Dr Anna Plummer
Your dog’s hygiene is one of the fundamental aspects of his health. By keeping your dog clean you can significantly reduce the risk of multiple infections and diseases.
Skin and coat
Many dog owners disagree on how often you should bathe your dog. Although there are no set in stone rules regarding the recommended bath frequency, you should never bathe a dog too often, since it can dry out your canine’s skin. Of course, to bathe your dog you need care products developed specifically to suit your dog’s skin pH level. As an alternative to a wet bath, especially with dogs that spend the majority of time outside the house, you can use dry shampoo. Your dog’s coat has a natural, greasy layer that protects the skin from moisture as well as cold. Every bath strips your dog’s skin of that oily layer, leaving it exposed to the elements. Dry shampoo can be a great choice if you need to freshen up your dog’s coat during autumn or winter, but you cannot bring your canine home to stay with your for few days after the bath.
Eyes and ears
Maintaining the ear canal clean, especially for dogs with floppy ears, is extremely important. Clean and dry ears can prevent the growth of the bacteria, that eventually lead to ear infections. After bath always check your dog’s ears and wipe them dry. To clean your dog’s ears use only care products made specifically for canines. Ear cleaning solution is easy to use - you just need to apply few drops to the inside of your dog’s ear and gently massage it in. After few minutes you can wipe the excess liquid off using cotton pad or a tissue. In some dog breeds excessive tearing can lead to decolouration of fur under eyes. Don’t forget to clean this area every once in a while, always using gentle cleaning products made specifically for dogs.
Teeth
Remember to care for your dog’s dental hygiene, which can prevent inflammation of the gums or any issues with teeth later in life. The most common issue regarding dog’s teeth is either plaque build-up or bad breath. Dry dog food can help with mechanical cleaning of the teeth. To keep your dog’s teeth clean you can also use dental chews, which act both as a tasty treat and a support in mechanical teeth cleaning.
