At the Oak Bay Pet Clinic, we are pleased to offer several routine grooming services, such as pedicures and de-matting. There are, however, key elements that you can do on a daily, weekly or monthly basis to facilitate the overall wellness of your dog or cat.

Brushing:

Grooming your long, short or wirehair pet need not be a battle if you regularly brush and handle your pet. The key is to develop a gentle and fun routine where your pet feels safe and relaxed. Often grooming at a salon can prove to be a very stressful experience on the pet since you often must leave them behind with a stranger to brush and groom him/her. This can thus enhance the traumatic and often negative association that he/she holds about the experience. A better alternative is to work with your pet regularly to develop a relationship of trust when it comes to pulling out those grooming tools!

Bathing:

Bathing your pet is important, but remember to use only a veterinary-approved shampoo on his/her coat. Human shampoo is much too harsh and drying on the fur and skin of an animal. Shampoo as necessary; dogs that play rigorously outdoors or swim in salt water will invariably need more frequent bathing than indoor pets. Bathing your pet too frequently can also cause unwanted drying of the skin, so be sure to check with your vet about your routine. Usually monthly bathing is the maximum frequency for a cat or dog, but some skin conditions may benefit from weekly or bi-weekly use of an approved medicated shampoo.

Ear Cleaning:

It is important to keep both the ear canal and margins clear of debris and build-up by regularly using a veterinary-approved ear cleaning solution. Just as in humans, the rate of build up can vary, and this build up can cause ear infections and discomfort. The ear canal is a very sensitive area and must therefore be cleaned very carefully using cotton tipped swabs. Be sure to ask a technician for advice on the best way to care for your pet's ears. Every breed of animal and his or her individual skin type will dictate the frequency of ear cleaning required. Please ask us about your pet's grooming needs during the annual physical exam!

Pedicures:

Clipping the toe nails can be difficult, but the best way to avoid the battles is to get your pet used to having his/her paws handled and touched from a very young age. This is yet another area where persistence and trust will pay off. If you clip too much off the nail you will not only hurt your pet but this will make the experience even more difficult for the next time. It is important to use good, sharp nail clippers and to get advice on the best way to hold your dog or cat while clipping the nails.

Healthy Diet:

A healthy and balanced diet, just as in people, is a crucial area in your pet's wellbeing. The food that you and your vet choose to feed must address the individual needs of your pet and hence there are a wide variety of healthy options available to you. Remember that a good quality food will promote overall health and wellness, strong and clean teeth, a healthy immune system, a shiny and vibrant coat and can alleviate a multitude of illnesses as time goes on. Talk to the knowledgeable staff at the Oak Bay Pet Clinic today about the food that is right for your special pet.

We are pleased to promote Medi-Cal and Royal Canin Veterinary diets at the clinic. These diets are specially formulated by veterinarians and undergo rigorous testing. Quality assurance tests are performed regularly and the latest research is used to ensure that you are feeding the best quality balanced nutrition.

 

 


These diets are also fortified with antioxidants and utilize natural ingredients to provide nutrition, easy digestibility and promote overall health and wellness.

We are aware that there is a lot of information being circulated regarding pet diets. Much of this information is not grounded in Science and is often very misleading if not completely false. Many "fad diets" exist relating to pet diets and getting inaccurate information can be dangerous to your pet's health. Please ask us for details relating to choosing the right diet, ingredient-reading, and natural diets such as the "raw food diet". Being a well-educated pet owner is the first important step to overall health of your animal.