For years, Gwen has wanted a sweet little lap dog. One that adored her. One that she could carry around. But one thing stood in the way of her sweet little dog dream. Bruce. Her husband.
“No more dogs,” he insisted vehemently as he nuzzled their mixed Lab, Shay, that their son left with them. Bruce really loved dogs. He embraced all the “grand dogs.” So, it just didn’t seem fair. Gwen wanted her own sweet, little dog. Oh she knew that it could be a little unfair to Bruce. Gwen and I travel so much that he would have to be the one to take care of it. And that was the precise argument he always enlisted when she would bring up the topic.

What did Gwen do? She devised a plan. We would buy a dog for the office.

A sweet little thing. It would go to work with her and home at night. The little dog would love and adore Gwen. It would crawl on her lap while watching TV and nuzzle her face when she wanted a little kiss from her special pet. It would sleep in their bed and snuggle up to Gwen. Bruce couldn’t object because it technically was not HER dog… it was an office dog.

We checked out a breeder on a Friday evening and went to her home. A two year old, black and white Shih Tzu, was offered and Willie had a new home with Gwen. She was elated. True he didn’t take to her right away, but older dogs generally are aloof. It takes them awhile to get over the loss of their home.

But they always come around.
Willie was no different. His little black bug eyes nearly fell out of his head as we traveled along the country road in the car. Gwen hugged him and coddled him and cooed at him all the way home as she mentally prepared for his introduction to Bruce.

In she went, Willie in arms, as I pulled out of her driveway. Bruce wasn’t happy and tried not to pay any attention to the little dog. But when Gwen wasn’t looking, Willie was up on the couch and Bruce was petting him. She was quietly elated. Plan successfully implemented. Willie would work on Bruce for the weekend and would be solidly “in” with Bruce by the time we went to work on Monday.

By Monday, Willie was so “in” with Bruce that Gwen didn’t exist. At first it was cute how he laid between Bruce’s legs on the recliner. Or under his arm on the couch. Or went everywhere Bruce went like his own little shadow.

But it got old fast. Everytime Gwen tried to touch him, he would slink away looking for safe haven in Bruce’s arms or at his feet. Well, Willie has been a member of the Shelly household for three months. Willie sleeps in bed with Gwen and Bruce. She feeds him. She gives him treats. She tries to love on him. But he is clearly Bruce’s boy.

One day, on the way back from Willie’s grooming, Gwen stopped in to show off her “almost” office dog. She sat him on the floor. His big black eyes looked at all of us. And in this room full of giant strangers, Willie would not move toward Gwen to save his life. We all had a good laugh at his independent attitude, until Bruce stopped in to take him home. He was so excited to see “his” Bruce that he bounced all over. If we would have had music, and if Bruce could have danced a little, Willie and he would have been contenders for the Dancing with Dogs crown. Willie is just so tied to Bruce’s feet that he would really need no training at all.

So Gwen still has a hole in her heart that only a sweet, little thing will fill. And Bruce? He wouldn’t part with Willie. They are inseparable. Who knew! So much for the office dog.
God bless you.

Pet grooming is not only my career choice; it is also my passion. I am one of the lucky people that have a job I absolutely love. I am a National Certified Master Groomer and I have taken grooming to another level. I am a Creative Styling Artist and have won many awards with this extraordinary art technique that transforms pets into living art or Works of Arf, as I like to call them. Known in the grooming world as the Queen of Color, I am a Specialty Judge for Creative with the IJA (International Judges Association). I recently co-judged the Barkleigh Creative Styling competition in Hershey, Pennsylvania which was filmed by producer Brian Balthazar of NBC for the Today Show.

They asked if I would fly to New York to be on the show when the spot would be aired. “Of course,” I said. I was so excited! I had never been to New York and would love the chance to go. I told Brian that I could actually sculpt and color the NBC Peacock live on the show. He loved the idea! It was all arranged and another groomer from nearby New Jersey was contacted to supply a dog so one wouldn’t have to be flown in. I was to be on the show Tuesday, January 2nd, to do a creation live on a dog I had only seen a picture of. No pressure.

I left Columbus the morning of New Years day. At baggage claim there was a limo driver waiting for me with a sign that said “Welcome Dawn Omboy”. I was then driven to the Club Quarters at Rockefeller Center. I was met by a groomer friend, Annie, from New York who had just come up for the evening. Annie brought me pastrami on rye. Oh man, was that good.

We were joined shortly by Marilyn Wainwright, Bait, her seven-year-old cream Standard Poodle, and her friend, Donna. NBC had sent a van to New Jersey to pick them up for the show. With Bait safely tucked away in their room at the Sheraton, the four of us set out to see the sights; I so wanted to see the big Christmas tree! My hotel was across the street from Radio City Music Hall and just steps away from Rockefeller Center, the NBC studios and yes, the huge Christmas Tree. I know it sounds silly but I wanted to see it because of the movie Home Alone. We walked and took in the sights a bit before deciding on a quaint little Italian restaurant where I ordered a “Manhattan” in Manhattan.

