My Dog is itching all the time………

My Dog is itching all the time Why?

Well this month with damp and warm weather still with us, and the autumn leaves falling, the rain and wind lashing all around, all waiting for our dogs to have fun and run riot through them, I’d like to be a bit serious in addressing skin problems in dogs.

Seasonal dermatitus, Autumn hay fever, Mold and Staph infections are amongst the common names for skin problems at this time of year, and with the unseasonably warm damp weather at the moment, both myself and many Groomers across the UK have seen a high rise in these skin conditions, especially skin problems that appear seasonally.
So I though it might help to explain just what can cause these problems so every dog owner can be aware of then and avoid them where possible.

Furunculosis is an acute skin disease characterized by boils or successive crops of boil like lesions that are caused by staphylococci or streptococci bacteria.

The Staphylococcus group of bacteria

are present in vast numbers all around us, especially in the soil, as they are a major player in the decay of organic material such as plants and animal waste. So during autumn when all those leaves are falling, the soil is still warm, and the autumn rain adds moisture, it is the perfect breeding ground for this group of bacteria, hence why a sudden rise in skin reactions and infections are seen at this time of year.
And again in the springtime when the warming sun begins to heat up the soil and wake the dormant bacteria into action, feeding on all that lovely organic matter such as decayed leaves around the trees in the park. Just the spot our dogs love to go, both dogs and bitches scent trees to see who’s been there, and of course leave their scent for the next visiting dog.

This group of bacteria are frequent inhabitants of the skin and mucus membranes of mammals and humans.
It is part of our make up and are needed for us all to survive, they only become a problem when our immune systems aren’t working up to speed, or our diets aren’t providing us with enough fuel to keep it in tip top condition.
In us and in dog’s, the bacteria are found within the nasal passage, saliva, in our ears, under our fingernails and the genitals, but because of the use dogs put their feet, nails mouth and tongue to during their cleaning, the risks of infection is far greater.

So lets look at the way dogs pick up the infection in the first place, how then they can end up suffering this painful condition and what we can do to help prevent and treat it by regular grooming and a diet that boosts their immune system, thus making their skin healthy and the last place this bacteria wants to live.

Contact furunculosis.

Dogs live by their noses, both dogs and bitches love nothing more than sticking their noses into things we just wouldn’t or couldn’t imagine doing. But it’s their way of finding out just what or who is there, or has been there, what they need to be aware of, and what delicious tasty morsel just “Might” be hidden or left there by another dog or fox.
In doing all this rummaging around they come into very close contact with this group of bacteria. It enters into their nasal passages where is sets up home, quite happily surviving on the organic matter that gets taken up regularly by the dogs constant “Sniffing”.
During the best suitable seasons of the year like spring and Autumn, the bacteria multiply because the dog is coming into contact with both it's feet and nose with the organic material the bacteria thrive on, and with the added bonus off Autumn's falling leaves, you would think sugars needed for the bacterias expansion was in short supply, but the falling leaves as they dry expel all the pollens they have collected during the summer giving the bacteria the much needed sugar they need from the pollen and the added risk to prone dogs of hay fever!

All from the dog’s wonderful time of routing and rolling through all those lovely Autumn leaves!

Seasonal Allergic Dermatitis or Hay fever

Now lets bring Christmas into the equation, when we humans bring in Christmas trees, holly, and ivy into our homes, all covered with pollens caught in the leaves over the past year, which then as the greenery dries out in our centrally heated homes, the pollen is released, the dog starts itching and scratching, breaks the epidermis layer of the skin, allowing the bacteria to enter and away we go again!
Dogs are clever though and they still have buried deep inside just what natural plants can help in various health situations to ease the problem and maybe alleviate the symptoms such as itching.
Taxus Baccata (Common yew) and Spruces contain a local anesthetic in the leaves and bark, which is why some dogs can't resist rubbing themselves on these trees, due to the "Feel good" factor they get from them.

But again they also risk friction rashes that then allow the same bacteria present feeding on the sugars in the pollen to enter the skin.

Contact Dermatitus - Mange Group

All those lovely fallen leaves, the low branches and fallen twigs, invite a dog just to roll around and enjoy themselves, because its just natural and gives the dog such pleasure especially if it can add “Essence of Fox pooh” to enhance its attractiveness to other dogs it comes into contact with, as Fox Pooh is likened to our human equivalent of perfumes we use to attract or compete with both sexes.
But un like our innocent perfume, fox pooh also holds hidden risks, and yep you’ve guessed it bacteria, especially the ones that are commonly grouped into “Mange” group.
Again this group is carried in dogs and hardly ever cause problems unless the animals immune system just isn’t up to it’s peak condition.

So it’s not a case of forgetting those lovely walks in the parks or woods, letting our dogs run happily in the fallen leaves, and keeping them safe at home away from the risks because the risks are already carried within our dogs.
What we should all be aware of recognizing just when the risks are around, and preventing them from ever getting hold.

Self infection by dogs own cleaning regime.

