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| Sunday, 2 October 2005 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Bathing your pet
Dr. D.A.V. Samankumara, B.V.Sc, of Kirindiwela is ready to offer solutions to your pet problems. All you have to do is to send in your questions to the Junior Observer Pet Den. This week Dr. Samankumara is describing the importance of bathing your pet dogs and cats. Read on and find out whether you are following the correct methods of bathing your pet. We all like to stay clean. Just like us, animals too like to stay clean and healthy. As humans, we can wash and bathe whenever we want, but some of our dear pets are unable to do so. Therefore, as responsible 'pet owners,' it is our duty to bathe our loving pet friends on time and in the correct way. Cleanliness is not the main purpose of bathing. It improves the blood supply of the animals and gives a healthy and shiny coat to our pets such as cats and dogs. Let's talk about dogs first. Although they love to bathe, dogs should not be bathed every day. The best is to give a bath once every two weeks. Remember a daily bath would reduce their natural oil content, as well as giving a rough and dry look to their coats.
Dogs with short fur such as Dobermann Pinschers, Dalmatians and Great Danes do not need much attention as those with long fur. But they too should be bathed on a sunny day - but not early in the morning or very late in the afternoon. Puppies can be bathed when they are three weeks old. However, the first bath of all puppies should be in slightly warm water. There is one golden rule! Wash only their bodies and not their heads.Don't use a hose or the shower to bathe them. Pour water using a cup, but do not let water get into their eyes or ears. Always cover their ears. Wash the soap or shampoo properly, otherwise it will cause dandruff. When using soap, you should not get soap with Sodium Hydroxide. Always choose soap that has Potassium Hydroxide and a PH balance between 5.5 and 7. Bathing is the ideal time to check for external parasites. If there are any ticks, consult your veterinarian and get medication. As we mentioned earlier, dry your dog properly, otherwise it will get dandruff and smell bad. Just like bathing, grooming too is very important. So brush your dog's coat properly and check for dandruff and external parasites. When brushing, always follow the upward direction, that is from the tail to the head. Not only dogs, cats too love to bathe. But cats have a great chance of getting ill, so many prefer not to bathe them. However, cats take good care of their own grooming. You must have noticed that they spend most of the day cleaning their coats. Kittens should not be bathed until they reach four weeks. And they should be bathed once every three weeks. Bathing Persian cats needs more attention than other cats. CNK |
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The Junior Observer this week introduces you to a veterinarian who will
tell you how to take better care of your beloved pets. 
Dogs can be divided into two categories; dogs with long fur and ones
with short fur. Pomeranians, Chow Chows or Collies are some of the dogs
that have long fur. Once these dogs are bathed, make sure you dry them
properly. It will take a long time for them to dry, so the best option is
to bathe them on a sunny day. Puppies with long fur should not be bathed
until they reach four weeks. 