There were all sorts of vendors and artists every few steps in Times Square. Huge billboard lights and people everywhere you looked. The streets still had some confetti from the night before. I had my picture taken with a NYPD cop.

It was starting to get late and Annie had to leave to catch a train home so we went back to my hotel to get her things. In the meantime we had stopped by the Sheraton to take Bait for a walk and find a potty spot. People were so in awe of her like they had never seen a dog before and I had not even worked my color magic on her yet! I left my camera in the room, not a smart move because a half a block later I spotted a horse drawn carriage. The driver was more than happy to accept three groomers and a Standard Poodle as passengers. What a thrill! I shall never forget it. Three groomers and a Standard Poodle being driven through the streets of New York City in a horse drawn carriage!

The next morning I was picked up and driven to the studio at 5 AM. The car took me to the 35 West 48th street entrance. I was taken to the green room. It was such a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Brian was already there to greet me; there was a spread of all sorts of food and drinks. Marilyn, Donna and Bait arrived shortly after I did and we were taken up one floor to the studio where they had a prop guy there just for us. Anything that we needed, he did. If I needed my grooming arm to be put on the table it had to be done by the prop man. He even went across the street to get a Fresca for me to drink since that’s one thing that they did not have in the green room. I really got spoiled! Donna said we should take the prop man home.

We put Bait up on the table and I started to work on the Peacock Logo. It turned out beautiful. There was a crowd that had gathered for the show and folks were waving at us! Wow. The plan was to do the artwork live but the Ford Funeral had pre-empted the show. With the dog finished, I was called to hair and make-up. Hair and make-up? I surely felt like a star now.

I was introduced to Maria Menudos who would be doing the live shots with me. Maria owns a rescue Standard Poodle. She loved Bait. I was taking pictures while getting pampered when Willard Scott walked by and looked at my hair and said “beautiful.” I jumped up and Brian took our picture. So much fun I was having with all this! The studio filled up with the camera guys. It wasn’t until they said 30 seconds… 7 seconds, that I felt a bit wobbly knees. The interview was fun and the piece Brian had done in Hershey at Groom Expo was brilliant. It showcased all the artists and their creations and the passion for the competition. And though the spot did not get airtime it can be seen on the Today Show website or check out the link on www.groomertogroomer.com.

When the interview was finished, we were all escorted out to our cars, and said our goodbyes. Marilyn, Donna and Bait, sporting her Peacock, were going home. I had four hours to kill in the city by myself. I had wanted to do a little sightseeing and have a slice of New York pizza. I got on a double decker bus and toured the city. To see the sights that my Mother had seen on her senior class trip 52 years ago was so special to me. I only got off the bus once, and walked to where the towers once stood. I could not stop the tears that rolled down my cheeks. I walked to the little Chapel then back on the bus to my hotel; where a car was to pick me up to take me to the airport.

I got back to the hotel with little time to spare, But there was a mix up and my car was late. I hailed a cab to take me to the airport. Brian and the NBC people were constantly checking up on me to make sure that everything about my trip was a safe and pleasant one. I was so glad that I got the New York Yellow cab ride as it added to the adventure. The driver was great and loved his city and talked and pointed things out as he zipped and swerved to get me to LaGuardia on time, just like on TV!

I loved everything about my 24 hours in New York. You can learn more about Creative grooming on my website www.Klippers.com.

The worst nightmare came to a grooming shop in Ft. Meyers, Florida, when the owner had to remove seven dead dogs from her shop due to an arsonist’s actions. The arsonist is believed to have stolen a Florida Lottery van, broke into a state probation office located in a strip mall, doused the place with a liquid and left after the building started to burn.

The heartbreaker is that the adjoining building was a grooming shop with seven dogs boarding overnight in the establishment. It was 10:36 PM when the firefighters arrived to find the buildings engulfed in flames. According to a newspaper report, a cleaning lady said she thought the dogs died from smoke inhalation as she heard them barking when the fire was raging but the barking soon stopped. The owner’s son said, “Thank God it wasn’t over Christmas when we had 50 dogs in there.”

This tragedy occurred through no fault of the groomer, but it should be a warning to each and every one of us that board dogs in our shops overnight to take them home for the evening.
We must do everything in our power to protect these animals. Obviously we must be licensed and insured to board other people’s animals but we also must make sure we have fire and burglar alarms that are connected to a monitoring system so help can arrive at the onset of a problem. This is particularly the case when located in a strip mall, or other free standing area where all human occupants have left for the night.