Dog’s use their nails to clean out their ears, then like good dogs, they clean their feet with their tongue, they then proceed to lick and clean ALL over their body, removing as much dirt and dander (shedding skin) as possible, so they stay clean, germ free and healthy.
We’ve all seen them happily nibbling away at hard to reach dirt or grit on those short hairs on their legs, or tummy, and we’ve heard that classic yelp, when they’ve maybe been a bit too enthusiastic and nipped their own skin with their teeth! Especially when it’s in those hard to reach or stretch areas like the rump, their backs of their legs and for the sake of easy recognition, their arm pits!
The bacteria that’s been happily living on the skin, gets pushed into the pores and finds it’s even nicer there, and begins to multiply, in doing so, it’s secretions begin to kill off the good bacteria present and the hair follicles that hold the hair in the skin, and we maybe notice a tiny area of bald skin and hair loss, then as the bacteria increases, the characteristic redness, and oozing tiny spots. The skins surface is now the right PH for the bacteria to run rampant through the skin.

Post Season/Menstrual furunculosis

In bitches some of the bacteria living naturally on the skin and within the mucus membranes needs the hormone rush of a season to make the skin just right or them to explode, and feed on the epidermis and the hormone filled secretions that are produced as the bitches body prepares for the pups by shedding her hair to line the expected nest, these bacteria hide in mouth nose and ears, and first feed over the skin around the thyroid,
Many dogs are miss diagnosed and treated as having an over active thyroid at this point, but the treatment doesn't work, and the hair loss continues until the hormone levels subside, normally around 12 weeks after a season, or in spayed bitches around 6 weeks after a season would have occurred had they not been spayed. So again, this was caused by normal bacteria already present in all dogs but got the boost they needed to take hold.

Ear Infections

Ears can almost be classed as the number one place for bacteria to hide.
Unless our dog’s ears are washed out and cleaned with ear cleaner weekly by us owners, those pesky mites hide deep down, and excuse the pun “Snug as a bug in a rug”, ready to march out and take over your dog’s body. If you watch your dog going through its cleaning regime, it’s easy to see just how this happens. Dog’s use their back feet to clean out their ears, then they lick clean those feet and nails, then they clean their front feet, and then move onto their legs and body. In doing so, bacteria hidden in the ears gets transferred onto the dog’s feet and pushed into the nail beds, from there it gets transferred to the dog’s lips, and from there, to its front feet, legs and body. And hey presto normally the first thing noticed is the “Smell” coming from our dog’s, next we notice the gungy feet, and the gravy coloured staining in between the toes, next comes the tell tail patches that start start appearing in the hair, on the legs and rump.
A way of distinguishing this cause is the places NOT affected are the places our dog’s can’t reach with their cleaning!Now remember, any Ear infections really need daily cleaning for at least 6 months to totally clear them, 2 weeks isn’t enough if those pesky mites, it just means they move down further into the ears to hide!

Flea dermatitis

And then we have the “Flea bite” or “Tick bite” causing the dog to itch, so it scratches, risking bacteria entering the area that way, this is common around the rump area as well all know.
But a real common way of this occurring is when the dog has been treated by the groomer for fleas, but the dog’s home or worse the car, hasn’t, because as soon as the dog is out in the car travelling home, the hungry fleas are on that dog within minutes, and the dog’s vigorous scratching can mean by the time the dog is taken out of the car even if its only a 10 minute drive, the dog can present with red raw areas where its scratched or bitten it’s self, now as an owner what would your first thoughts be?
Mine would be the Groomer caused it…..after all what owner would think their car is a breeding ground for fleas? So when treating your home, don’t forget to treat your car too, even if the dogs don’t maybe travel in on of your cars, you do, and fleas like nothing better than hopping on you for a free ride to their next meal ticket, even if it means staying in that car for a while!

Knotted Hair and neglected coats

So now let’s think of a dog that is not brushed frequently enough, there is a layer of moulted hair trapped in the growing hair, and like the falling leaves of autumn, they have formed a layer over the skin, trapping moisture and dirt in, and within that dirt bacteria too. It’s now a nice warm perfect breeding ground for the Staphylococcus group of bacteria, and they breed and multiply quite happily.
As they multiply the dog begins to feel uncomfortable with all that damp skin, and the hair getting tighter and tighter against it and the itching it feels. So the dog tries it’s best to groom its self to remove the moulted hair and let the air get to the skin.
Again, it can either bite its self, or in its manic scratching to get to the itch, scratch its self with it’s claws, both allowing the bacteria to enter under the skins surface and away the infection goes.
We maybe notice the dog’s incessant scratching and think its time finally for a hair cut and bath so away to the groomers for a pampering.
But hidden under all that hair the infection is just waiting for all that hair to be removed and oxygen to reach it.
Now if a Groomer, is still brushing all those knots before bathing,
(Something which is now not allowed due to The Animal Welfare Act 2006) again there is the risk of the brush scratching the surface of the skin, and sending the infection already present before the dog was groomed into the skin. Then, if harsh shampoos are used on the skin, with the action or rubbing the shampoo into the hair forces even more bacteria into the pores.
The skin is already infected, and now free of all that hair, the bacteria now down in the hair follicle begins to multiply and explode, and sometimes within hours the dog is reacting.

