Whatever the breed and size of the dog, the pet needs proper care. In addition to balanced dry food, a dog requires regular hygiene. Simple hygiene procedures will prevent mud from spreading around the house, but also keep your pet safe from all kinds of infections and parasites.
And how to make this care effective and create the right conditions for your dog to lead a fulfilling life.
Foot washing
Every day the dog goes out for a walk, so washing his paws after going outside is a must. Soapy water, warm water and a towel can be used for this.
If his paws aren’t too dirty it’s enough to wash them with warm water. If the animal gets dirty with paint, tar or ash during the walk, you can use a shampoo solution with water. When washing, examine the wool in its paws and if there are tangled tree buds, conifers or plant seeds, remove them. Do not rub your paws intensively, but simply soak them in a towel and brush the wool with a special brush.
Pains, wounds and cuts
Walking carries a certain danger to the health and life of the dog. At a time when the park areas are full of rubbish there is a risk that your pet may damage his paw pads. Wounds that are not detected and treated at the right time can become inflamed so you should check his paws after walking. Wounds should be treated with a solution of antibacterial agent.
If the cut is deep enough to begin with, it should be examined for splinters and debris. Daily treat the wound with levomel solution and make sure your dog does not lick it. And protect your damaged paw while you walk with a soft shoe or gauze bandage.
Features of paw care at different times of year
In winter, reagents that are kept in the sand for road treatment get on your dog’s paws. They can cause irritation and itching, especially if your dog has small cracks on his paws. To avoid this, it is best to protect his paws with a special wax which is used to lubricate his paws before walking. The wax itself washes away well with warm water.
In summer some breeds may get dry pads on their feet. It can cause them to crack. This can be very uncomfortable for your dog as the tissue will become inflamed and bacterial growth may occur.
To prevent it from drying out, your vet will advise you to moisturise it. You’ll need natural linseed oil or regular hand cream for this. Just don’t make this procedure absurd, because too gentle the pads will get hurt much faster.
Cutting the claws
Some dog handlers are sure the claws of dogs are getting stiff. But pets spend most of their lives indoors and their claws don’t have time to whip.
Long claws cause a lot of discomfort to your dog and they can twist and affect his gait. Too long claws can rotate into his skin and cause severe pain. It is therefore recommended that you cut your dog’s claws regularly.
A complete haircut is a painful procedure and is performed in veterinary clinics under anesthesia. This procedure will be enough once a year or six months.
During a haircut, don’t touch the blood vessels so that it won’t hurt your dog. Usually a few millimetres to the vessel, so be as careful as possible during the procedure. If his claws are white then his veins will blaze and you can see them with the naked eye.