The shock of having to deal with a calamity such as this has to be unbelievable. Please, please don’t board dogs unless you are prepared to the hilt to take care and protect them from all possible dangers. Even if you do all you can in advance, and still an accident happens, the pain and suffering of a shop or dog owner will surely take its toll.

Friends and customers have pooled a reward of $2,000 to help find this arsonist. She is very lucky that no one has sued her for mental anguish or other such things. The Lee County Animal Care Trust Fund has offered complimentary adoptions to the owners who lost their dogs in the fire.

I was particularly moved by this tragedy because I met this groomer years ago and had used her facilities to groom my own dog.

I always boarded my dogs where people stayed on the premises 24 hours a day. I used to board dogs in my home for my special customers and you can be sure I had a monitored burglar and fire alarm. Living up North at the time, I also had a monitored low temperature alarm so if the temperature dipped below 40 degrees, the alarm company would contact me and I could summon help to the house. That was more for protection of the house but it would be a good idea for groomers boarding dogs in free standing locations and in cold climates.

I lost one dog in my boarding days, which was one too many. It was an old Maltese who had never been boarded in its life until it came to spend the weekend in my shop, which was located on the ground floor of my house. I put him in a cage between two of my own dogs and when we came to let the animals out in the morning, this Maltese was swimming in blood and urine in his crate.

I couldn’t believe my eyes because the night before when I put them to bed he was running and jumping with my dogs and looked like he didn’t have a care in the world. I called the vet immediately but when I told him the dog had a 107 degree temperature he said I better call the owners right away, and bring him in immediately. I did that of course but the vet couldn’t save him. The vet’s only explanation was that the dog worried and worried himself because he couldn’t figure out why he was left in the dark in a strange place without his family and that caused him to have a severe epileptic seizure. Whether that was true or not, no one will ever know.

I had to put the dog in the freezer until the owners came back because they had no cell phone in those days and they were on a road trip. Then I had to bury him in my back yard because the owners lived in a condo and had no place to bury him. It took three years and a different house before I boarded a dog again.

Lesson to be learned here – be careful boarding old dogs who have never been boarded before, particularly if they are of the Toy Group.

Boarding and grooming dogs and cats can be a fun and rewarding career but only if it’s done with the utmost care and attention to safety and comfort for our four legged friends as well as the friends with two legs.

See you on the road,
Marea
Email me at mareatully@yahoo.com with your suggestions, comments or questions.

According to the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association, consumer spending on pets was expected to reach $35.9 billion in 2005, compared to $17 billion a decade ago. Pet lovers pampering their pets as much as they pamper themselves have fueled much of this growth. Consequently, pet spas and pet spa products are becoming ever more popular. This increasing market growth has caught the attention of many professional groomers. As they are in a unique position to capitalize on this trend, many pet grooming businesses have begun shifting from a traditional austere environment towards a more luxurious, spa atmosphere.

Perception is reality – the customer judges the groomer from the minute they walk in the front door. Groomers should ensure their facility is clean and professional looking, removing any clutter. If there is a waiting area, it should be comfortable and furnished with current reading material. If the groomer wants to convey a spa atmosphere, they must create a spa ambiance. Light a candle with a traditional aromatherapy scent such as Lavender. Dim the lights a little and paint the walls a neutral tone. Make the environment relaxing. The best way to get ideas is to visit upscale spas in your area and pay attention to the paint color, furniture, layout, fixtures, sounds, smells, etc. Duplicate the things that you like at these spas in your own dog spa.

Groomers can get an advantage over their competition by becoming an educational resource for their clients. One of the worst things that can happen while a pet is being groomed is for the pet to have an allergic reaction to the products the groomer is using. That is why it’s so important for groomers to pay attention to the ingredients in the products they use. Make sure the products do not contain harsh detergents, synthetic perfumes, or artificial colors as these chemicals can dry out the hair/fur and cause allergic reactions. Furthermore, harsh detergents can cause eye irritations, skin rashes, and even hair loss.

Just as a professional hairstylist does with their human customers, the groomer should take time to explain to the pet’s owner why they’ve chosen the products used. During this time, the groomer can also suggest products to be used between appointments, such as Between Baths Spritz or Paw Rub by Cain and Able Collection. These retail items can provide groomers additional incremental income without jeopardizing their existing revenues.

When displaying retail products in a grooming facility, it is important to make sure the items are located in a space customers must walk by when picking up their pet. Owners are often in a hurry and may not take the time to go in another room or even a remote part of the salon to look at retail items. Or, arrange the salon in a fashion so that the customer must walk through the retail section to get to the checkout counter. Place impulse purchase items at the front desk. When the customer is paying for their service, up-sell by saying, “Would you like a spritz to use between appointments to keep your dog smelling fresh and repel pests?” Or, “I noticed that your dog had a rough patch of skin underneath his arm. Would you like a balm to put on that spot to help protect, heal and moisturize?”