Now was this the fault of the Groomer?

Or was it the fault of us owners, not realising our dog had already got this problem, because we were not grooming our dogs daily and in doing so inspecting the coat and skin, which would have prevented the hair from becoming knotted, and because of the neglect, causing the right breeding ground for the bacteria? It’s also a good idea to have informed the Groomer before hand of every symptom their dog had exhibited in the past few weeks and why they had decided it was finally time for a haircut.
So, if the Groomer had been aware of the symptoms, they could have forewarned the owner of the risks of “Post grooming furunculosis” caused by the underlying bacteria present on the skin BEFORE grooming, and what the Owner would have to do to treat this condition, once the dog was groomed.
As for Grooming and clipping a dog with this condition, this involves grooming the dog in a way that does not impact on the dog and causes the minimum risk of the bacteria getting a hold once the coat is removed.
Bathing the dog straight away WITHOUT pre brushing,
Using fresh natural and gentle shampoos, never pre diluted shampoo more than 24hrs old.
Not using hands and friction of rubbing the shampoo into the coat and skin, but a patting and massaging action, or even better a bathing system that runs water and shampoo through the coat without the need of friction to get the shampoo down under all that hair onto the skin.
And with CLEAN coat and skin, now the hair can be clipped with sterilised blades, ONLY used on that dog before sterilising again and re bathe if necessary using a shampoo that not only kills off the bacteria but leaves the skin slightly acidic rather than sweet, like a lemon or vinegar rinse, so that the bad bacteria cannot survive, but the good bacteria can.

The advice must be to ALL owners to keep their dog regularly groomed and at home, this way, whilst brushing and combing that hair, problems will be found before they can become a serious issue.

NOT allowing our dogs to go running out into the garden or park or worse the river or sea for the first 24hrs after a professional grooming appointment, whilst the pores are still open.

It’s amazing just how many owners take their dogs straight out for a long walk after grooming, and then question why their dog is suddenly scratching?
Even Vets ask innocently “When was your dog at the Groomers?”

Now, can you see that even though it might have been the last place your dog went, it wasn’t just where your dog “Caught” the infection, it was where the infection was bought to your attention.

In ninety nine cases out of a hundred, you will never know just where your dog picked it up, in most cases dogs carry these bacteria in their bodies since they were born, and it’s only when their immune systems can’t cope, the bacteria can, and that advantage of the situation and take over.

A nutritious Diet

The main cause of this rise in dogs being unable to cope with these bacteria appears to lie with their diets not being nutritious enough to provide the fuel that keeps their immune system at peak condition.
Add to that the colorants and additives used to make the food attractive to our eyes, yet can cause the tears glands of our dogs to over work in trying to expel them and causing that typical
Just taking time to look and watch a dog can make one aware that things aren’t quite right. One of the first signs of this is the dog’s coat, its eyes and nose. A dull coat without a shine, and slow sparse hair growth, dull eyes that have lost their sparkle, and a nose that appears dry pitted and pale in colour. You’ll maybe notice a lack of energy and seemingly emotional tiredness and lack interest in its surroundings.

For a holistic Groomer, it’s not just a case of taking the dog in, giving it a haircut, and sending it home gain.
There are so many things to think of that can affect the dog’s life that must be taken into consideration before grooming can begin.
This is why good Groomers like to give their visiting dogs time to move around and settle before they start grooming a dog and the initial assessment is so important whilst the owner is present, as it can reveal to a Trained Groomers eyes more in minutes than the owner may have seen in the past few weeks.

A holistic Groomer asks the owner so many questions about the dog before they take the dog in for grooming. Many times thing come out that can alert the groomer to problems or situations that may be or could be affecting the dog and it’s grooming.

The main one is diet, no amount of treatments creams, shampoos, conditioners, extra vitamins etc, will help the dog if the underlying cause of an improper breed specific diet, isn’t addressed.
This is why a groomer will ask if the dog has ever had skin, ear or immune system problems in the past, as this could be clue that one of the thousands of bacteria both good and bad that the dog carries just like us, might be the reason for the dog’s persistent skin problems.

All that will happen is the dog will continue to present with further ailments, and conditions, possibly requiring more Vet treatments and drugs that also have a dulling affect on the immune system, reducing its working capacity even more. Sadly, don’t believe the hype on those ads or food packets, its there to sell that brand of food, believe your dog’s appearance, behaviour, that alone speaks volumes.

But remember any change of diet means upset tummies as the dog gets rid of the toxins it built up on the old food. Skin flaking and yep, itchiness as the toxins exits through that way. And don’t expect a change over night it can take up to 6months to see an improvement. But what an improvement!

No more skin infections, a lovely clean skin, glossy hair and shinning nose sparkling eyes, and a far longer, happier life.

