DOG GROOMING PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA COURSE Assignment Four ANATOMY AND HEALTH TUTOR TALK: The Learning Outcomes for this assignment are: Learn what steps should be taken in the event of accidentally cutting the dog or self. Know how friction burns occur and how they can be avoided. Know the normal signs of health and signs indicating the dog should be referred to a veterinary surgeon. Know about abnormal conditions such as external/internal parasites and lesions. Know basic dog anatomy and physiology sufficient to be able to identify abnormalities. Know the signs and symptoms of basic skin problems and infestations. Know why it is important to obtain authorisation from the client or a senior colleague before using anti-parasitic products. Know the limits of your role when informing clients of possible abnormalities and conditions (i.e. not diagnosing) and the importance of referring clients to a veterinary surgeon. Understand the types of problems that may occur and how these should be dealt with. Know the signs of distress in dogs and the action that should be taken when these are observed. Understand what heat stress and brush burn are, their signs and causes and how to prevent them happening. Know how to identify abnormal conditions of the coat and skin, why it is important to do so. Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 1
Anatomy Dogs can grow to various sizes. Two examples are the Irish wolfhound, which stands around thirtytwo inches high at the top of the shoulders (known as the withers), and the Chihuahua, which is only about five inches. The colour of a dog s coat, or hair cover, also varies widely, even within a breed. All dogs have some hair cover, even the so-called hairless ones. You will see two basic head shapes: 1. Narrow skull with a long face; this includes dogs such as the German shepherd and the cocker spaniel. Their jaws can be as much as eight inches long. 2. Wide skull with a short face (like the Pekingese and pug); the nose may be less than an inch from the eyes. There are also many intermediate head shapes. Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 2
Dogs have 42 teeth, consisting of the following: six pairs of sharp incisor teeth at the front of the mouth, and behind are two pairs of large canine teeth. The other teeth are premolars and molars. The canines and incisors are most important, as dogs bite and tear their food with them. Air breathed gets to dogs lungs by passing through the two nasal cavities behind the nose. Smell is the dog s most acute sense. Dog s have an indentation in the forehead, just above eye level, called the stop. A dog s tongue is quite thin and mainly used for guiding food to the throat, as well as for licking the coat clean, and for perspiration. When dogs overheat, they cool off by hanging their tongue out and panting. As it pants, the perspiration evaporates from its tongue and cools the animal. Dogs ears either hang down or stick up. Their sense of hearing is very good. They hear sounds at frequencies too high for people to hear. Dogs have three eyelids per eye: the main upper and lower lids, and also a third lid hidden between them in the inner corner of the eye. The third eyelid sweeps across the transparent cornea of the eye to clean it like a windshield wiper. Vocal cords are found in the neck, and the length influences the pitch and loudness of a dog s voice: the bark, grunt, and howl. A dog s body contains most of its vital organs. The heart, lungs, stomach, and intestines are found there, as are its sex organs, kidneys, and bladder. The heart and lungs are surrounded by thirteen ribs. Since these organs affect the speed and stamina of dogs, chest size can be an indication of these traits. The body could be covered in straight or wavy hair. Hair shafts appear from tiny follicles in the skin. The shafts connect to tiny muscles that cause a dog s hair to stand up, or bristle, when they contract. When a dog is stressed or feels threatened, it raises hackles; the hair along its neck and spine sticks upwards. They also have special sensory hairs on their muzzle, called whiskers; the usefulness of these is questionable, as the dog rarely relies on its sense of touch. The dog s legs at the front are called forelimbs, and at the back hind limbs. They are very useful in movement, scratching and in some breeds, digging. Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 3
The dog s foot, commonly known as the paw, has five toes, one quite high up the foot, called the dewclaw. It is a vestigial toe that is often removed when the dog is a puppy. A toenail emerges from its toe; this has a small blood vessel in it, often known as the quick. A dog also has several pads on their paw, which cushion and protect. Dogs perspire through their pads, unlike humans who perspire all over the skin. Each of the forelimbs are connected to the rest of the body by a flat, large bone called the scapula or the shoulder blade. This is used in locomotion, but also as an armoured plate protecting the dog s chest. Down from the shoulder blade there is the humerus, and then the radius and ulna, which are fused at the ends and act as a single bone. The hind limbs are connected to the body at the pelvic bone; working down from there we have the femur or thighbone, which fits into the socket of the pelvic bone to form the hip joint. The tibia and fibula make up the lower thigh. The joint which links these with the femur is known as the stifle or knee. The area where the lower part of the leg links with the foot bones is called the hock. Common skin diseases and parasites Always advise the owner to seek veterinary advice about any abnormal signs that the animal may have. It is NOT a Groomer s place to tell the owners what is wrong with their pet, and it is definitely NOT a Groomer s place to treat the animal. By all means give your opinion, but always follow it with a disclaimer by advising them that they should ask their vet. Your insurance will not cover diagnosing or treatment of an animal. Please be careful! Before giving an animal any kind of treatment, ALWAYS check with the senior groomer or owner of the animal first. Dog skin diseases have many different causes, ranging from allergies to systemic disease. Some of the most common dog skin troubles are related to parasites. There are a huge variety of dog skin diseases. A few common ones are listed below. Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 4
