Woofington's Spa and Boutique

08/19/2024

08/10/2024

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Over-vaccinating and the overdosing of pet vaccines has become a global issue. 5 lbs dogs are receiving the same dose of the rabies vaccine as 150 lbs Great ...

12/25/2023

Wishing you a very merry Christmas and holiday. May your holidays and this coming New Year be filled with Love, Joy and Light. ❤️🎅🌲🥰

10/31/2023

Sophia!

03/20/2023

Did you know that both canines and felines are digitigrade animals? This means the the bulk of body weight is distributed among the phalanges/digits, otherwise known as the toe bones. This is very unlike human beings who bear the bulk of weight on the entire foot rather than just the toes.
This is why it it extremely important to keep nails at a minimal length. While some cats and dogs are capable of doing this themselves, most will need professional nail trims. When the claws become overgrown the phalanges can shift out of place causing pain for the pet.
Speak to your professional groomer. For a small fee, most will perform claw trims between grooms to keep nails in check.

03/20/2023

If you live and work where the winters are brutal, you most likely know about deicers used on sidewalks and streets to melt snow/ice and make things less slippery. But are you aware of the dangers these deicers can cause to your pet?

Most deicers contain a type of salt, such as sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, or calcium chloride. Some may contain other types of chemicals as well. The canine paw pads could become sore from repeatedly stepping on rough salt crystals. Or, sharp edges can cut into the paw pad, resulting in a laceration and bleeding. Salt on paw pads can cause excessive dryness, cracking, or even chemical burns, especially with prolonged or repeated exposure. Typical with any paw discomfort, a pup might lick or chew excessively, which can make the issue worse, lead to an infection, and/or lead to salt poisoning.

The most obvious symptoms of paw injury would be limping or showing any signs of discomfort during or after a walk. Excessive licking of the paws can be another sign. Inspecting paw pads in the winter, whether they are showing symptoms or not, is a good way to monitor for any problems and catch them early. Look for redness, dryness/cracking, bleeding, blisters, sores, or anything else abnormal. Also note if the dog reacts painfully as you inspect the paws.

Minor dryness and irritation may be treated at home. Wash the paws, then apply a soothing balm designed for paw pads. For bleeding, swollen, and/or cut paw pads that are obviously painful or infected, or any other moderate to severe concerns, a visit to the veterinarian is warranted.

Just like humans, some canines like the taste of salt. So some dogs will try to eat deicing salts directly from the ground. If your dog falls into this category, be extra cautious and monitor closely when on walks. More commonly, salt on a dog’s paws would be ingested when they lick their paws clean after a walk outside.

Mild cases of salt ingestion may simply cause digestive upset. But this may be difficult to differentiate from salt poisoning in the early stages, so it’s best to seek veterinary care. Some of the symptoms of salt poisoning include:

*Vomiting and diarrhea
*Loss of appetite
*Dehydration.
*Excessive thirst or urination.
*Mouth ulcerations (depending on the specific compound ingested).
*Weakness, lethargy, uncoordinated walking, or collapse.
*Tremors or seizures.

If you suspect your dog ingested salt or other deicing chemicals, or if you’ve noticed any concerning symptoms after a walk, it’s best to contact your veterinarian immediately. Early treatment for salt poisoning is crucial.

03/12/2023

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Obesity. Not only is this a concern among the human population, but studies estimate that 50 million dogs and 56 million cats are either overweight or obese. That's roughly 56% of canines and 60% of felines.
Dogs and cats are considered to be overweight when they weigh 10-30% above their ideal body weight. Obesity is diagnosed when their weight exceeds 30% of their ideal body weight.

How do you know if your pet is obese? The most reliable source is your veterinarian, however there are a few ways to know.
1. Does the stomach sag of feel bloated/tight? Like humans, this is a clear indicator that your pet is carrying too much weight.
2. Are your pet’s ribs hard to distinguish? By placing your hands on the sides of the chest, you should be able to feel the rib cage without much effort.
3. Dogs and cats should have a distinct taper at their waist, between the abdomen and where their hips go into the socket. Overweight pets are oval-shaped, rather than hourglass.
4. A broad and flat back is another sign they’re too wide on the sides.

There are several reasons why your pet could be overweight, but the root cause is an imbalance between the energy intake and usage.
1. Overfeeding – This is THE #1 reason: consumption of excess portions, high-calorie diets, frequent treats and/or table scraps.
2. Aging – a decrease in activity/exercise due to arthritis and/or some other aging condition, not to mention a natural slowdown in their metabolism.
3. Hypothyroidism – a common disease in pets in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough thyroxine. This hormone regulates metabolism and slows it down.
4. Insulinoma – rare in felines, a tumor on a canine’s pancreas that results in excessive amounts of insulin being produced. Weight gain is a common side effect.
5. Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s Disease) – a tumor on the pituitary or adrenal glands causing an overproduction of hormones, usually cortisol, being released causing increased appetite.