So the next time our dogs get a skin infection, remember, there’s a good chance, it was there all along, it just needed the right situation to take over.
But with regular daily inspection of your dog’s coat during brushing and combing your dog you’ll be more likely to catch it before it becomes a problem. And if your dog starts scratching, take a look straight away.

So there you are, now you know a few of the causes that “Could” be the origin of that sudden rash or skin infection, and whilst Vet’s have told many an owner it “Might” be caused by grooming, as it stands because the cause is so hard to track down, this statement might be seen as untrue, because of all the above possibilities, and without proof, even a Groomer making a suggestion that the skin problem is caused by a particular reason, they too do not have concrete proof.

Sadly it’s only our dog’s who knows just when it started, Wouldn’t it be lovely if they could talk?
Oh boy, I bet they’d have a few tales to tell! © JackieGrimmett 2010.

The Importance of Daily Coat Care

Believe it or not, the physical state of a dog influences the way he feels and the way we look at our dogs as well.

At around the month of March and April, all of the dog grooming salons are full of dogs with dirty, rough or greasy hair, a lot of them come in limping because their nails are too long and they have teary eyes and dirty ears. Obviously a dog that comes in this way has not been well taken of all winter. Incredibly enough after a nice grooming these dogs look like different dogs and they seem to have more life in them. Their owners definitely think so too.

There are extreme cases in which lack of proper care, cleaning and grooming can directly affect the behaviour of a dog. An example of this is when a dog has long nails; if the dog normally enjoyed running around and getting a lot of exercise, he won't be able to anymore and it will even affect the way he walks causing him pain and he may even become depressed.

Another example of this is a dog whose hair has grown too long and is in front of his face blocking his eyes. This situation can actually affect some animals to the point where they become fearful and untrusting of people and other animals, and on some occasions even aggressive. A dog that cannot see well feels threatened and he will impulsively go on the defensive. Put yourself in this dog's shoes and imagine yourself in this situation.

It’s a false economy to put off grooming appointments, if some owners don’t keep their dog well brushed at home, because it takes longer to remove an un-brushed coat than it does to remove a well brushed coat, and as the cost of grooming is based on an hourly rate, it can be 3 or 4 times more expensive to repair the damage.

Health issues go un-noticed under all that fur, which when revealed, may cause very expensive Veterinary Costs and suffering to the dog.

And in all of this the poor dog suffers. How would it be if we turned up at our Hairdressers having not brushed our hair for 6months? Would they go ahead and brush it out? Or hand US the brush to sort it before they would consider touching it.

Please let the Groomer sort it in the humane way and clip it all off quickly. Though remember, all those knots have been pulling on the dog’s skin making it very tender to touch. Once the knots have been removed, it will be a few days before the dog will feel happy about being touched or cuddled, until the tenderness dies down.

This is NOT the fault of the Groomer, but the owners, in allowing the dog to get into this condition.

Hair does grow again, and a Good Dog Groomer is only too happy to show owners how easy it is to keep their dog’s coat well brushed and knot free at home.

Dog Groomers and Owners must abide by The Animal Welfare Act 2006, and not cause any animal suffering or distress. This includes the distress caused by NOT brushing our Pets daily ourselves, as Coat Care begins at home.

xxxDoggy Licks & Kissesxxx Jackie

Posh Pawz Dog Grooming Studio
Home of The Dog House

Where warm Kisses Greet Cold Noses!

Keeping Your Dog Safe in Snow & Freezing Weather

Keeping Your Dog Safe in Snow and Freezing Weather

Coat Care & Health Hazards the Winter Weather can hold.

It’s important to consider the weather especially the temperature when exercising your dog.
Many dogs love playing in the snow and a re invigorated by the chilly weather but be sensible about what you ask or allow your dog to do when the temperatures drop One dog’s beautiful day playing in the snow is another dog’s nightmare wishing it was tucked up in the warm. Consider your dog’s size, the thickness and length of their coat, and how accustomed they are to the cold or for how long when deciding whether they should be out on cold days. No matter what their breed, it’s very important to protect them from extremes of weather as well as from other hazards that accompany our winter weather we are experiencing at the moment.

Let’s look at Coat Care and some of the hazards, how to manage them, so both you and your dog can stay safe and enjoy the cold weather and snow.

