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Chapter 10: Pet Care and Hygiene

Dog and Cat Hygiene

Dogs and cats both need a wide variety of products to maintain their health and basic hygiene. Your pets need just about as many bathroom materials and toiletries as humans do, and there are almost as many of them available. Some are necessary for protecting against parasites and outdoor elements; some are more or less optional in order to keep their coats, claws and teeth shiny and clean. But some are just absolutely essential for giving them baths and ensuring they're reasonably clean enough to kick it around in the house and on your furniture. So here are a few of the most common items you'll need for either dog or cat hygiene, why they're important, and just what it is they'll do.

Brushes

The staple of any pet owner's pet supplies is the dog or cat hairbrush. Though most people seem to intuitively think the contrary, short hair dogs and cats usually shed much more than long hairs. Longhaired pets have hair similar to humans, it will grow and grow, and fall out and shed to a certain degree, but continuous shedding would make it impossible for their hair to stay long. Shorthaired pets, or those with an undercoat, are constantly losing their hair and regrowing it. For these pets, brushing can be exceptionally helpful. Several brushes exist from standard spike-style metal or plastic brushes, to those with wicker bristles or with knobs of hard plastic or rubber for massaging and working out hairs at the roots. Gloves with rivets to trap hair exist as well, and can be especially helpful with problem shedders.

Shampoos, Conditioners and Lotions

Shampoos and conditioners exist in wide variety for dogs and cats as well. For the owner who likes to take care of their pets grooming at home, you can find just about any soaps or shampoos to serve your pet's needs. Shampoos and conditioners are available in sensitive formulas for pets with allergies, or anti itch formulas for those who were subject to recent flea attacks or just tend to have dry skin. Lotions are available for pets as well with dry skin conditions and can prevent your pet from licking or scratching their sensitive spots excessively. Many designer brands that make human shampoo will brand their b-stock inventory for pets, so oftentimes, pet shampoo is relatively similar to what you might find in your own shower.

Tick and Flea Medicine

All the scrub-a-dub-dubbing in the world won't prevent your pets from getting mites, ticks or fleas in their fur when they're outside, so plan on flea and tick medicine as a necessary expenditure with your pets. Usually available in concentrated drops, flea medicine is often applied to the backs of pets and will seep into their entire coats, lasting about a month or so or at least a couple washings. Flea medicine is oftentimes sold in packaging that self-dispenses based on your pet's weight and overall size, so be sure to ask questions about the potency when buying and be sure that you're getting the right dosage for your pet.