Advice for Pet Owners

Grooming and Other Pet Care Issues

Pet owners need to know how to keep their beloved animals safe, well-fed and happy. And a well-groomed pet is a happy pet! Karen "Doc" Halligan and Joey Villani, two judges from the new Animal Planet show "Groomer Has It," were online Wednesday, April 30 to take your questions on grooming and other pet care issues.

Veterinarian Karen "Doc" Halligan is director of veterinary services for the SPCA of Los Angeles, and author of the recent book "What Every Pet Owner Should Know." Joey Villani is president of the Nash Academy of Animal Arts in New Jersey, and has been nominated four times for the Cardinal Crystal Achievement Award for excellence in dog grooming show judging.

This discussion is one in a series of pet advice chats we'll be holding over the next several weeks. Please join us again Wednesday, May 7 at noon ET, when Krista Hines, owner of Doggie Style Bakery, will take questions. And check out washingtonpost.com's new pets section anytime!

A transcript follows.

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Doc Halligan: Hi this is Doc Halligan and I'm anxious to help pet owners with their questions!

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Joey Villani: Hello this Joey Villani judge on Animal Planet's Groomer Has it and owner of the Nash Academy school of pet grooming.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi and thank you for taking my question.

I have a 13 year old Maltese that is starting to have some problems with arthritis, getting moving on cold mornings etc. I was wondering if there was something specific I could do for him that I am not doing. He is fed a very careful homemade vet approved diet, he has a heated dog bed for cold nights and we are careful about him moving up and down the stairs in our house too much.

In truth he is really doing quite well, but I would like to find a way to keep him off meds for as long as possible.

Thank you for your help.

Doc Halligan: I would recommend that you try supplementing him with glucosamine and chondroitin. Most vets carry this or you can get it at a health food store. You do not need a prescription but I would ask your vet to recommend which brand he likes and the dosage.

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Virginia: How do you decide what the best brush/comb is for grooming? My cat probably has some Maine Coon and I try to brush him thoroughly a couple of times a week as he starts to get scraggly looking and sheds ungodly amounts of hair if I don't (not to mention the hairballs!). I'm currently using a slicker brush but wondering if there's something more effective to use. I've gone over to look at the dog brush section but those tines look a bit sharp and stiff for a cat. What do you suggest?

Joey Villani: Hello Virginia, The slicker is great for brushing but also try a greyhound type comb after you finish brushing. The greyhound comb is a metal comb that has coarse and fine teeth. This will remove more loose hair than a brush alone.

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D.C.: Hi Karen and Joey,

I adore my white cat... but what I don't adore is prime shedding season (now!), when my dark blue couch and all my dark clothes start to be deluged with hair!

We are combing him once daily. Beyond that, any suggestions as to how to keep the shedding under control?

Thanks!

Doc Halligan: In addition to brushing daily you could try adding a fatty acid supplement to his diet. Your vet should be able to direct you as to which one they like and most likely carries a variety of fatty acid supplements

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Kensington, Md.: Thanks for taking my question!

I have a 12 year old chocolate lab who has recently been diagnosed with canine diabetes. He is getting skinnier by the day, the medicine and the food don't seem to be doing the trick, he is more prone to accidents in the house and our friend (a vet) has recommended that we put old Jake to sleep. We have three daughters under the age of 7 and he is getting cranky when they got to pet him (something he used to love and crave). Please tell me putting him down is the right thing to do. He is like my first child and I am really struggling with this. I know it is humane, but is there hope he is going to turn this around and rebound after three months of treatment?

Doc Halligan: You could try getting a second opinion with a board certified internist in your area. Your vet should be able to give you a referral. I had a pacemaker put in my lab Duke at 12 years of age and he lived another year and 3 months and I cherished every extra moment with him. The life expectancy for labs is 12 to 14 so if you decide to put him down that is an okay decision too. Its all about the dog's quality of life so keep that in mind when you are talking it over with the family.

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Alexandria, Va.: I own a poodle, which of course takes a LOT of grooming. I've been teaching myself how to do it, using Shirlee Kalstone's classic book, and take him into the doggie salon about every 3 or 4 months for a professional job. I do all right and have a good set of tools, but I'd like to do better. Do you know if there are classes available for pet-owners to learn to groom their own dogs?

Joey Villani: Well you started out great and have a great book from a great person that has taught me a lot. Make sure that you groom your dog at least every 4-6 weeks by a pro until you learn properly. Yes there are courses that teach the general pet owner how to groom their pet, we teach them at the Nash Academy

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Washington, D.C.: Ever since I moved my parents' 10 year old cat to my small apartment, she has been shedding quite a bit. I know some of this is due to stress but I am worried because she seems to be having a lot of hairballs. Could the shedding be due to some other factor, such as diet? Do you recommend anything to prevent hairballs? She is a short haired tabby, if that helps.