Daily Coat Care. And why it’s even more important during the Winter months. There is the choice of having your dog’s hair clipped or not, during the winter, you may think they will catch cold, or that it’s better to leave their hair as long as possible. Let’s look at a few breeds and also the way ALL dogs keep warm during cold weather. Parsons Jack Russell’s, Boxers, Staffies, Rotties, Beagles, Fox Hounds, all the short haired breeds adore being out in the cold weather and never seem to feel the cold some of the working breeds like spaniels and fox hounds even sleep in unheated kennels quite happily with no ill effects.
How?
Well it’s not the length of the coat but the thickness and the health of the coat that counts. A short thick coat acts like a duvet.
We have all experienced our hair standing up on end and shivering when we first go out in the cold air. This is a primal reaction, the shivering causes more blood to be pumped to the surface of the skin to protect it and the hair standing on end if we had more of it on our skin would cause pockets of warm air to be trapped in this hair and forming a thermal layer. This is what happens with ALL dogs, the difference is in the length of that hair. The right length of hair to trim back to, must be chosen for the type of dog you have because if you remove too much hair from your dog's coat, you are removing its heating system.
The short haired breeds like the Jack Russell terriers, Labradors, retrievers etc have developed the right length and thickness of protection, as have the northern breeds like German Shepherds, Huskies etc. The problems developed when very long haired breeds began to be bred by man purely for their looks not function. Instead of their working heritage. Even the Lhasa Apso and Shih Tzu kept by the Monks of Tibet INSIDE the temples and treated as God’s though they experience those low temperatures, had no need to venture out into the snow to hunt for food. They were not meant to be allowed to act and play as dogs but then as now were breed purely for their looks. These and other long haired breeds now have hair that due to its length and weight is either too heavy or too fine to hold the duvet effect. To do so needs the length of coat to be shortened to the right length and weight to allow the duvet affect to be performed by the dog. So in all with long haired breeds its best during winter months to have the hair kept at the length required for each individual breed to allow this to happen. This can be anything from around an inch or 2cms, or up to 3inches or 8cms.

One thing you will notice when looking around you is that most dogs don’t have long hair on he front of their legs in fact its really short in these areas. This has been designed this way for function, it allows the dog to move through any obstruction, be it water, snow, long grass or the undergrowth without too much hinder. The longer hair at the back of the legs, ie the feathers, has been designed to allow the flow and pull off of any objects caught or tugging on the coat, like burrs or brambles, ice balls etc. These can be easily removed by the dog when it cleans itself or even better when you brush them out for the dog.
Now look at long haired breeds, I have 2, a Yorkshire terrier, bred by Miners to take down the mines to kill the rats there. There certainly couldn’t do that work with a full to the floor length coat, So it was kept at a length that protects the dog from excesses of temperature ie both hot and cold. So I keep Jessica in a length that allows her to “Be a dog” and have fun, without her having to worry or spend too much time cleaning. She’d far rather be out in the undergrowth hunting Rats, than to worry about how she looks! My Maltese cross Chihuahua Fred would spend all day out in the snow if he could he loves it! Again the Chihuahua was originally bred as a working dog catching mice and rats it needed a short but thick coat to allow this. So I keep Fred in a length that allows the Maltese type coat which is rather fine to protect him but still have fun in the snow. When the weather is very cold I put on jumpers that give extra protection over their vital organs, ie heart and lungs. My other dog Gracie being a German shepherd thinks this weather is heaven! I had the problem with her trying to get her to come in! All she wants to do is lie down in the snow and sleep! She’s in her element! Because of this wet cold weather I ensure their coat care is increased to ensure they stay happy and healthy throughout the winter months.

So you can see leaving your dogs coat too long can be the worst thing to do. Long hair acts like a magnet and suction drawing up water, ice and snow that then form huge balls of ice crystals weighing the dog’s legs down. The water is drawn up into the coat and if knots and tangles are present in the coat these hold onto the water, if you then rub the dog with a towel to dry it, these knots become even bigger. Whilst you may think the dog looks dry, underneath there will be these balls of knotted hair full of water that means the dog can never truly warm up, but stays cold and uncomfortable for hours, even days. As the knots slowly dry out, they shrink pulling on the surrounding skin making it sore and painful, the friction caused by the dog moving or walking causes even more pain, and the friction from these knots can cause burns on the skin if any of these knots are close to the skin there is also a risk of bacteria building up and feeding on this sore skin in that tight enclosed damp environment, these painful conditions may carry on developing unseen for weeks even months until revealed by grooming and clipping of the coat, and the treatment required to heal these conditions could take months to work and end up with a very costly Vet bill.
Always pat your dog down with a towel when you get in, never rub unless it’s a very short breed, as rubbing causes backcombing of the hair and forms knots that cannot be brushed out. If you need to bath your dog, make sure you can get a comb right through it coat from the surface of the skin to the end of its length of hair and so is knot and tangle free. If not then those knots and tangles will get even tighter as the coat dries afterwards. And the only option is to clip those knots out. Its too painful for the dog to try and brush or comb them out no Groomer should be asked to cause a dog pain trying to de matt and remove knots and tangles through brushing and combing. This is why some dogs hate being groomed because they associate it with pain. Also The Animal Welfare Act now states no-one must cause distress to ANY animal. So de-matting by brushing and combing can be looked on as an offence under this Act. Far better is to ask your Groomer to remove the coat the best and quickest way for the comfort and protection of your dog.

Setting up a regular bathing and grooming session through the winter months where the coat is kept at a manageable length, not too short for the dogs own best interest, and not too long for you to easily keep brushed and combed weekly at home is the best option for your dog during the winter months. And don’t forget we can show you just how to brush and comb your dog easily and quickly so you can do this at home to prevent those knots and tangles from forming. In doing so, this will mean you won’t need to have them professionally clipped or groomed as often, and thus save you money!Our dogs do care about what they look like, just look at how they behave after a Grooming session!
Pleased as Punch!!!! And so Happy!