The groomer should not only provide a service, but should also be a resource for their clients. The groomer should determine the marketing strategies that will work best for them; continue their on-going education so that they can educate their customers; design their facility so that it is consistent with their marketing efforts; and, capitalize on their unique position as a pet expert.
Cain & Able Collection is an All Natural line of aromatherapy bath products for dogs that are formulated to repel bugs and fleas. Their products are made with human-grade ingredients and tested on humans first. Cain & Able do not use harsh detergents, synthetic perfumes, or artificial colors.

There HAS to be someone else out there, aside from me, who gets these requests. I have several customers who are like this one lady, but SHE takes the top prize. I'm talking about those people who want just one thing done, but then add on… and on… and on.

My top winner in the “Cry the blues, I'm so poor” category would be Ann. This woman is an elderly soul, who moved here some time ago from California. She had, from the first day that I met her, told me of her “Beeuutiful” home in Los Angeles. I also heard of her large houseboat, her summer home in Vale and her fabulous vacations.

I have known this woman for about 18 years and when she and her late husband moved out here, they had just retired. I have been guessing her to be in her early 70's, although she has been VERY well preserved. She probably has fewer wrinkles than I do and she wears leather pants and tank tops in the summer. Amazingly, she looks pretty darned good in the leather. If I tried that one, I'd have to be like Ross, in that episode of Friends, where he had to douse himself with talcum powder to get the pants off.

She has been around the world and around the block. Me, I haven't been that far, but I didn't just crawl out from under my cabbage leaf either.

Ann used to bring her Yorkie in every ten days for a bath. The dog was supposed to have a full grooming once a month. The scenario was always the same… “How much for just a bath and drying, nothing else,” she'd ask of me. “Just a bath and dry... $12.50,” I'd tell her. “Would that include her nails?” she'd say. “No, that's just a bath. You said that was ALL you wanted,” I'd remind her. “Well, yes dear, but couldn't you cut her nails too?” I made the mistake of throwing in the nails a time or two and she never gave up pushing after that. “Okay,” I said. “I'll throw in the nails,” I told her.

“How about cutting her bangs a little too?” she asked. “You won't charge any extra for just that little bit, would you?” she forged on. “Just the bangs.” I told her. “Of course,” she agreed. “And maybe just a smidge off around the sides of her face,” she added. “Now that's gonna be an extra two bucks,” I told her.

“Two dollars! Just for that little tiny bit?” she asked aghast. “Now, we've gone from just a bath to nails and bangs and the face,” I reminded her. “Well, how much extra would you do for $1.00 more?” she questioned. “The bangs,” I stated flatly.

“What if you did the face and forgot about the nails,” she asked. “Still two bucks,” I said firmly. “But you said you'd do the nails for nothing, so can't I exchange you doing them for doing the face?” she asked with total reasoning. “No exchanges,” I said.

“All right, dear. So it would be $14.50 for the bath, dry, nails and shaping the face. Is that right?” she queried. “Uh huh,” was my only response. “Well, do that then,” she said. As she opened the door to leave, she quickly turned and scurried back to me. “While you're at it, cut the hair under her feet and around her hoohoo please,” she instructed.

“That's going to be another $5.00,” I told her. “HOW MUCH?” she asked incredulously. (You probably won't understand this, but at this point I start losing patience with her.) “Five bucks. You know, you're almost into a full grooming with all your extras,” I told her. “She doesn't need groomed all over,” Ann quipped. “Well, you're getting awfully close to one, with all your requests,” I reminded her. She eventually decides what she's willing to pay for and leaves.
When she returns, it's always the same scenario. I tell her whatever she owes and in the time it takes to run her credit card through, she moans about having to watch her money and how much grooming costs.

We would go on like this time after time. Shortly before Thanksgiving, Ann decided she
didn't have the money to have the dog done every ten days. She would begin bathing her at home, she told me. This was more than fine by me, as it got me out of those endless conversations over the price.

A little over two months went by and I was enjoying the peaceful tranquility of not having to have those conversations with the penny pinching elderly woman.

As luck would have it, this past Friday, I had stopped into Wal-Mart for a couple groceries. As I rounded the end of the first aisle, whom did I run into, but Ann. I noticed her snazzy new eyeglasses right away. They were, in fact, so nice that I could easily have pictured myself in them.

“Bonnie Dear,” she crooned, as if “dear” was my last name. “Hi, Ann. I love those new glasses,” I said with sincerity. “They take ten years off you,” I told her. “Oh, you really like them?” she asked. “Yes, I do,” I said. “Well, I got them in Pittsburgh,” she said, looking under the lenses as people do when they need bifocals, but refuse to get them. (Yes, guilty me) “I tried on every pair they had in the store,” she was saying. I was immediately feeling sorry for whomever had helped her. “They cost me over $800,” she admitted. That immediately took care of that picture of ME ever buying a pair of them.