Allergies An allergy is a hypersensitivity reaction triggered by exposure to allergy-causing substances called allergens. Allergic skin diseases are fairly common in dogs, and result in itchy skin, or discharges from the eye or nose, as well as excessive sneezing, digestion problems and lesions on the skin. Flea Allergy Dermatitis is the most common allergic skin disease in dogs and is caused by exposure to chemicals in flea saliva. Another frequent problem is Atopic Dermatitis, which is a result of inhalation of allergic substances such as dust, moulds and pollens. Some foods, soaps, carpets, insect bites and stings can also cause reactions. Hormonal Abnormalities in hormones can cause excessive hair loss, dry and discoloured hair and changes in the colour of the skin. These diseases are difficult to treat. Autoimmune skin disorders (AISD) Two of the most important disorders in dogs include Pemphigus and Discoid Lupus Erythematosus. Nutrition An important aspect in determining the health of skin and coat is a balanced nutritional diet. Mange Mange is one of the most common dog skin conditions, and it can be difficult to treat. o Demodectic mange occurs in young puppies and dogs with weakened immune systems. It happens when the demodex mites normally present in the hair follicles of a healthy dog grow out of control. This overgrowth occurs when the dog s immune system is no longer strong enough to keep populations of these mites in check. o Sarcoptic mange happens in dogs infected with scabies. It can be difficult to treat and is contagious to humans. Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 5
o Cheyletiella mange, or walking dandruff, is found in dogs infected with cheyletiella mites. Cheyletiella mites burrow under the dog s skin, causing severe dandruff symptoms. When these mites move on the dog s skin, it looks like the dandruff is walking. Ringworm A common fungal infection is ringworm. It makes up a large number of dog skin diseases. The fungus produces a small, round, hairless sore. The skin in the centre of the sore can appear scaly, and the sore might grow larger in time. Pustules can appear, and the area could become irritated. Ringworm usually shows on a dog s tail, feet and legs. It may require treatment with antifungal medication and is contagious to humans. Pyodermas These are bacterial skin infections in dogs. Staph bacteria are usually responsible for these diseases. Pyodermas can display as irritated, yellow pustules. Ulcers can develop and the dog s skin may become inflamed. As pyodermas progresses, the skin may become crusty in places. Hair loss may occur and any ulcers or lesions can emit foul odours. Pyodermas usually show on the torso of dogs, but can also appear on the face, especially the chin. Fleas Fleas are one of the most common ectoparasites of pets and feed on their host s blood. The blood intake of a female flea can be more than fifteen times its own body weight. Well-fed like this, adults can survive on a host for up to 140 days. Thousands of eggs are laid by the female fleas and deposited wherever the host animal goes. The warm temperature and humidity in homes provides favourable conditions for several flea life cycles. Flea infestations can upset all animals and cause itching, redness, hair loss, and in certain cases, severe skin infections. The most damaging effects are: o Blood loss o Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) o Transmission of tapeworms o Transmission of bacterial diseases Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 6
There are many flea treatment products on the market, which work in many different ways. Always follow the product s directions and never cut corners with the treatments. Ticks Ticks are common ectoparasites of pets. All active stages (larva, nymph, adult) are blood feeders. Following a blood meal, adult females drop off the host and die after they have laid up to 3,000 eggs. Most ticks seek hosts by crawling up grass stems or perching on the edges of leaves on the ground. A tick bite not only causes skin infections, it can also transmit serious diseases. These can have a severe impact on the wellbeing of the dog. Ticks transmit disease agents such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. If a tick is found in the animal s coat, it can be correctly removed with special tick tweezers. Grab the tick close to the skin surface and pull upward with steady, even pressure. Ideally, let your veterinarian show you how this is done. Moreover, the use of tick collars and spot-ons may prevent tick infestation of the animal for months. You can also obtain dips, powders, and sprays. First aid Aims and initial examination Every groomer will come across, at some point in their career, a situation where it is beneficial to know how to perform first aid on a pet. This kind of situation often only requires common sense, but having more knowledge will result in a higher chance of recovery or even survival of the animal. Sometimes just doing or not doing the simplest of things can make a big difference in the recovery rate. Below outlines some of the important information that will help you make the best choice when first aid becomes necessary. It is very important that you inform the owners as soon as possible. When you speak to the owners, be careful that you don t make any diagnosis of what is wrong with the animal; that is a vet s job. But you can tell the owners what you think, in your opinion, it might be. If you are unable to contact the owners straight away, it is a good idea to seek veterinary advice. Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 7