Snow can be such fun for you and your dog, enjoy the fresh bracing air, the exercise, think of those extra Xmas pounds you’ll both loose and the feel good factor too, all those “Happy Hormones” you’ll both produce, but remember to be careful too. Too much of a good thing can be dangerous too!

Let’s look at some Heath hazards the snowy weather can hold.

1. Jagged ice and snow hidden frozen plant stems or forgotten toys are sharp and can cut your dog’s paws or nag their legs, so be careful letting them run around in the snow in areas you don’t know, even in your garden a covering of snow can hide dangers.

2. Your dog’s feet, ears and depending on their size, coat and other body parts are susceptible to frostbite. Frostbite occurs when a part of the body freezes. If not treated immediately, frostbitten areas die and may fall off or have to be amputated. Frostbitten skin is pale and cool to the touch. It may look burned after thawing. If you think your dog has frostbite, warm the affected body parts VERY slowly and get your dog to a Vet as quickly as possible.

3. Some chemicals used in de icers to melt ice on your car windscreens and windows are toxic either by getting into your dog’s eyes via wind spray or ingested through their moths or taken into their lungs through their nose. Remember their sense of smell is million times more sensitive than ours so maybe consider using a non toxic de-icer on your own car, like a scraper to lessen the risk to your pet.

4. Antifreeze is another VERY toxic chemical to your pet, so make sure you don’t leave any around where your dog can drink it, clean up spillages as dogs are attracted to it, and will lick it up. If you suspect your dog has ingested antifreeze get them to a Vet as soon as possible, as the affects can be fatal!

5. Rock salt used to clear ice and snow on roads pavements, paths, yards, can irritate and burn your dogs skin between their toes and paws, putting a small amount of Vaseline or paw wax in between their paws before you go out, will help protect them.
But even with protection, when you get in, its VERY important to always wash you dogs paws in water to rinse off any remaining salt
(an old mug is an easy way of doing this) Make sure you pat dry well with a towel, don’t rub the hair as this causes tangles and knots to form, and as they dry they become tight, and pull on the dog’s skin making it very sore and painful. Do check their nails too, as it easy to break one in the cold weather when they become brittle, and again could cause pain or discomfort, and could be the reason for their limping.
Keep an eye on them worrying their feet in-case you have missed an area or injury. Aloe cream is a good soother on chapped skin.

6. Snow can also collect on the hair between the pads and paws, sometimes forming icy balls that can cause pain and injury to the foot. Trimming the hair from the bottom of the feet can help prevent problems with this. Always check your dog’s feet after they have been out in the snow. If you go for walks in the snow, check your dog’s feet frequently. Or even consider getting show boots if your dog has soft pads that cut easily so they can enjoy their walks without pain or discomfort. You might feel dog coats are a no-no for your big breed, but they can form a cosy barrier and prevent a lot of that snow getting onto your dog and thus stop it from getting too icy or wet, or matted and knotted by the friction between the snow and hair. We can offer a “Snow trim” special that baths and trims the toes, paws and the legs to a suitable easily managed but still warm length, so both you and your dog can enjoy paying in the snow without having big icy balls attached to their coat to worry about. Please call in for details.

7. Icy surfaces especially stairs steps and pavements are as dangerous for your dog as they are for you. Dogs with arthritis or other joint problems or elderly dogs with stiffened joints are particularly in danger of falling on slippery surfaces. Try to provide an ice free path from your door to your dog’s toilet area in your garden to prevent injury. Don’t walk them first thing in the morning or when it’s dark, wait if you can until the temperature has risen after daylight or the sun have warmed the surface a bit.

8. Pools, ponds and other areas of water present special risks in cold weather. Swimming in very cold water on cold days can cause hypothermia or dangerous chilling of the body that can occur within in minutes as we’ve seen in the news this winter, when sadly people have lost their lives falling into water sources. Only VERY fit dogs that are built for and conditioned to cold weather swimming should be in the water.
Once the water freezes over, the ice can be extremely hazardous. DO NOT allow your dog (or anyone else) to run on the icy surface of frozen water. If your dog falls through, they may not be able to find the hole again, or if they do, may not be able to climb out and could drown.

9. If you walk near where people are sledging, do remember to keep your dog on a lead, whilst chasing those sledges may look like fun, they can easily knock you or your dog over, possibly breaking a limb, or causing a nasty gash, or worse.

