How to care Mr Dog’s coat in SUMMER? Sun, bathing, sand… Our GROOMER friend, Iza gives us some TIPS: “SUMMER, don’t forget to protect Mr Dog!”
COAT plazs an important role of protecting Mr Dog both in WINTER and in SUMMER. Well groomed, ‘aerated’ fur protects against COLD, but as well is a protective BARRIER against sun rays and HEAT. To illustrate how it works: Mr Dogs coat is like STYROFOAM on a building – warms in winter and isolates in summer 🙂
Remember NOT TO CUT the fur TOO SHORT in summer, as it deprives Mr Dog of TERMOVENTILATION! There is COOL AIR under the fur which separates the dog from heat, so short hair will not do the job of cooling.
BATHS & SWIMS
SWIM in the SEA is cool, but RINSE Mr Dog from SALT afterwards, Otherwise the skin can itch. So after the daz on the beach let Mr Dog enjoz a cool SHOWER (at some Italian dog-beaches there are also dogs-showers!). Unwashed salt may result in itching, parched (dry) skin or dermatitis even up to wounds, if Mr Dog’s skin is sensitive .
SWIM in a LAKE, theoretically is safer, but not always! We have to remember, that in fresh lake water there are many micro-organisms and they can harm our dog’s skin. Dogs with THICK, long-drying COAT are particularly endangered. Then, in the humid and warm surrounding, they vivaciously multiply, eg. bacteria. Personally, we experienced such an incident .
Our poodle (with extremely thick and long at that time hair) dries out very long. One summer, we drove to the nearby lake quite often for Mr Dog to have fun in water. One day, while I was tousling his hair I spotted a few ‘SCABBY POINTS’ and the skin was reddish and wet under them. Riyo had it on his head, back (crest) and nape. The first vet (we dont go there any more) stated “aaaaa, some insects must have stung him, mosquitoes, presumably…”. But I didn’t think it possible for a mosquito to ‘dig in’ through such a thick fur… So, the car and the second vet. His verdict was: “Allergy. Steroids!”, me: “Steroids?!?!?!?! With mere suspicion?!?!?!? No way! I want to be sure what it is and then, if it is absolutely necessary, steroids. How can we diagnose this?”. The vet didn’t seem pleased about my undermining his wisdom, but informed me we could make ‘SCRAPINGS’, which would be passed to examine. So, Mr Dog was scraped with a little spatula and the stuff was taken to the City Veterinary Inspection. After a few days we had results: STAPHYLOCOCCUSS INTERMEDIUS. Two-week ANTIBIOTICS therapy, dogs-food and special oil to support the skin resistance. It turned out that long-drying hair SOFTENS the skin which leads to PERFORATION (meaning opening of the pores), which gives way to the bacteria. And the humid and warm environment because of bathing and long drying, was an ideal incubator.
WHEN THE SUMMER IS OVER
When the holidays season closes we should wash Mr DOg in a shampoo designed for the type of hair.
consulting: Mrs. Izabela Grudniewska, groomer Psi Fryzjer Przy Teatrze
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