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Dogs
and Hygiene
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| While
most people think that bathing their dog is an important task,
it is not as imperative to a dog's health as you may think. A
healthy dog does not actually need to be bathed that often. Humans
prefer to bathe dogs regularly so that they will look and smell
more pleasant. The majority of dogs do not really enjoy bath time,
but will normally sit through it just to receive some attention
from their owners. Bath time is a good time to perform a few other
tasks that will promote good health in your dog, such as cleaning
the ears, brushing the teeth, and checking for fleas and ticks.
Since a lot of dogs do not like to sit still for these activities,
bath time can be a great chance to do them all at once.
Most vets will recommend that you brush your dog's teeth twice each week to promote healthy teeth and gums. If you have not been brushing your dog's teeth, now is a great time to start. You can purchase special toothpaste made especially for dogs that has an attractive taste formulated especially for canines. Brush your dog's teeth much in the same way that you would brush your own teeth. Make sure to get the back teeth and cover the entire surface of the teeth and gums. Check thoroughly for the presence of fleas and ticks when you bathe your dogs. A flea or tick infestation can have serious health consequences for your dog and your family. If you find ticks, remove them with tweezers. If you find fleas, take the appropriate measures to rid your dig of the problem. In addition to bathing, tooth brushing, and ridding your pet of parasites, make sure to clean the dog's ears. Ear mites thrive on the earwax that can accumulate in a dog's ears. These mites can lead to painful and expensive ear infections. Use a cotton swab dipped in ear cleaning solution that can be purchased at your local pet sores and gently remove any wax that may be building up in your pet's ears. Most dogs will not enjoy having their ears cleaned, but may sit still for it if done at the same time the dog gets a bath. |