10. Portable heaters, Paraffin stoves, Electric fires. Hot water bottles, or Microwaveable heat pads.
Make sure if you use portable gas heaters, or Paraffin stoves, that you have enough ventilation, Carbon monoxide can kill both you and your dog. NEVER have these on in a room with all the windows and doors shut, and do watch your dog for signs that he is experiencing danger from this form of heating, remember his nose is far more aware of dangers than yours. Lso ensure your dog or cat cannot move it or bump it, causing it to come into contact with something and start a fire.
With electric fires, make sure the leads are up out of the way form your dog or cat chewing it, or tripping over it causing it to fall over and catch fires ensure they don’t lie too close to them and get burnt, the same goes for them knocking over clothing placed near the fire.
Hot water bottles and heat pads, remember that microwavable heatpads continue to warm up for some minutes after you remove them from the microwave, so always leave them away from your pets for a while, and hot water bottles should never be filled with boiling water, and placed in your pets basket, both could burst and burn your pet.
If you or your dog gets burnt, place cling film loosely over the burn and then wrap a cold wet towel over the burn and seek medical advice ASAP.

Please stay safe and well through all this cold weather. And if you need help but are unsure were to get it,
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or queries you may have. I’m only too happy to try and help both you and your dog’s happiness is my main concern.

Why does my dog scratch?

Scratching is a very common symptom in dogs
and as owners we should aim to nip it in the bud early before self trauma causes secondary injuries and infections to our dog. Its wise to rule out common causes like fleas and mites, that can lead to bacterial (hot spots) and fungal (ringworm and yeast) infections, before thinking your dog could have an allergy to something its coming into contact with, or eating in its diet.
The thing is, the two are connected. If the dogs immune system is weakened because it is already having to work overtime because of other causes, then a simple flea bite can set off a reaction within the body, from a simple angry spot, to an all over body rash, or full blown alopecia where all the dogs hair falls out, and thus could take months to years to clear.

As we are all aware these days, allergies have become more common in both children and adults compared to several generations ago. Vets too, see a higher percentage of allergies in pets. It’s difficult to explain this phenomenon, theories range from alterations in the content of pet foods to the use of modern day household cleaning products or simply genetic evolution. One thing is certain, whatever the cause, allergic dogs benefit hugely from avoiding the offending allergen or, if that is impossible, appropriate treatment to minimize the itchiness.
Lets start with the presenting signs of an allergy in dogs. Itchiness can manifest itself not only as obvious scratching at the neck and flanks, but also as face rubbing, foot licking or chewing and a dog over grooming itself. Foot licking, for example, is often perceived by owners as normal, when in fact the dog is responding to itchy feet in the only way it can, by licking them. The skin between the toes may turn red and sore due to the compulsive licking, and in white dogs such as West Highland White Terriers and Bichon Frises, the fur is stained brown by saliva.

Ear infections are another common sign of an underlying allergy. Though general waxiness, hair in the ear canals, lack of ventilation, bacteria and yeast may trigger the infection, an underlying allergy is often the root cause of the itchiness. If your dog gets recurrent ear infections, by eliminating an underlying allergy you may prevent your dog from going over the ‘itchiness threshold’ and developing full blown ear infections.

So, what are the common allergies in dogs? For convenience they are best separated into 5 categories, with the highest at no.1

1) Adverse food reaction caused by insufficient diet
2.) Flea bite hypersensitivity
3) Ear infections caused by mites or yeast infection
4) Atopic dermatitis
5) Contact dermatitis

Adverse food reactions are more difficult to treat as it’s difficult to isolate the precise ingredient responsible for causing itchiness in your dog. Also, treating adverse food reactions requires owners to be exceptionally disciplined and motivated in preventing their pet having even a single treat unless the exact ingredients are known to be safe. The best way to start is putting your pet on a diet that your pet was designed to eat, eg Meat. In the long run it’s cheaper to feed, because your pet will be healthier, so the health care costs will ease. Remember with ANY food change or exclusion the food must be excluded for at least 6 weeks and when trying a new food, tried for at least 3 months, as your pets body will begin to flush out toxins that have built up, so again, your pet will appear worse when in fact they are getting better, so don’t give up!

There are two ways of diagnosing an adverse food reaction (also known as a food allergy). For those readers for whom cost is not an issue, a blood test can be done to measure for ingredient specific antibodies in the bloodstream. The blood test is quite costly, and if combined with a blood test for environmental allergens is usually very expensive (>£200). The company performing the blood test then provides a list of ingredients (chicken, beef, pork, rice, wheat etc) and a score next to them, suggesting which ingredients are best avoided. The owner then picks a commercial diet which does not include any of these ingredients, or indeed a special home cooked diet. The second way to diagnose an adverse food reaction is to conduct a dietary trial. This involves picking a very bland hypoallergenic diet and feeding your dog exclusively that for at least a month, preferably 6 weeks. I have used with success a simple diet of turkey and vegetables, as less dogs are allergic to turkey than chicken. Of course if your dog happened to be allergic to turkey, which is rare but nevertheless possible, you would be none the wiser as the itchiness would continue and you would assume you had ruled out a food allergy having done the turkey dietary trial. Remember if you are doing one of these trials, then your dog must not be given any treats, especially not pig’s ears, chews, biscuits, dental sticks or any rawhide products. Literally nothing must be swallowed other than turkey (and water!) for the entire trial period.

