Tips and Info about your pet

Pet Guide Dog - Dog Care

In this section you will find valuable information about your cherished pet. Please select the required guide to learn more about your pet and find many helpful tips.

Coat Care - A shiny look

A lovely silky coat usually means that your dog or cat is happy, well fed and healthy. Read our tips on how to care for your animal’s coat particularly in winter …

There is no accounting for taste: While some people would only consider pure-bred Persians, others are mad about common domestic cats. Some folk love Yorkshire terriers with a white bow tie while others prefer a cheerfully spotted short-coated Dalmatian or a shaggy bobtail. But cats and dogs have one thing in common: Regardless of whether your dog is regularly salon-groomed or not, a full, shiny and cared for coat does not only look good, it also means that the pet is well nourished and healthy.

Shampoo only if necessary

“A healthy dog or cat coat looks after itself” says Thomas Steidl, small animal vet in Tübingen. “And when your lads are just back from tearing through the mud, just rinse them with warm water". If you cannot avoid the use of shampoo, use a special dog shampoo which also oils the coat. In winter time when are roads being gritted, the vet recommends to wash their paws. According to Steidl, president of the association of practicing veterinarians in Baden-Württemberg, there are only two reasons to give your dog a bath: “Either the dog is really dirty or the vet has diagnosed a skin disease and prescribed bathing with certain drugs.”

Less Dirt in the House

Bigger bits that have lodged in the dog's coat during a walk can be carefully brushed out using a natural bristle brush. You can also use a soft rubber or plastic grooming brush for short-haired or smooth-haired dogs like a boxer. A long haired dog such as a Newfoundland needs completely different grooming tools. Your breeder, vet or the closest MAXIZOO store will be happy to tell you which tools are best suited to your dog’s needs. The important thing is that grooming does not hurt the dog. The dog should associate something positive with grooming. Some dogs shed fur even in winter. This is no reason for concern – but: If the hair loss is accompanied by itching or if there is any evidence of scabbing, red patches or pustules, there is a chance of infectious skin diseases. But it could also be an indication of other problems such as diseases of the thyroid gland, ovary or scrotum.

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Flea Remedies Fleas can be a problem with cats and dogs even in the cold season. This is an easy way to find out if your pet has fleas: Sit your pet on a white towel or cloth and tousle their fur. If your pet has a more serious infestation, flea faeces will drop onto the white cloth. They look like back-brown threads about one to three millimetres long. If you drop some water on those and dab them with a paper tissue they will immediately turn red as they contain the digested blood. If you have confirmed that your pet has fleas, you should go and see your vet. There are some types of fleas which can live on people. Fleas can also give your dog or cat tape worms. Drugs are best way to kill the live adult fleas living in your cat’s or dog’s fur. Your vet will advise you on the available options; MAXIZOO stores also have a range of suitable products available. In order to eradicate the next flea generation, thoroughly vacuum the areas of your home that your cat or dog has access to. Also wash all blankets and beds where your pet likes to lie down in as hot a wash as possible.

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· Health check as part of feline care If you carefully brush or groom your cat’s coat (in case of short-haired domestic cats only when the cat is shedding), you should also use this time to check over your cat. You should get your pet to see a vet if you notice the following signs: 1. The eyes are runny or are gummed up. 2. The anus is dirty. 3. The cat is panting or breathing spasmodically. 4. The coat is dull and greasy. The cat is infested with fleas and other parasites. 5. The skin is scaly, has red patches or is oily. 6. If the cat is very irritated, itchy and you see scabbing, this may indicate a flea allergy (more common in cats than in dogs). 7. The faeces is thin or pasty or bloody. 8. There is a milky, white or yellow discharge from the nose. 9. The auditory canal is red, inflamed or has a crumbly deposit. 10. The cat’s breath is very smelly. The cat’s teeth show a brownish grey tartar. The gums are very red or even blood red.

Everybody knows that cats do not do baths, they usually groom themselves. “This can lead to the hair being ingested and clumping together to form fur balls in the stomach", explains Steidl. Cat grass helps cats to bring up those fur balls. In addition, you should assist the grooming efforts of your long-haired feline friend. But special massage or grooming gloves are not the thing to use. It is better to use a moist leather cloth which will only pick up the surface hair. “This has the advantage that no more hair is pulled up from below, in contrast to brushes", so Steidl. The older a long-haired cat gets, the more likely they are to have some matting. Sometimes more and more hair wraps around a matted spot causing it to get bigger and bigger. If it has come to that stage the cat will not allow you to brush this spot. Such a knot may grow to the size of a fist in just a few weeks causing skin diseases as air can no longer get to the underlying skin. This is now not just a cosmetic problem – you should cut out the knot using scissors. In older cats, fur can get quite thin on their belly and their flanks and the area may go bald altogether(bald belly). “This is a cosmetic problem usually worrying the owners more than the cat”, says vet Thomas Steidl. However, in contrast, fleas are not just unpleasant. If you notice any fleas while playing with, cuddling or grooming your cat or dog, you should take them to the vet (also read the information in the box on the left). Lice on cats or dogs are quite uncommon. Mites are very difficult to see with the naked eye.