“I also bought a new car,” she went on. “It was owned by a prestigious surgeon in town and it only has 1800 miles on it. I got it for $12,000 less than if it were new off the lot,” she continued. “That's really good,” I said, my mind still fixated on those glasses. “Yes, I only paid $33,000 for it, but naturally I had to pay all cash to get it at that price,” she went rambling on.

Now she had my attention that she was able to pay that much in cold hard cash for a car. “What I really want is a BMW, though. Did you know that they can parallel park themselves?” she informed me. “Uh, no.… I don't know anything about BMW's,” I admitted. “I've always had Hyundais,” I said. “Well, there is nothing like the feel of breezing down the coast of the ocean in a Beamer,” she sighed. “I've decided to get one,” she said. “It's January,” I reminded her. “The coast of Pennsylvania is pretty nippy right about now, not to mention that we don't have an ocean to be breezing down,” I informed her. “Well, I really would like it to park itself anyhow,” she said, shrugging her shoulders.

Making an abrupt change of subject, she mentioned her dog. “You know I've been bathing Cuddles myself,” she reminded me. “I have to count my pennies.” At that point I was thinking of what exactly seemed wrong with this whole conversation. The woman spent $800 on glasses, $33,000 on one car and was going to get a BMW that I won't even try to act like I know the price of, but I'm sure it is a tad more pricey than my Hyundai. Yet her dog's grooming costs were going to send her into a homeless shelter. Was it my imagination, or was I being a bit testy?
Today, Ann stopped in to make an appointment for “How much for just a bath?” she asked. “$12.50,” I told her. “Will you cut her nails and her face for that too? I can't afford those high grooming prices you know,” she reminded me.

That's it. If anyone has a Lamborghini for sale, call me…

Recently I had a sizeable price increase at the Pet Connection. I was not following the rule of thumb of raising my prices every year for the rate of inflation. Over the past five years I added services and adjusted some of my big dog prices to better reflect the grooming time, but no real increase. My area of the country is not doing well economically. A lot of big industry is down sizing and closing doors.

But, I have learned my lesson the hard way. Do yourself a favor and learn from my mistakes.
Going up over 30% at one time is hard to explain. In my mind it was very clear why I needed to make such a big change, but when you are the customer, it is not.

To make matters worse, a handful of customers were not paying the appropriate amount to start. One example, a temperamental Airedale puppy that started coming a few years ago had grown up and should have had incurred a price increase well over one year ago.

A sign notifying our customers of the price increase was posted well over one month in advance. So when December 1st came, the torture began.

I have to say it went really well for the most part. Most of the customers appreciate our quality of work. So they did not mind paying more and totally understood. But a few customers that had not been paying the appropriate amount went off the deep end. It ended up being only three real confrontations; all similar situations.

The moral to this story is to keep up with your records and prices. You will eventually have to deal with any shortcomings. There is no time like the present to make a change. Treat your customers the way you want to be treated and if that does not work, let them go.

In the past several years we have recognized a syndrome of severe skin infection in dogs following grooming. All occurrences have involved the use of contaminated shampoo or cream rinse. These cases have occurred across the United States. Recently, we have had personal communication from a veterinarian in England of a fatal case that occurred in a young Border Terrier following hand stripping and shampooing. That dog developed a deep skin infection that spread to her bloodstream, creating sepsis (blood poisoning). She subsequently died. This fatality has prompted us to write this article.

Post-grooming Furunculosis affects dogs with individually thick hair shafts, such as dogs with wired hair coats or large breed dogs. We suspect that minor trauma that occurs during bathing, which involves moving the hair back and forth in the shampooing motion, occurs in the setting of application of contaminated shampoo. Thicker hairs are more easily damaged during shampooing. Wire brushing or other more vigorous activity may increase the likelihood of infection. In the case of hand stripping, the injury to the hairs is much greater than in routine grooming, and thus the infection may be potentially deeper and more dangerous. We have not seen the condition in dogs with very fine or short hairs. (Poodles, Maltese, Chihuahuas, etc.)
Post-grooming Furunculosis is distinctive. Typically, painful lesions develop in an irregular stripe along the top of the dog within 24 to 72 hours after bathing. This dorsal stripe is likely due to the way the bather applies the shampoo (down the top of the back). Severe redness and swelling rapidly become large boils, which may be very bloody and can ooze. Affected dogs have a fever, and may feel very sick, especially if diagnosis and antibiotic therapy are delayed.