Flea bite hypersensitivity is really straight forward to cure. It is a simple case of stopping the dog from being attractive to fleas, eliminating them crucially, in the pet’s environment. The itchiness is caused by an allergic reaction to the flea saliva, so even a solitary flea can trigger a scratching frenzy. To rule out flea bite hypersensitivity, rather than a treatment that requires your pet to get fleas on their skin or get bitten, Use a repellent to stop the fleas ever wanting to get on your pet in the 1st place. Your house too, should be thoroughly protected by the use of Repellents, chemical use can add to your pet’s condition, by over working its immune system. There are natural killers such as Diatomacious earth that is harmless to animals but kills ticks mites and fleas.

Ear infections are hard to cure, again prevention and repelling is the best “tool” to help your Pet as the cause can be very difficult to detect without months or years of constant daily care. A simple regime of daily cleaning out the ears and using a good ear cleaner should address the problem. And don’t think its not working when your pet suddenly has yucky gunk coming out of its ears! That is a good sign that the body is finally fighting back and clearing all the infection out. But if you miss a day the mites and yeasts will soon multiply again. So make ear cleaning and hair removal your daily or weekly bonding time with your pet and keep them happy and healthy!


If you have ruled out flea bite hypersensitivity, adverse food reaction, and ear infections, the next step is to consider an environmental allergy, also known as atopic dermatitis. Symptoms of atopic dermatitis can begin between 1 and 3 years of age, though any age is possible. The itchiness is often seasonal, which is consistent with a pollen allergy, though some dogs are itchy all year round. There are certain breeds which are predisposed to this condition: Boxers, Bull Terriers, Dalmations, English Bulldogs, German Shepherd Dogs, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Shar Peis, Shih Tzus and West Highland White Terriers being the most commonly affected. Diagnosis is usually made based on the history and ruling out all the other causes of itchiness, many vets will treat the condition on these presumptions. However, definitive diagnosis can be achieved via a panel of injections into a patch of skin, or blood tests. Neither of these are particularly effective and generally not performed unless the owner is prepared to attempt a desensitization programme. This involves a long term course of injections given by your vet on, say, a monthly basis to desensitize your dog to the offending allergen, and so make the allergic reaction much smaller when he/she does come into contact with it. A the simple addition of locally produce honey once a day will desensitize a dog to the pollens naturally, and taste far better!

Contact dermatitis is a skin reaction caused by your dog coming into contact with a chemical that is an irritant. It therefore only tends to affect the stomach, groin and feet of the dog, and is characterized by reddening and drying and flaking of the skin in these areas. It can also be seen when owners shampoo their dogs with a product that is not intended for use in dogs. Contact dermatitis is rare, but easily ruled out by careful use of cleaning products around the household. Just think, did the itchiness coincide with the introduction of a newly laid carpet or laminate floor, or new carpet cleaner, washing powder or fabric softener? Do you use plug in air fresheners, or toilets fresheners? These are well known triggers. So again, go around your home and remove anything that could be causing the problem. It’s a case of trial and error. I’d also like to mention here, that when a dog is bathed in ANY shampoo, the natural reaction is for the pores to open, with the water, and flush out all the dirt or bacteria. This like with us when we first get out the bath or shower, will make the skin red, from the blood vessels close to the skin. If good natural shampoos are used that don’t contain harsh soap bases, the chances of the dog over reacting are minimal. Always check your groomer is using natural shampoos, of can use a Vet prescribed shampoo that list the ingredients, rather than cheap commercial shampoos that don’t.

Steroids are very effective at stopping itchiness caused by allergies, but they only suppress the immune system so the likely hood is that once out of the dogs system, the dog’s symptoms will re appear. Also long term use can lead to undesirable side effects, such as adrenal gland disease. Long term steroid use should only be used as a last resort, when everything else has been tried and there is no other re dress, it’s not something I would use personally because of the long term health implications, but if it relieves the poor animal, anything might by worth while trying in the short term.
By far the best treatment for any allergy is avoidance of the cause, one of the main being an insufficient diet which doesn’t fully support your dog without the use of supplements like vitamins, etc. Where as, a breed specific diet, which promotes and supports the immune system will avoid it becoming too weak to fight off the above health problems. You wouldn’t expect a car to go very far on a mix of water and petrol? The same goes for your dog. If you’re not feeding it a proper diet. of raw meat, vegetables, fish and bones, then It won’t have the right fuel to keep its immune system happy and healthy. There are alternatives to steroids to relieve itching.. These other medications include antihistamines, essential fatty acids, (oily fish) apple cider vinegar, to change the PH of your pets skin to allow the growth of good bacteria and prevent the growth of the bad bacteria and thus prevent skin infections.

In all of the above you can see, prevention is better than having to put your pet through the cure. A good diet in the first place should be your 1st option. Then your pet’s immune system will be self supporting on its road back to good health, without the need of more chemicals and drugs that may add to its immune system weakness and cause yet more symptoms to appear, to alert you to its weakened condition.


If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me via email.