How Often Should We Bath Our Dog?

There is no strict recommendation on how often we need to bathe our dog. Actually bathing frequency is depend on the dog if it need to take a bath or not, usually it depend on the breed and what type of activities the dog is involved in. Also some factor like when your dog is really dirty, when it need a flea bath and if the smell is not good for your nose.

Most dogs usually never really require a bath. Baths can be given as often as is necessary, although regular grooming, by way of combing and brushing, is often all that is required. Two or three baths a month is not considered excessive. If a dog is bathed too often the skin will be stripped of its natural, protective oils. This will result in dry itchy skin, which will cause your dog to scratch, further irritating the already sensitive skin. If you need to bathe your dog more frequently make sure to use a pet shampoo that will also moisturize your dog’s skin. You may also want to follow up with an after bath pet coat conditioner specifically formulated for dry skin.

Dog skin is different from human skin because dog skin is thinner and has no sweat glands. Also it has a different pH compared to human skin, and as such, a pet’s skin is much more sensitive than human skin. Human shampoo should never be used on dogs and heavily perfumed shampoos should also be avoided, since they may cause an allergic reaction. For much better grooming result consult your veterinarian, he/she can advise you on which shampoo is ideal for your pet.

How to Get Rid from Dog Lice?

Even a clean and well-groomed dog can play a host to different types of unwanted guests and one of these unwanted guests is called dog lice. These parasites can cause severe irritation and illness to your dog. In addition, dog lice carry disease and complications such as anemia. So you should be aware of their symptoms and know how to deal with it when the problem occurs.

There are two types of dog lice that exist, the first one concentrates on biting the skin and feeding on skin flakes and the second feed on your dog's blood. Blood sucking lice causes severe irritation because they penetrate the skin of your dog in order to feed. The signs that your dog is infected by these lice are heavy, intense scratching, and irritation that often results in bald patches. Dog lice are usually found on the area around the ears, neck, shoulders, and anus. Although dog lice are relatively large, you are more likely to spot their eggs in your dog's hair. Lice eggs are easier to see because they are attached to the dog's hair and look like white tiny flakes of dust.

To treat dog lice is simple and very easy due to the fact that they have not built up a resistance to insecticides. A vet is more likely to recommend insecticide spray or bath to kill those dog lice. Sometime vet may require cutting off matted hair and washing the dog about once every week with the insecticide. This procedure is then repeated until the itching is gone and there are no more visible lice eggs. In case of puppy infected by lice better to consult your vet first before starting on any kind of pesticide treatment or other type of medication.

To prevent further lice infestation and make sure that all the lice eggs have been completely eliminated, it is a better to throw away all bedding that your dog has lain on during lice infestation because maybe there is some lice eggs fallen or stick there. That way you can disinfect the area where he sleeps.