Also, any tips on helping me trim her nails? She usually tries to bite or take a swipe at me when I attempt it. Thanks so much!

Doc Halligan: I would recommend daily brushing to help remove as much hair as possible and that should help with the hairball problem. I do think the diet plays an important part with hairballs too so I would recommend feeding her a diet that has some fiber in it to help pass the hairballs. You can ask your vet for their recommendation and/or also give her something orally for the hairballs such as petromalt or laxitone. Lastly with regards to the nail trimming start out slow and only trim one or two nails at a time and then give her a treat. You want the experience to be as positive as possible and eventually work up to trimming all the nails every couple of months.

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Providence, R.I.: Cat Shampoo and food supplements for coat...

Curious on your take on cat shampoos - especially the moist wipes version and the usefulness of food supplements to improve a cat's coat. I have a 8 year-old DSH - sometimes I think that he doesn't smell "fresh" and have been tempted to try out shampoo wipes for cats. Similarly - we feed cat a prescription diet from the vet. Your thoughts on the need to add extra supplements for his coat? Just want to make sure that we are providing the best care! thanks!

Joey Villani: There are a lot of good shampoos for cats that may take care of the problem. Make sure it says good to use on cats, cats could get a reaction from dog and people shampoos. Wipes are good but usually just for quick clean ups and not so much for smells. It also could be diet.

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White Marsh, Va.: I have sort of a gross question. I take my dog for wash/grooming every 6-8 weeks. During that time, the groomer expresses my dog's anal glands. Is this something that they HAVE to do? or, can dogs readily express this gland on their own? Should all dogs get this done regularly? Thanks in advance.

Joey Villani: It is something that should be checked at the very least. Some dogs express them on their own but others have problems doing so. If the groomer can check this and express them regularly it would be good. Dogs that can not express the anal glands could have problems if not checked because they can fill and rupture, causing pain and infection.

Doc Halligan: Great answer Joey! Most dogs do express their anal glands on their own when they have a bowel movement but some dogs, especially the small ones, have trouble expressing their glands or have ducts that are too small and the anal gland fluid will build up, which can lead to a painful abscess.

There is nothing wrong with having your groomer express the glands every time they groom your dog and in fact most groomers readily perform this kind of nasty procedure!

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi! Thanks for taking my question!! I have a medium haired cat that HATES to be groomed. I try brushing him but he runs away. I've recently figured out that treats make him sit still as does constant petting of the head with one hand while I brush with the other. I brushed out enough hair to make a solid baseball sized ball of fur! Now that I've figured this out, how often do cats need to be brushed and how long do you think it'll take before all that built up dead hair is removed (it's been almost a year since his last good brushing)??

Joey Villani: All pets are a little different on how they shed. Good brushing and combing on a daily base usually is good enough. Sometimes a poor diet can also make a pet shed more

Doc Halligan: I brush both my medium hair cats everyday and they have actually learned to enjoy it. I make it a bonding session and give lots of praise and sometimes treats so I would try getting your cat to love brushing too because it is a necessary part of taking care of a cat.

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Charlotte, N.C.: I have a black cat that has terrible dandruff. What would you recommend to get rid of this dandruff?

Doc Halligan: The diet must not be right for your cat because they should not have dandruff so try switching to a high quality diet that you buy from your vet or a pet store in your cat's life stage and give it a couple of months to see if the dandruff resolves.

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Washington, D.C.: Am I crazy for thinking about shaving my beautiful golden to keep him cooler during the intense summer months? Should I leave this for the professionals, or can I do it myself?

Joey Villani: A good properly groomed dog is better than clipping the coat. Coat is protection, dog will stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer but only if it is brushed and combed, free of knots, tangles and undercoat.

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Alexandria, Va.: We have a healthy basset mix. He shows no signs of bone/hip weakness when climbing stairs. He seems fine jumping off our bed and couch. Should we still take precautions by not encouraging him to jump, stand on his hind legs, etc.?

Doc Halligan: Purebred basset hounds with long backs are predisposed to having back problems so I would discourage unnatural behaviors like standing on their hind legs and jumping up on things that are too high. Long walks, hiking, swimming are all good forms of exercise especially for a basset/mix who hopefully will have less of a chance to develop problems than a purebred.

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Bethesda Md.: We just bought my daughter a sheltie. They are of course, very hairy dogs. How often should you brush them? How often should they be bathed? Do you have to clip the hair?

