Caring for your Pet’s Skin and Coat

How can I maintain my pet’s healthy skin and hair coat?

To maintain a healthy skin and hair coat, topical shampoos employ a variety of moisturizing agents to preserve the natural ecological balance of the skin.  These moisturizing agents include:

• Humectants to help draw moisture to the surface of the skin
• Emollients to seal in moisture, thus soothing and softening the skin
• Emulsifiers to distribute emollients uniformly throughout the coat
• Occlusive Factors to block the skin surface and prevent loss of moisture
• Fatty Acids to help maintain the skin’s normal barrier function and assist in controlling flaking and scaling

When do most changes in skin conditions present themselves?

Varying temperatures, humidity levels and allergens across the country allow for troubled skin conditions year round.  Some symptoms are commonly seen in the summer and winter seasons.

• Winter – dry skin caused by low humidity and heating devices used to warm the home
• Summer – itching and scratching due to fleas, environmental factors, allergies, bacterial or fungal skin disorders

What are the different types of shampoos?

There are basically four categories of shampoos used in veterinary dermatology.

• Cleansing and Grooming – primarily used for routine cleansing, conditioning and moisturizing the skin.  Moisture loss is frequently due to normal seasonal and environmental changes.
• Antiseborrheic – seborrhea is a skin disorder characterized by dry, flaky or greasy, scaly skin.  Antiseborrheic shampoos help normalize skin function and the rate of cell turnover.
• Antimicrobial – for topical management of bacterial and yeast infections.  They are often used in conjunction with systemic antibiotics or antifungal agents.
• Antipruritic – used for relief of itching and irritation related to allergies, flea bites, seborrhea and bacterial infections.  These shampoos help to relieve itching and soothe the skin.

What is the proper way to shampoo my pet?

While your veterinarian may give special instructions for your pet’s specific skin condition, here are some general guidelines that should be followed.

1. Carefully remove mats and brush out tangles.
2. Make sure the air temperature in the bathing area is warm.
3. Wet your pet thoroughly with warm water – not too cold or too hot.
4. Apply shampoo to affected skin areas first to ensure the greatest contact time, then proceed to lather the entire body.  Avoid contact with the eyes.  Rinse thoroughly and gently with cool water if this occurs.
5. Allow approximately 10 to 15 minutes of contact time with the lather before rinsing.  Continue to lather gently during this period for maximum effectiveness.
6. Complete rinsing with warm water to remove any shampoo residue, scale, dirt and debris.

Which shampoo will work best for my pet?

For healthy animals, a general cleansing and grooming shampoo will serve your pet’s bathing needs.  If the animal is diagnosed with a skin disorder, your veterinarian can determine the appropriate medicated shampoo to treat the specific problem.

How often should I bathe my pet?

A normal, healthy animal should be bathed when an odor is detected or it appears to be dirty.

If your pet develops an odor or noticeable change in the skin and hair coat despite frequent bathing, there is the possibility of an infection or other skin disorder.   A veterinarian should be consulted for information on the preferred bathing practices to relieve specific conditions.

Proper grooming of the skin and hair coat is an important part of your pet’s overall health.

• Shampoo products are for external use only.  Please follow all label instructions carefully.
• Before beginning a bath, cut or remove any tangles or mats of hair.
• Do not allow shampoo to come in contact with your pet’s eyes.  If this occurs, rinse thoroughly with water.
• Completely rinse your pet.  Shampoo residue may cause skin irritation.
• Your veterinarian may recommend a moisturizing conditioner or crème rinse after treatment with a medicated shampoo.  These products will make the hair coat more manageable and restore texture and luster.
• If you notice redness or skin irritation, discontinue use of the product and contact your veterinarian.