By: Dr. Don W. Coats, DVM

Dogs and cats look and smell better when they are clean. Cleanliness provides a distinct health advantage, for them and the rest of the household as well. I need to point out that there are many pet owners who otherwise follow good medical schedules, yet overlook some important duties of home health care. The issue is bathing. Most humans in our society shower almost daily and we don’t even sleep on the floor or roll on the endless variety of materials that our dogs do. Fortunately dogs and cats do not sweat, so offensive chemistry of body odor is a different process and rarely need daily bathing. However many dogs produce excess body oil which collects dirt, in combination turns rancid, causing the typical doggy odor. The basic issue of bacterial and fungal contamination to the owners should not be overlooked. I don’t want to sound alarming, but pets do carry skin pathogens that could affect their owners. Staph, ringworm and fecal contamination are some of the obvious concerns.
It appears that some owners become insensitive to pet odor. So this message is a reminder to those who provide good medical pet care and are willing to read this article but for some reason don’t appreciate the value of bathing their dog — and sometimes the pleasure of doing good work. Most dogs should be bathed monthly and for various dermatological reasons as often as weekly. While only some older cats may need regular bathing, brushing is the healthy alternative.
Veterinary dermatologists now agree that some allergies, once thought to be primarily triggered by inhaled allergens (Atopy) are indeed affected by surface contact. If your Golden Retriever gets seasonal hot spots, frequent bathing and thorough drying is likely to reduce the frequency and severity of these episodes. Furthermore, if this practice becomes routine, you also are more alert to early signs of chewing and can mitigate an episode by trimming the spot, cleaning it more and administering antihistamine. Please confirm this plan with your veterinarian.
A good tip for the paw lickers, (with stained areas on the fore legs and belly), is to wash these areas daily. Many allergies are to house mites and other allergens. So washing the paws/legs and abdomen can be very helpful. Also ask your veterinarian if he/she agrees with using a free fatty acid spray on these areas.
Special care dogs are the wrinkled face breeds (Brachycephalic) where moist detritus accumulates in the grooves of the skin. Some faces are so severely affected that the folds actually rub on the corneas. Some of these faces need corrective surgery. However, many owners elect not to have this done because it changes the breed appearances that they like. Only the moderately effected faces can be significantly improved by home care. Regularly cleaning and medicating those faces can make a difference. In addition to frequent bathing, the effected grooves should be cleaned daily with antibacterial soap and a scant amount of triple antibiotic ointment applied to the depths of these grooves.
As cats are notoriously adverse to bathing they deserve qualifier comments. We should point out that with a little persistence most cats CAN be bathed at home, aided by a firm hand and attitude of resolve. Start the procedure in a deliberate, but slow confident manner. It might require two people, one holder and one to do the bathing. Sometimes a muzzle is a good idea. Another alternative is a bath net which totally contains the kitty while the bathing more readily takes place through the net mesh.
Older kitties need bathing when they start to neglect self grooming, and the hair over the middle of the back starts to look clumped or tacky. They also accumulate layered dander between the toes which should be washed out once a month or so. Long haired cats naturally require more frequent care and inspection under the tail where fecal material can adhere. Incidentally, paw cleaning after the “toilet” can be aided by placing a pile mat around the litter pans.
Admittedly bathing a cat is a difficult matter and regular brushing, especially for younger cats may be sufficient, or at least meet the limits of tolerance.

Generalizations about shampoos and the bath process:
Pet shampoos are often described as hypo-allergenic, suggesting that they are gentle and yet assumed to have sufficiently cleansing (detergent) properties. Skin diseases might require follicular flushing, degreasing, antifungal additives or even emollients. For regular home bathing most “name” brand shampoos will have enough detergent property to get the job done without being too harsh. Veterinary dermatologists tend to discourage the use of human shampoos on pets as they are formulated for more acid, sweaty hair. Human shampoos often target hair conditioning rather than the skin under the hair.
When bathing your pet, be sure to use eye protection with a touch of Vaseline or ophthalmic ointment and bathe the head last and rinse it first. Soaking time and skin massaging are important to get your pet squeaky clean.

Bathing a Bichon
So who will bathe my Bichon?
Lather her smooth and soft
Shoulders, back and rump
White and calmly sculpted?
Cup her head with your palm
Comb wet fingers
the length of her back
Let her smile, a doggy smile
And uncurl her tail, pointed,
A grateful  pose,
Where love and work are one.

Dr. Don W. Coats, DVM graduated from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 1966 and has been practicing at Centreville Veterinary Hospital for 40 years. He is pleased to continue active practice in a profession that, different than any other, provides the unique life experiences of observation, learning and healing …“We follow pets through their life spans and observe human families grow and mature, expand and return. Veterinarians are very fortunate to serve and view into our culture and into medicine through the particular portal that the profession provides.

Don loves bird watching and the study of natural history. He enjoys running, fly fishing and backpacking. He and his wife Marti are active in Lower Brandywine Church and he, in the Centreville Civic Association. They have raised four children, now have four grandchildren, two rescue terriers, three cats and three bee hives.

WINDCREST
ANIMAL HOSPITAL
3705 Lancaster Pike
Wilmington, Delaware 19805
(302) 998-2995
24 Hour Emergency
www.windcrestanimal.com

GRAYLYN CREST
ANIMAL HOSPITAL
2006 Marsh Road
Wilmington, DE. 19810
302-996-9259
www.graylynanimal.com