the worst places to get a pet. Pet shops get their pets from places known as “puppy mills”. Puppy mills force pets (dogs, cats, and other species) to breed over and over. They do not provide adequate nutrition, space, or exercise for the animals they keep.

Animals from puppy mills can have severe problems such as diseases, muscular, and skeletal deformities. These pets are frequently sick when they arrive at the pet shop. They are also more likely to suffer from behavior problems.

In addition to the health and behavior risks associated with buying a pet from a pet shop, supporting puppy mills puts millions of pets in danger every year. This is why pet shops that sell animals are being banned around the state.

Breeders

Although there are some very respectable breeders, most are in it just to make money. Inexperienced breeders often do not know how to properly care for the pets they are in charge of. Much like a puppy mill, pets from breeders are prone to physical deformities, diseases, and behavioral problems.

Classifieds

You’ll likely see lots of pets offered on websites like Penny Saver or Craigslist. While there are definitely perks to helping a pet in need, you never really know what you’re going to get. It’s not uncommon for well-meaning people to take a pet only to find it has aggression or other issues they hadn’t anticipated.

Shelters

Adopting from the shelter is an excellent way to give a pet a second chance at a good life. The only issue is that you won’t know what kind of behavior your pet has until you bring it home.

Most of the time, pets are dropped off at the shelter because of behavior problems. Keep this in mind when adopting.

Rescue Groups

Rescue groups take the time and effort necessary to get to know each and every pet. They understand what type of behavior problems they have and they’ve taken the time needed to resolve them. They have each pet checked by a licensed veterinarian to ensure they are healthy and free from disease. Since they’ve taken the time to get to know each pet, they will be able to tell you which one will be the right fit for your family.

Claws N Paws offers cat and kitten adoptions. Please call 714-962-1005 for more information.

New Dog? Schedule Their First Grooming Appointment Today

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New Dog? Schedule Their First Grooming Appointment Today

There are few things as exciting as bringing home a new dog. While you might be tempted to allow them to join in with all your normal activities, it’s important that you give them ample time to adjust to their new surroundings.

Consider blocking off a small area while your new friend adjusts to the sights, smells, and sounds of your home. This will make potty training easier as well.

Provide your new pet with high quality food and plenty of fresh water. Give them a special space where they can retreat if needed. A crate works well for this purpose. The crate you choose should be large enough for your dog to stand up and turn around. Your dog will likely use this space when it feels overwhelmed.

Socializing Your New Pet

It’s important to socialize your new pet. Take them on walks and watch how they interact with other pets and people. Make sure that you watch them carefully and keep them leashed. Keep in mind that it’s your responsibility to ensure that your dog does not bite other people or pets. Dog bites can cost a lot of money and cause your dog to be placed on quarantine at the shelter.

It’s also important to get your pet used to being groomed. Set-up a grooming appointment as soon as your pet receives their shots. During their first appointment, your groomer will bathe your pet, trim its nails, and clean its ears. This appointment helps get your pet used to the grooming process.

Your new pet will likely be nervous about being groomed. This is totally normal and should be expected. It’s important for you to have a positive attitude when dropping off your pet. If you are nervous, your pet will be as well.

Orange County Pet Grooming

You can get your dog used to the grooming process by touching the nails and ears and brushing them at home. If your pet has long hair, use a comb to remove any tangles. However, don’t attempt to remove any mats as this can cause discomfort and harm to your pet.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers dog and cat grooming in Orange County, California. We are excited to meet you and your new pet! Please call 714-962-1005 to schedule a grooming appointment.

 

Dealing With A Dog That Bites

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Dealing With A Dog That Bites

Dogs bite for a number of reasons. Puppies may bite when teething or playing. It’s up to us to teach them what’s acceptable and what is not. Sometimes, dogs develop aggressive tendencies towards people or other pets. This is extremely common. It’s estimated that around 60-70% of pet dogs will growl or bark at strangers or animals they don’t know.

Most dogs will not act aggressively towards their own family members. Dogs that bite the people or animals they live with are much harder to deal with than those that act aggressively only in certain situations.

When Your Dog Bites Their Vet or Groomer

It’s not uncommon for dogs to bite out of fear and when in pain. This frequently occurs at vet offices and grooming salons. New pet owners are often very surprised to learn that their sweet, gently dog has bitten their vet, vet tech, or groomer. While this type of behavior is common, it should not be ignored. Changing vets or grooming salons will not solve the problem.

It’s crucial that you let your vet or groomer know in advance if your dog has ever bitten their caretakers. This allows them to take the necessary precautions to protect both themself and your dog.

Grooming A Dog That Bites

As one of Orange County’s premier grooming salons, we see a lot of dogs every day. Many of these dogs are fearful or become stressed out when being groomed. When armed with the right information, we can help these dogs overcome their fear and many even end up enjoying the grooming process. However, if you do not let us know that your dog might bite, we will not know to take things slow as your dog adjusts to being groomed.

Typically, a dog will bite during specific procedures such as nail trims or brushing. With proper notice, we can usually avoid being bitten. Our groomers take extra time and care when handling dogs that bite. They move slowly and give plenty of positive reinforcement for good behavior. It’s important to note that because of the extra time and effort involved, dogs that bite do cost extra to groom.

You can get your dog used to being groomed at home between professional grooming appointments. Touch their feet, nails, and ears regularly. Over time, your dog should become accustomed to being groomed.

Sometimes, dogs are too aggressive to be handled. Grooming these dogs is risky for both the groomer and the dog. These dogs must be groomed by their veterinarian. This is usually done under sedation.