Joey Villani: They should be groomed every 4-6 weeks and brushed at least twice a week.

Doc Halligan: I concur with Joey!

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Burke, Va.: Hi Doc,

I have a 16 year old cat who is in good health, but seems to crave more affection and holding than ever before. Is it normal for older cats to want to be held and petted more than when they were younger? Also, what are some good tips to keep her active? She sleeps a lot.

Doc Halligan: Your senior citizen cat should have blood work done once or twice a year to help detect illnesses early. Older cats will sometimes change with regards to the amount of attention they need but I would want to make sure their isn't an underlying problem too. To help keep her active try getting new toys to stimulate her mentally and physically because this will help keep her bones nice and strong.

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Elkridge, Md.: If Kitty can't keep up with grooming, another solution is to get a "Lion Cut" where the fur is shaved on the body, and left 1 inch or shorter on the head, legs and tail. Worked for my British Shorthair and gave her a vacation from having to groom so much hair.

Joey Villani: If you like the look of it, it is a good problem solver. Some people hate the look and the only other thing is daily brushing and combing.

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Maryland: Hello,

My white Peek-a-Poo has tearing from his eyes that is a reddish color. I find that if I do not clean it almost weekly, it accumulates and becomes difficult to clean. Why is it red? What is the best way to deal with it?

Thanks.

Joey Villani: Staining is very common around eyes from tearing. There are many products on the market that say they work. What I have found best is wiping daily with water and a cloth.

Doc Halligan: Its red because of enzymes in the tears. I would have a vet look at the eyes to see if they can unblock the tear ducts to make the tears go into the throat and not come out on the face. Also, keep the hair clipped short underneath the eyes and like Joey said wipe frequently.

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Oakton, Va.: Do you think having a dog's teeth cleaned is a good idea?

Doc Halligan: ABSOLUTELY. Dental disease is the number one disease diagnosed in cats and dogs today and not taking care of your pets' teeth will shorten their life span. I recommend brushing at least every other day to help keep bacteria at a minimum and once your pet has a lot of tartar accumulated it is time to have a professional cleaning at your vet's office

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Princeton, New Jersey: I have a Tibetan Terrier which has a very long dense coat. I brush him every other day and he gets professionally groomed every 4 weeks. I recently bought an expensive pin brush which at first was wonderful -- easier to use, faster, less fur taken out. But now the pins are getting bent and are difficult to straighten. The manufacturer says this can't happen. Are there any brushes with long pins that will not bend?

Also do I have to shear my dog in the summer?

Joey Villani: No, you do not have to clip your dog if he has no tangles. Try a good professional type of brush. Ask your groomer what they use.

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Washington, D.C.: Is regular brushing the ONLY way to keep my cat's shedding under control? He's an ordinary orange tabby, and sheds all year round. More in the spring, of course. Is there a dietary supplement I could put in his food, perhaps?

Thanks!

Doc Halligan: I would recommend in addition to daily brushing adding a fatty acid supplement to help decrease the amount of shedding. Your vet may sell one or you can get this supplement at any pet store.

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San Diego, Calif.: Our 6-month old Miniature Pinscher runs and hides underneath the bed when it's time to wash her down and fights when we try to brush her teeth. Any suggestions, other than what we've been doing, which is tag-teaming to chase her and hold her down? Can we make the experience more fun for her?

Doc Halligan: okay you need to back up and go much slower with your puppy. You want her to look forward to baths and teeth brushing. Start by giving her baths and or brushing her teeth at the end of the day after she has had a lot of play time and is relaxed. Give lots of praise and give her some of her favorite treats. Don't try brushing the teeth all at one time just do a couple of teeth in the beginning and keep it positive with sweet talks and treats and eventually work up to brushing the teeth every other day.

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Alexandria, Va.: I have a German Shedder-Heinz 57 mix that seems so uncomfortable in the summer. It takes her ages to cool down after a walk. Do people ever shave them for a summer 'do? If so, what should I ask for? Thank you for taking my question!

Joey Villani: Try not to clip , it is not good for the coat. God gave dogs the best thing for hot and cold weather and that is their coat. Tell the groomer for a good de-shed and that would be best.

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Maryland:

They say there is no such thing as a stupid question, but I feel like I should know this. What did the earlier post mean when the groomer expresses the dog?

As a fairly new owner of a Chihuahua, I want to make sure I'm doing everything I should be for my doggie!