The syndrome has occurred following bathing in self-serve dog washing facilities and grooming salons, but also has occurred in veterinary practices. It is common practice in many dog washing facilities to pre-dilute shampoo and cream rinse, and to use and reuse communal shampoo containers without regular sterilization. The bacterium Pseudomonas Aeruginosa is most often grown from affected dogs and from the shampoo or cream rinse that was used on them.

Post grooming Furunculosis is preventable. In order to eliminate infections in your facility, we advise the following basic guidelines:

1. Shampoo or cream rinse concentrate should be diluted for day use only. Do not save diluted shampoo or cream rinse product overnight.
2. All community bottles of shampoo and cream rinse should be sterilized daily, including the pump nozzles.
3. Dogs should not be bathed immediately after hand stripping. We advise that you wait at least two weeks before bathing a hand stripped dog.
4. You may wish to ask your clients to watch their dogs for any signs of pain, swelling, or redness for the first few days following a shampoo visit to the grooming salon.

Please help us eliminate this preventable condition. One outbreak can hurt the reputation of a grooming salon, or any dog bathing facility, and is a frustrating and potentially costly and emotionally difficult situation for groomers and dog owners alike.

Tears are necessary to keep the cornea moist and to act as a windshield washer fluid every time the eyelids close or blink. Tears are produced from two glands. The main tear or lacrimal gland sits above the eye, near the point where the lining of the eyelid meets with the eye. This gland secretes approximately seventy percent of total tear production. The second smaller gland rests on the inner side of the third eyelid also known as the haw and as the nictitans or nictitating membrane. This membrane serves to protect the eye. The dog is able to retract the eye into the socket and the third eyelid comes across and totally covers the eye during an insult and helps to lubricate the eye in non-threatening times.

The third eyelid is hardly visible in some breeds and its more visible portion may range in color from darkly pigmented to pink to white. There is a row of tiny oil glands along the eyelid margin called the meibomian glands that contribute an oily film to the tear layer that helps prevent the tears from evaporating.

The most common tear production problem is a shortage of tears called Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca. The scant thickened sticky tears cause a dull appearance to the eye in early stages and later may lead to mucoid accumulations on the eye and eyelids in more severe cases. With time the cornea is damaged and may become roughened, making it more difficult for the eyelids to wipe it clean and further aggravate the problem.

Pigment often invades the cornea with long term irritation, looking like black paint on the eyeball surface. The cornea may also become hazy, taking on a dull milky appearance. The more severely affected eyes are painful and vision may be impaired. Early cases may benefit from artificial tears while more severe cases are often treated with ointment or drops to stimulate tear production and lessen inflammation.

Another common tear related issue is excessive tearing or tears overflow, causing a typical rusty red stain to the hair near the inner corner of the eye. The stain is caused by oxidation of iron porphyrins and epinephrine compounds in the tears. Although people often refer to this condition as excessive tear production it is usually more of a problem with the tears not being drained away from the eye. There are two small openings or tear ducts, one each on the inner side of the upper and lower eyelids that channel tears into the main tear duct which eventually empties into the nose and is largely responsible for dogs having a wet nose.

Tear staining can result if these tear ducts are partially blocked, if the eyelid fits too tight, if the eyelid slightly rolls in, if there is an allergy or if hairs touch the eye. There can be other reasons as well and the ones just mentioned account for the majority of tear overflow. To stop the tear staining, the underlying cause must be addressed and corrected if possible. Usually this is more of a cosmetic issue and there are times when the constant moist environment on the skin can lead to irritation and infections resulting.

The gland of the third eyelid was mentioned earlier and it is most known for its role in cherry eye. Cherry eye is actually an eversion or prolapse of the gland of the third eyelid. The most common belief is that the small ligament that holds the gland in place weakens or breaks, allowing the gland to move upward and become visible as a bright red structure in the inner corner of the eye. This is alarming to an unsuspecting pet owner and usually is not a painful problem. There are times though when the gland may be traumatized or severely inflamed leading to discomfort. Cherry eyes should be examined by a veterinarian and almost always surgically treated. There are basically two types of surgery done to fix a cherry eye.

One choice is to remove the gland. This the quickest and least expensive treatment but because the gland is responsible for thirty percent of the tears a dry eye may result especially in an older dog so the effects may not be obvious for years after the surgery.

A preferred treatment is to save the gland by doing a “tuck” or “pocket” surgery. The down side to this type of procedure is that it takes much more time and therefore is more expensive and some of these corrected glands will prolapse again and need an additional fix. Given the number of older dogs with dry eyes, it is worth the added expense and risk of a second surgery to save the gland and keep the tear production at a normal level.