How can you help your pet? First of all you must remember that an obese pet is unhealthy. This does NOT mean you do not love your pet or properly care for them. But obesity is a health issue that must be addressed. Before beginning any type of diet or exercise routine, speak with your veterinarian and rule out any health issues. Have an appropriate plan for your pet and stick to it. There are definitely reasons to keep your pet at an ideal weight:
1. Reduced risk of health issues. Keeping your pet at a healthy weight lowers the risk of kidney disease, high blood pressure, respiratory disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and some forms of cancer.
2. Better quality of life. A healthy weight means that your dog is much more able to stay active, such as long walks or playing with their pals at the local dog park. For cats, playing with toys, employing a cat tower and/or regular catnip indulgences help them burn calories. Extra weight can greatly limit your pet’s mobility and energy levels.
3. Longer Life expectancy. A long-term study of Labrador retrievers from the same litter exhibited that dogs that maintained at a healthy weight lived an average of two years longer than those who were obese.
4. Lower veterinary expenses. Lower risk of health issues can greatly reduce the amount of money needed to treat obesity-related health issues.

03/10/2023

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The severely matted pet. Professional groomers see these cases more often than we would like. They can be heartbreaking because we understand the pain and disease that often accompany these cases. Here are a few things to understand about matted coats:

1. Severely matted coats cannot simply be 'brushed out'. Yes, a few matts that are not matted to skin can be brushed out, but sever matting means shaving. There is not an option to 'leave the coat fluffy' because clipper blades must pass under matts not through them. This often means a very short shave.
2. When the coat is severely matted, often referred to as pelted, the coat cannot properly regulate body temperature. Both canines and felines use thermoregulation to keep the body cool or warm depending on the weather. This means the body struggles much harder to maintain normal temperature.
3. Matted coats are almost always accompanied by some type of skin disease. Matting holds excess moisture and bacteria and/or fungus near the skin. As the natural microbiome is decreased, the skin becomes susceptible to infection from these diseases.
4. Matted coats are painful and that's a fact. The extra weight pulls on the skin causing discomfort. When matting is present around legs, ears, or tail, proper movement can become impeded and painful. This is why we term this 'neglectful abuse'. This type of matting does not occur overnight.

If your pet's coat has gotten out of control, contact your professional groomer NOW. The longer you wait, the worse it will be and the more the pet suffers.

01/05/2023

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12/18/2022

We get asked this a lot. It is important to cut your dogs nail often so the vien receeds.

Pawsome University K9 Training shared a post on Instagram: "Overgrown quicks. What a pain! When we adopted Tishi her quicks were extremely over grown, the product of a life of neglect. Overgrown quicks make it impossible to adequately cut your dogs nails, they make the process uncomfortable and cont...

11/29/2022

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10/02/2022

Ladybug Art

07/31/2022

Thinking about getting a Doodle, Cockapoo or any Poodle mix? Have you been told they "don't need grooming until 1yrs old" or "coat maintenance is easy"?

Poodle crosses (cockapoos, doodles, maltipoos etc.) are not "easy breeds" to maintain. The photo attached (shared from another groomer) shows how matting forms at the skin. By looking at this dog's top coat, you may not see the knots and you may not feel them as you would a knot on the ends of the fur but under that fluffy top layer this is going on. Once it starts its very difficult/ impossible to brush out... and even if you could it would be cruel to put the dog through it. Maintenance at home has to be more than a quick once over for these dogs if you want to keep them in that fluffy coat which was probably one of the reasons you chose a poodle cross in the first place. You really need to sit down with a brush and then a metal comb and make sure you can get it through the entire body at least 2 to 3 times a week.

I often feel like owners don't believe groomers when they say their dog has to be clipped very short. I always hear "I know he/she is matted, but leave as much as you can". You cannot clip through matting, you can only clip under it. As this photo shows, clipping under the matting means taking the coat back to the skin.
I promise you, your groomer really doesn't want to do this but they won't hurt your dog by putting it through dematting, they also don't want to hurt their reputation when the clients go around complaining about how the last groomer "scalped" their dog but there really is not any alternative. Instead of being angry with your groomer if they clip your dog very short please respect their commitment to do what is in your dog's best interest, accept responsibility for not having brushed your dog properly at home, and work with your groomer because, together, you can prevent this happening again. All groomers will be very happy to demonstrate a technique called line brushing which will help make your grooming at home more effective. Just ask! We all want owners to know how to do this

Poodle crosses are easily one of the highest maintenance dogs in reference to their coats. The combination of the soft coat they are mixing poodles with these days is a coat that is extremely prone to matting.

If you like a fluffy pup, you probably need to consider no more than 3-5 week intervals between grooming and set aside time for regular brushing AND combing at home.

Please know, if you bathe your poodle cross you really need to blow dry and brush out right after. Moisture, be it a bath, rain, swimming, snow etc are all going to make matting worse. If you know your dog is already matted-- bathing is only going to make it worse! Brush out before the bath.

Lastly "breeders" who say these dogs can't or shouldnt be clipped and not to give them a hair cut until they are one year old are misleading potential owners in order to sell$$$$ puppies and setting them up for a sad day when they finally take their pup to the groomer!!!

If this hasn't put you off buying one please schedule your puppy's first groom immediately after they've had their vaccinations and then be prepared to do the maintenance at home between regular professional grooms.

05/12/2022

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03/14/2022

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goldenretrieverunion • Original Audio

01/30/2022

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dawgability • Original Audio