If you contact their vet, then make it clear that you are the groomer, and not the actual owner. Tell the vet that you will contact the owner and get them to contact the vets as soon as possible. If you have to take the animal to the vets, then make sure that they understand that you are not the owner and you are just acting on behalf of the owner, as they may ask you to sign a consent form. Also, if the vet requests any payment, explain to them that they need to take it up with the owner, not you. If the pet has to be treated at the vets, then do not make any decisions about the animal s treatment; it is not your place to do so, leave that to the vet and the owner. When dealing with an injured pet, the most important thing to remember is to avoid injury to yourself, so take appropriate precautions to avoid getting hurt (e.g. muzzle the animal to prevent it biting, or cut the power if you suspect the animal has been electrocuted). The primary examination is the initial, brief assessment, which involves Airway-Breathing- Circulation; if and when a life threatening problem is identified during the first examination, resuscitation should be carried out immediately. Have all the essential written information ready so that you have them easily to hand in an emergency. There is nothing worse than frantically looking for something or trying to remember something when you are flustered and panicking. ABC and CPR Airway: Probably one of the most important things you can do after taking care of your own safety is to make sure the dog or cat is breathing. To do this, gently tap the dog or cat and call out their name to see if they move. Then LOOK, LISTEN AND FEEL for breathing. Look: at the chest of the animal to see if it s moving. Listen: to see if you can hear them breathing. Feel: on the back of your hand in front of their nose for a breath. Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 8
Breathing: If the dog or cat is not breathing, pull their tongue forward, close the mouth and tilt their head just a little to open their airway. Give them 4-5 breaths from your mouth to their nose. You ll want to give them just enough air to make the chest rise. Big dogs need more little dogs or cats much less. Remember not to give too much air! You don t want to hurt them. Circulation: This means you re checking to see if their heart is working normally. To do that you must check for a heart beat or pulse. There are pulse points located in various areas on dogs or cats. For a dog the easiest place to find the pulse is on the inside of the rear leg, towards the top of the leg, called the Femoral Pulse. Or, feel the heart for cats or really small dogs. CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. First, do your ABCs. Don t forget to LOOK, LISTEN, and FEEL for breathing. CPR can only be performed if the dog or cat is not breathing and has no pulse. Place the animal on a flat surface with its right side down. Take its left front leg and bend at the elbow, rotating at the shoulder. The point where the elbow of the dog touches the body is where you place your hands for compressions. Put one hand on top of the other and clasp your fingers together. Lock your elbows and start performing compressions. Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 9
Push approximately 2-3 inches deep. Give compressions first then a breath. After 1 minute, check for a pulse. Repeat all the steps if there s no response. Giant dogs = Give 1 breath every 10 compressions. Medium to large dogs = Give 1 breath every 5 compressions. Small dogs = Give 1 breath every 5 compressions. Cats or really small dogs = Give 1 breath every 3 compressions. GROOMING INJURIES Bleeding The following are techniques listed in order of preference. For all techniques, obtain veterinary attention immediately after halting the bleeding, or on the way to the veterinary surgery. Direct Pressure Gently hold a compress (or pad of clean cloth/gauze) over the area that is bleeding, so it can absorb the blood and enable it to clot. When blood clots form, do not disturb them. Simply add further pads to blood-soaked ones (never remove them) and continue the direct pressure more evenly. The pad can be loosely kept in place with bandage material, which frees the hands of the first aider for other emergency actions. If you don t have a pad, you can use a bare hand or finger. Elevation If a wound on the foot or leg is bleeding relentlessly, gently elevate the leg so the wound is above the heart. Elevation uses gravity to assist in reducing blood pressure in the injured area, hence slowing the bleeding. Elevation is most successful in larger, longer-limbed animals where greater distances from the wound to the heart are possible. Direct pressure also helps to maximise the benefits of elevation, and combined they are an effective way to stop bleeding. Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 10