Abnormality of the eyelids can also lead to tearing, irritation and corneal damage. A few of the more common eyelid disorders are hairs touching the eye and eyelids rolling in or out.
When hairs touch the eye they can cause tearing and irritation by physical irritation or by “wicking out tears,” leading to tear stains. There are three basis classifications of these hair conditions:

Trichiasis – Hairs or eyelashes that grow long and curl or lean into and touch the eye.
Distichiasis – Hairs that grow from the lid margin toward the eye.
Ectopic Cilia – Misplaced hairs that may grow through the lining of the eyelid and touch the eye.

Hairs that grow long and curl into the eye can be seen by close inspection and usually these can be managed by keeping them clipped short. It is important to keep these hairs shortened at all times so they don’t cause damage to the cornea of the eye. Some breeds will have fine hairs growing at the inner corner of the eye and they touch the moistened lining of the lids. Fortunately, the third eyelid usually protects the eye in these cases so corneal damage is not an issue. Partially because of this protection the affected dog may show no signs of discomfort and the most obvious sign is likely staining as the tears flow along the hair shaft like a straw and leak out onto the skin. Sometimes these hairs can be trimmed short enough to solve the tearing and sometimes they need to be permanently removed by a veterinarian.

The most troubling and difficult hairs to find are some of the distichiasis occurrences and the ectopic cilia. These hairs are often singular to two or three offenders at a time and they tend to break off at or near the surface, making them very difficult to find. When these problems are suspected, a close inspection under anesthesia with good lighting and magnification is the best way to discover them. Destroying the hair follicle by cautery or cryo surgery is the usual treatment.

Eyelids that don’t fit properly against the eye can be as irritating as troublesome hairs. When eyelids fit loosely and fall away from the eye, it is referred to as Ectropion. This condition can cause the eyes to look reddened because the lining of the eyelids becomes exposed. This outward cupping tends to trap debris and pool tears, often leading to eye discharge. Ectropion is usually seen in larger breeds of dogs and may be inherited.

The more common and more problematic condition is when the eyelids roll inward, causing hair and skin to come into contact with the eye. These eyes often tear, cause squinting and mild to severe discomfort. When left uncorrected, corneal damage results which may be irreversible. The correction for this problem is to remove some skin from near the eyelid margin then suturing the edges together pulling the eyelid back into a normal position. The correction is a relatively simple surgery while the art of this surgery is to remove the right amount of skin from the right place. Taking too much skin will result in Ectropion. It is generally considered best to error on the side of not taking enough skin and doing a second fine tuning surgery rather than to have to correct a resulting Ectropion.

One more problem worth mentioning here is prominent nasal folds found in some of the brachycephalic breeds like the Pug and Pekingese. These folds, which are natural and desirable in some breeds, may reach a height great enough to allow hair and sometimes skin to touch the eye and lead to irritations and tearing like the misplaced hairs of the eyelids.

If hairs barely touch the eye it may be controlled by keeping the hair shaved short enough as to not make contact. In mild cases this is all that is needed to keep the dog comfortable and reduce tearing. In more severe cases some or all the skin folds needs to be removed surgically. This of course alters the appearance of the pet and causes some owners to postpone or avoid the surgery. In this case the dog suffers for the owner’s desire to keep a certain look.

Aware groomers, trainers and handlers can do a great service for the pet and pet owner by recognizing these conditions and giving sound advice to the pet owner. When indicated, a referral to a veterinarian should be suggested. Either way the pet becomes the beneficiary of an educated pet professional.

Dr. Boyd Harrell is currently practicing pet medicine in central Florida. He formerly owned two veterinary practices in Illinois nationally recognized for their exceptional management. He is an international speaker to pet lovers and veterinarians, a trained personal life coach, and a pet consultant with Oxyfresh Worldwide. Oxyfresh Pet Care products help the pets you love live healthier, cleaner, longer lives. Oxyfresh's complete line of pet care products include ingredients such as Oxygene® for maximum odor-fighting and oral health and adaptogens for robust health, nutrition, and stress relief. Pet product categories include Oral Care, Nutritionals, Hygiene and Stress Relief. Dr Harrell may be reached at 866-388-3578, at boydharrell@email.com or at www.healthypetwebsite.com.

Does a quiet escape to the spa and being indulged with a luxurious mud treatment sound good to you right now? How about for a pooch?

When a pup rolls into that enormous puddle of mud, it’s his way of self-grooming. In addition to being fabulously fun, mud has many great benefits for a canine companion.

The mud bath tradition has been recognized by many cultures for centuries. And now in grooming salons in North America, mud baths for dogs can be found.

People bathe, wrap, and scrub with it to relax, ease pain and to facilitate the healing of conditions of certain skin issues and arthritis. Not only is it good for humans, but mud is great for animals. For example, zebras, hippos, elephants, and especially dogs all bathe in mud to stay cool, to keep clean and healthy.