Doc Halligan: It's not a dumb question, most people do not know that their dogs and cats have anal glands, which is some pets need to be manually expressed. The glands are near the anus and are there to scent the stool but pets really don't need them to survive and some pets actually have problems with their anal glands and need to have a vet or groomer express them. Signs of anal glands being too full include scooting, licking at their tail, backing up and circling. The glands are full of a very stinky substance and when your dog or cat expresses them you will know by the foul odor.

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Annandale, Va.: Is there something special about the design of The Furminator brush that makes it way more effective than any other comb or brush I have used on my dogs? It doesn't look any different, and I laughed at the name and thought it was just a gimmick. But I can't laugh at the results. What is the deal with that thing?

Joey Villani: This tool has very fine teeth and the method is called carding which is a deep type of combing.

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Silver Spring, Md.: I need help with dog food. What ingredients should I look for to keep down on dog breath, dog smells, and shedding, but also help with good teeth and shiny coat? I've always heard that expensive dog food is good dog food. We have a small dog and want to feed her the best brand/quality. Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions.

Doc Halligan: You want to pick a dog food that has a label on it that says it meets the approval of The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)and you want to feed food in your dog's life stage: puppy, adult or senior. Most vets recommend feeding a mixture of wet and dry but you should ask your vet what they recommend for your particular dog. The best place to find quality food is either at your vet clinic or at pet stores.

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Alexandria, Va.: I have a cat who is 6 years old and his hair has become clumpy. I've tried to brush it out, but nothing works. Could this be a sign of a health issue?

Doc Halligan: Yes this could be a sign that the hair is not healthy and or there is an underlying medical problem. I would have blood and urine tests done to rule out any underlying medical problem and then try changing the diet depending on the results of the lab work.

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Alexandria, Va.: I am hoping you can answer my question. I have a middle aged female beagle mix whose head becomes very hot to the touch occasionally. I haven't been able to pinpoint a specific trigger for it, and she does not display any unusual behavior as a result, but the top of her head gets hot enough that I wonder whether we should be concerned about it. Our veterinarian does not know the cause. Thank you.

Doc Halligan: As long as you have had a vet check your beagle mix out and you had blood and urine to make sure there are no underlying problems I would not be too worried

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Gaithersburg, Md.: We recently fostered a dog that was extremely sensitive to grooming -- any pull would send this normally sweet dog over the edge. Could his skin be hypersensitive?

Joey Villani: Some pets are more sensitive than others but usually the more they get groomed the better.

Doc Halligan: Unless you are pulling at the hair dogs should not be very upset about brushing unless there is some sensitivity due to allergies. I would have a vet look at her.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Karen,

I have a 6 year old cat whom I adopted a year and a half ago, and she has gone blind in the time I've had her (mild vision impairment when adopted) . Before the complete blindness was diagnosed, I had adopted a second cat who persisted in sandbagging her at every opportunity - which brought her the blindness progression to my attention. I had to return the second cat. But I would like another cat - to keep her company and, to be honest, to snuggle with. Bad idea?

Doc Halligan: You could try adopting an older cat who might not want to attack her. It is more difficult with a pet who is blind but I guarantee there is a cat out there that would get along nicely with her.

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Alexandria, Va.: I have a Puggle (Pug and Beagle mix) who turned 1 on St. Patrick's Day. We are trying to determine when the best time is to switch her from puppy food to adult food. We've always been advised in the past to speak with a vet to make the decision for the best time to switch her food.

Doc Halligan: At one year of age it is time to switch your dog to adult food and when she hits 7 or 8 then switch to senior.

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Potomac, Md.: as a fairly new dog owner - I'm in constant search of a decent groomer.

So far our Welsh terrier has been butchered way too many times.

thanks

Doc Halligan: I would ask your vet for a recommendation. There are a lot of great groomers out there so don't give up. Also, ask other pet owners in your area for names of groomers they like.

Joey Villani: I am sorry to hear that. Try interviewing the groomer first. If the groomer knows how to handstrip ( a method used on this type of dog when grooming) than you might be ok.

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Alexandria, Va.: My girl, Autumn, a 6 year Calico's hair is starting to come out... I think she is pulling it out. She's a long hair so there has always been hair in the brush when I groom her.

But now when she grooms herself, she GNAWS until she pulls it out herself. I also just cut the clumps of hair that had matted that I could not detangle. I brush 4 times a week. I also noticed that there are little white spots (dandruff). But am reluctant to give her a bath because she cries so.

What do you think might be going on? Besides that, her behavior is as sweet and happy as usual.

Joey Villani: Dandruff is usually a diet problem. Bathing will help but talk to a vet about the dandruff.