Wounds A wound is any interruption of the body tissues. Injured pets can act unusually and unpredictably; remember to use a muzzle or towelling to protect yourself from being bitten as needed. Pain control, sedation or general anaesthesia may be needed for cleaning and closure of wounds once the pet has been assessed by a vet. Deep Wounds (wounds that are bleeding or have exposed muscle, fat, or bone): Stop the bleeding using direct pressure. Only a veterinarian should clean the wound unless they instruct you otherwise. Apply water or saline-soaked pads to protect the wound from contamination. Do not remove it until instructed to do so by a vet. Stop the wound moving to prevent further damage. Provide care for shock if necessary. Acquire veterinary care. Transport the animal with the affected area facing up. Superficial Wounds (the skin is not penetrated all the way through): Use clean hands to flush saline or sterile warm water in the wound until all dirt and debris have been removed. Protect the wound by wrapping a bandage or large dressing around it. If the wound is small it may just heal with some pet wound powder or cream applied twice daily. If the size of the wound increases, it becomes red and inflamed, oozes pus or the animal seems unusually uncomfortable or restless, then obtain veterinary help immediately. Bandages should frequently be assessed for signs of swelling, skin discolouration, coolness, odour, or saturation of the bandage. If any of the above signs are seen, or if the pet appears to be in discomfort, the bandage should be changed. Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 11
Burns A burn is an injury of tissue caused by heat, flame, chemicals, or electricity. The severity of the burn is determined by depth of the tissue injury. First-degree burns are limited to redness and minor pain at the site of injury. These burns only involve the top layer of skin and heal quickly. Second-degree burns have superficial blistering of the skin, and can involve deeper layers of the skin. Third-degree burns occur when the top layer of skin is lost with damage to the deeper layers. Burns exhibit charring and extreme damage. Third-degree burns result in scarring and may require skin grafting. Action Avoid touching any pet that has been electrocuted until the power has been turned off. For thermal or electrical burns Immediately apply cool water compresses with a clean cloth to the site of the injury, changing them frequently as necessary to keep the site cool and wet. Cover the area with petroleum jelly if possible. Wrap the area with cling film if possible. Continue this for at least thirty minutes. For chemical burns Wash the contaminated area with large amounts of lukewarm flowing water for at least fifteen minutes. In the case of dry chemicals, carefully brush them away, whilst protecting the eyes, nose, and mouth of you and the pet. Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 12
If the chemical is in the eye, flush large volumes of water or contact lens saline for fifteen minutes over the eye. Seek veterinary attention as soon as possible. Make sure the area is well ventilated, as some chemicals can release strong fumes. Transport the pet to a veterinary clinic as soon as possible for further care. Burns can get worse before they get better, and could require several weeks of therapy, multiple surgeries and possibly even skin grafts. What NOT to Do Do not apply ointments or butter. Do not delay looking for veterinary attention. Do not attempt to remove burned hair or skin yourself. Clipper/Friction Burn Clipper or friction burn is a sore or rash on the skin caused by clipper blades. It generally looks red and inflamed, and can be quite painful for the dog. Areas that are the most susceptible are the tummy, feet, and around the bottom, throat and face. The irritation can cause the animal to scratch at the area and make it raw and more painful. These sores can also become infected and scarred permanently, if not treated correctly. Occasionally the pet can be left with a large bald patch, where the hair may never grow back. This type of burn is usually caused by a dull/blunt or over-heated blade. Also, blades with missing teeth can cause nasty cuts and grazes on the animal s skin. A simple way of preventing this from happening is to never use blades that are blunt or worn. Using very fine blades on sensitive areas on pets can also cause this irritation. If the dog is sensitive, clip after it has been bathed with a medicated shampoo. Continually check the temperature of the blade that you are using, and if necessary use a blade coolant aerosol or change the blade for a cold one. A dog that has been hurt in this way by clippers will remember, and will not be so obliging for you to do it next time. Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 13
Brush Burn Brush burn, as the name suggests, is caused by brushing too hard, which damages the skin. Always brush gently; this is especially true when using a slicker brush, which has sharp wire teeth. Small, gentle strokes with the brush are far better than long, hard ones for the dog, and are more efficient at removing tangles. When brushing vigorously close to the skin, use a natural bristle brush, and just save a slicker brush for the more difficult areas. Pin brushes can also damage the skin, so caution is needed when using these. It is much better to take more time to groom a dog than it is to hurry and hurt one, as a dog that is being hurt can make grooming sessions extremely difficult as well as dangerous for you. TUTOR TALK: You have now come to the end of this assignment. Answer the questions relating to the work that you have just covered and return them to the College for marking. Copyright Reserved Duty makes us do things well, but love makes us do them beautifully. Zig Ziglar Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 14
STUDENT NOTES: Please use the space below for recording what you consider to be any pertinent information or notes. You may find it helpful to refer back to it later on! Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 15
STUDENT NOTES: Please use the space below for recording what you consider to be any pertinent information or notes. You may find it helpful to refer back to it later on! Dog Grooming Professional Diploma Course Assignment Four Page 16