Now, you might be wondering how? Mud has remarkable properties. When the animals wallow in mud, it dampens their skin; the evaporating water takes heat from beneath the skin. The animal’s heat is released through the skin, which has a cooling effect wherever the mud is applied on the body.

Furthermore, mud is known to purify the skin as it removes foreign and toxic substances; it facilitates the movement of the toxins through the skin when bathing.

Minerals and trace elements present in the mud are renowned for its effects and therapeutic properties. The particular location of where the mud is extracted determines which of these minerals and trace elements are found in the mud and in turn how effective the mud is.
For millennia people have valued the black mud found at the bottom of the Dead Sea (which lies between Jordan and Israel) and have used the rich mineral mix for healing baths and beauty treatments. Legend says it was the Queen of Sheba who first believed in the mystical healing powers of the Dead Sea. Furthermore, the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, known for her beauty and particularly for experimenting with a range of natural recipes, established her own spa on the shores of the Dead Sea.

Its high concentrations of salts, magnesium, sodium, potassium and calcium help to relax muscles, ease pain and stimulate circulation. Most frequently the mud is recommended to arthritis patients. Studies show that Dead Sea mud baths can alleviate symptoms of psoriasis, and people often use the mud to treat dandruff, eczema and oily skin. In addition, Dead Sea mud contains iodine and bromine, which provide a calming effect.

Mother Nature’s backyard provides wonderful solutions that clean, heal and pamper dogs. A mud bath will be a delightful experience that your client can share with their pet!

Patricia Szigeti is a writer for Divazi Distributor Corp. Their website is www.divazi.com. Divazi Distributor Corp. specializes in spa grooming products for dogs. After a trip to the Dead Sea and seeing the benefits of the mud for their pooch, they wanted to share the experience with other dog owners. With the help of a veterinarian friend and extensive research, they finally developed “Dead Sea Mineral Mud Scrub”. It is a natural product: a mixture of Dead Sea mud and minerals, eucalyptus oil, aloe, vitamin E, and other great ingredients. It is great for dogs with skin issues, and it helps to naturally remove the dog's undercoat, which decreases shedding. Dogs are happy and relaxed after the experience, skin is exfoliated and moisturized, hair feels softer, and looks silky, smooth and shiny.

PetSmart Charities recently launched its newly designed website to improve user navigation, access to information for key stakeholders and the public, and to better reflect the brand identity of the organization. The new site features content such as grant and adoption success stories, online donation options, spay/neuter and adoption program information, animal welfare agency information, a grant distribution map, and email newsletter sign-up capability. During times of crisis, the site serves as a primary donation and information point for pet emergency relief.

The National Dog Groomers Association of America, Inc. is excited to present its 9th Edition Official NDGAA Membership Directory.

This 2007/08 9th Edition contains nearly 2,400 names and addresses only of both Certified and Registered Members. A great tool to market products, services or to stay in touch with groomers around the country. If you would like information on how you can optain a directory.

Backer’s 19th Annual Pet Industry Spring Trade Show and Educational Conference will be held March 30-April 1 at the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Pet supply manufacturers and distributors will feature the latest innovations for pets of all types.

The ExpoPlanner product/ exhibitor locator will be featured once again. This interactive system allows attendees to easily find specific companies, products and booth locations prior to the show online or at the show site.

Distributors, pet store owners and managers have a chance to win $10,000 in the Backer Cash Bonanza Big Cash Giveaway. H.H. Backer will again offer free admission to all Backer-sponsored seminars. The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council will offer both canine and small animal certification seminars.

GroomTeam USA has announced their top ten competitive groomers for 2006. Karen Tucker comes in first place with her scoring of 101 points. Lisa Leady is second with 81 points. Julie Wilkins places third with 64 points. Jodi Murphy is a close fourth with 61 points. Fifth place is Cheryl Purcell with 24 points. Lindsey Berry takes sixth with 21 points, followed closely by Greta Dalrymple with 20 points in seventh. Eighth place goes to Anita Belue-Leinard with 16 points, tied with Veronica Frosch. Tenth place is Misty Fowler with 14 points. These top ranking professional groomers are announced and honored each year at Intergroom.

GroomTeam USA announces the traveling team members that will be representing groomers from the United States in the World Team Championships. They are Karen Tucker, Vero DaSylva, Lisa Leady and Julie Wilkins. The alternate is Jodi Murphy. Every two years, the top ranking stylists are sent to represent the United States in a World Team Grooming Competition. Stylists earn their spot on the team based on the total number of points they have received in each year. The highest point holders are granted the honor of representing the United States.

The Host country for the Championships dictates the number of competitors allowed on each team. The World Team Championships will be held in Verbania, Italy from April 14th to the 15th, 2007.

There are four classes to the Championship. They are: Spaniel/Setter, Poodles, Handstripping and All other Purebreds.