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Rockville, Maryland: Good morning. I could really use some advice on a cat who chews wires. We have tried everything we can think of. We have covered up and hidden all the wires we can, but he chews the covering. We have given him other items to chew, we try to redirect him when we catch him chewing, we have used bitter apple, we gave him cat grass, but he ate it all in a week, we have tried to keep him occupied as much as possible. Nothing seems to stop him from chewing. Is there anything else we should try? thanks

Doc Halligan:  Tabasco sauce is another option.

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Clifton, Va.: If my two rough collies don't smell they don't get baths. Now both herd sheep and they often come home covered in mud and muck but it all falls out of their coats. My oldest collie hasn't had a bath in about 18 mos. Too many baths too often causes skin problems.

And groomers need to listen to their clients.

Have heard horror stories of rough collies just needing a trim and tidying up and coming back with a buzz cut.

Joey Villani: If your pets are healthy, have healthy skin and coat and have no knots and tangles than I would not worry about anything. Remember if you do not have them groomed than you need to check everything (ears, teeth, glands, etc.)

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New York, N.Y.: My cat has become finicky. She used to eat Iams wet and dry, but now she will only eat the dry. And only that brand. Should I be concerned that she is addicted?

Doc Halligan: I would not be worried that your cat is addicted because some cats do get used to one particular food and that is okay. Just make sure that you are feeding your cat in her life stage - adult up to 7 or 8 years and then switch to senior.

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Arlington, Va.: How often should a dog be bathed? We have a tiny longhaired miniature dachshund -- she's only about 7 lbs, 10 months old. Since she is so low to the ground, she gets dirty very easily, especially with the long hair. I don't want to dry out her skin too much, but sometimes she just really stinks if we do not give her a bath every 2 weeks! The fur around her ears also gets sort of oily/greasy looking.

Doc Halligan: If your dog gets dirty it is perfectly acceptable to bathe her every 2 weeks. Just make sure you are using a shampoo that is appropriate for her coat- your groomer or vet can suggest a brand.

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Arlington, Va.: When taking a dog to the groomer, what kind of cut should you request? I've always groomed my Pomeranians at home, and give them a typical Pom cut. But some poms I see are over cut and I don't want that. When I'm traveling a lot it sounds nice to have someone else do the grooming but I'm nervous to take them in.

Joey Villani: This is a double coated dog, over trimming is not always good for them and can change the coat texture.

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Berryville, Va.: How do I get my dogs to accept the SoftPaws nail caps? They chew at their own paws til they are bloody.

Doc Halligan: Make sure that they are being put on correctly because most dogs are not that bothered by them.

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Adams Morgan: Are there any downsides to spaying a cat that is in heat? My cat that I just adopted has been in heat for about a month and is very loud - keeping us up some nights. I want to spay her ASAP, but didn't know if being in heat could complicate the procedure.

Thanks!

Doc Halligan: There is absolutely no reason to wait to get your cat spayed. An experienced vet will readily spay her because until she gets pregnant she will stay cycling in heat cycles which makes them miserable. And 4 to 6 million animals are euthanized in our country every year so you don't want her to get pregnant.

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Small animal grooming: Do you have any recommendations for small animal grooming? We have two guinea pigs that enjoy being brushed but I'm wondering if they should get more in the way of a bath. Both are males, and we use a damp rag to try to keep the fur around the grease gland clean, but it seems like soap is needed. Also, can the nails be filed? They don't seem to like the pressure of the nail clipper. They are fine until I start to press down. I know I'm not hitting the quick because both have light colored nails.

Doc Halligan: I would ask the vet that you take them to for a shampoo recommendation. Also, make sure they are on an appropriate diet and that you are adding vitamin C, which guinea pigs cannot manufacture.

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Silver Spring: We have an rescued adopted Chi - we adore her. She is between 12-13 yrs old - good health - limbs very active etc. Last year she developed allergies. The dog will begin to sound like she is trying to cough when in fact she is coughing backwards (sounds like a grunting pig), sometimes this action will take place for about 5-10 min. It sounds worse than it is - we took her to the vet who explained it was allergy related and she has been on "doggie antihistamine". Her heart is fine - her ears were a bit red inside. Have you ever heard of this symptom - backwards cough?

Thank you

Doc Halligan: Reverse sneezing is very common in small dogs and it's okay if you give her antihistamines to control it. Try rubbing her throat when she is making the snorting sound because this will help her swallow the post nasal drip.

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Doc Halligan: Okay all, I am signing off and hope you will all tune in to watch Groomer Has It Saturday nights at 9 pm on Animal Planet where we all give great pet advice in addition to watching the groomers compete for groomer of the year!!!!

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washingtonpost.com: Joey Villani also says goodbye, thanks, and please watch "Groomer Has It!"

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