8 Pet Hygiene Tips You Should be Following!
On average, you spend a good chunk of change on your own personal hygiene—from chipping into your paycheck for prestigious face creams and gentle, hydrating shampoos to spending hundreds on hair cut, color, and styling—while some of the most basic hygienic needs of your beloved pets may go un-cared for.
As a beloved family (furry) member of your family—and since they themselves don’t have opposable thumbs or hands to care for themselves—you as the owner should help keep them healthy and clean through practicing good hygiene.
At PetHairPatrol.com, we are devoted to helping pet owners, as well as their pets, stay happy and healthy. A few simple tips can make all the difference—and they don’t have to cost a fortune!
Whether you’re a dog, cat or cockatoo owner, here are eight pet hygiene tips that you should be following:
1. Make sure that the food and water areas are clean.
Whether it’s a bowl or a small tin, you have to realize how germ-infested they are. Transferred directly from their saliva, this sort of bacteria can stay around their feeding areas (bowls, etc.) and grow—possibly causing them to be sick.
2. Care for their oral health.
Especially if you have a dog or cat, you have the option of brushing your pet’s teeth—and ridding away dog plaque, like with plaque removers. If you notice a bad odor coming for your pet’s breath, this could mean they have poor dental health. Brushing your pet’s teeth daily or at least giving them a dental chew can help keep oral cancer, gingivitis, and plaque buildup at bay.
3. Visit the vet for flea and tick prevention.
If you notice your pet scratching and itching, this could be a sign of the presence of fleas or ticks. When visiting the vet, make sure that your pet is up-to-date on these vaccinations or flea and tick monthly preventatives.
4. Give your pet a bath.
It’s not the most fun chore of all—for you or for your pet. However, just like us humans, they often need a good and adequate cleaning to remain healthy. Depending on the type of animal, age, and type of fur or skin, there are certain guidelines to follow about how often you should bathe him or her and what type of shampoo to use. When not done properly, this can lead to more problems!
5. Do routine rounds of cleaning your pet’s collar, bedding, and toys.
Often overlooked, your pet’s things need to be washed on a regular basis. These places and things can often hold a ton of bacteria and germs that can not only lead to bad hygiene practices, it can also be dangerous. Here’s a great article to guide you through the ins-and-outs of bed washing.
6. Just like humans, pets’ ears need to be cleaned too.
As a direct canal into your pet’s head, an ear issue can lead to much more dangerous medical problems. Cleaning your pet’s ears needs to be a vital part of their hygienic and health routine. If your pet is already rubbing or itching their ears or if their ears have a bad odor, redness, or discharge, this can be signs of a bigger issue at hand.
7. Keep the claws, nails, etc., trimmed!
Depending on the type of pet you may have, helping them maintain the proper-sized claws, wings, and nails can help not only reduce the risk of scratches that draw blood but also the transfer of dirt to your home and loved ones.
8. Clean your cat’s litter box!
Whether you have a cat or not, it’s important to know that this litter box is an absolute breeding ground for germs. You should be cleaning it on an almost daily basis to avoid the possibility of parasitic growth in your home, like with hookworms and roundworms.
As we mentioned before, practicing good hygiene with your pets doesn’t have to cost a whole lot of money—just a commitment to a cleaner furry family member and creating a much healthier, cleaner home environment.
Author: “Matt is the founder of PetHairPatrol. He lives in New York with his two golden retrievers: Ben and Jerry. Once he opened a carton of yogurt, and immediately there was a dog hair inside. That’s when he decided to find the best ways to get rid of pet hair and start a website to share his knowledge. He has researched and reviewed hundreds of products that help you keep your home clean – even when you have furry roomies. He loves running and Italian pizza. He hates pigeons. And obviously, pet hair!”