Touch Grooming by Melissa Frost

04/08/2025

DO YOU KNOW WHAT SIGNS OF HARMFUL REACTIONS😿🚑 TO WATCH FOR WHEN USING FLEA & TICK CHEMICALS ON YOUR PET?💊💦

As warmer weather approaches,☀️ it’s time to start thinking about protecting your pet from fleas, ticks, and even heartworm.🦟 When pet owners reach for those flea and tick treatments—whether chewables, spot-ons, or other parasiticide products—many don’t realize that adverse reactions can occur.

That’s why it’s crucial to know the signs and symptoms to look for so you can report any concerns to your veterinarian promptly.
The challenge is that different flea and tick treatments use various chemicals, each with its own potential side effects. For example, isoxazoline, a common insecticide, is highly lipophilic and easily absorbed by the body. It’s been known to cause a range of reactions, including seizures, behavior changes, gastrointestinal issues, and more.

These type of reactions can even happen in humans if ingested as a 2-year-old boy (12 kg), the son of a veterinarian, ingested two chewable tablets💊 and developed an unsteady gait🫨 approximately 50 minutes later. By 2 hours after ingestion, he had ataxia, tremor, confusion and hallucinations. He was sedated with midazolam, and 10 hours after ingestion was only minimally ataxic.

According to a recent study published in Vet Record, “The true incidence of neurological adverse effects from isoxazolines remains unclear. The delay between the administration and onset of signs can be long, and the association may be missed. A lack of timing information in the summary of product characteristics could also contribute to missed attribution of adverse effects.”

This Sunday on the Inside Scoop, we’re kicking off a Flea & Tick Prevention Series with must-know tips on both chemical and natural prevention options. Whether you’re looking for safer chemical solutions or effective natural remedies, our experts will guide you in making the best choices for your pet’s health. We’re launching this series with a team of veterinarians, herbalists, and scientists who will share everything you need to keep your pet safe and healthy this season.

In this first episode you’ll learn:

🦟 The Best to Worst Chemical Preventives: What works, what to avoid, and the safer options for your pet.
🦟 Favorite Natural Strategies: DIY repellents, essential oils, ultrasonic devices, amber collars, and more.
🦟 Combining Chemicals and Natural Solutions: How to effectively blend both methods when necessary for maximum protection.
🦟 Detoxing After Chemical Use: Supplements and protocols to help prevent and minimize adverse reactions when using chemical preventatives.

This is just the beginning! Over the next several weeks, we’ll continue bringing in expert insights on different aspects of flea and tick prevention.

Be sure to join us Sunday at 12pm EST for expert advice from our panel of veterinarians in California, Florida, Arizona, and New York. Each vet will share region-specific insights, from year-round prevention in Florida to managing tick-heavy areas like New York.🌎

Comment SCOOPERS and we'll message you the link to join Inside Scoop, a Planet Paws monthly subscription group, where all live podcasts are available to watch at any time. Plus, over 5 years of content including: past live podcasts, interviews, ebook downloads, and more!

Get ready for our Flea & Tick Prevention Series & see you this week!

**Edit on image for NexGard Spectra - Adverse reactions 190,802 / Deaths - 5,998

10/31/2024

Halloween can be scary for pets. Prepare them before the trick or treaters come knocking.

Halloween can be very scary for pets. In fact, it is one of the days ranked highest for pets getting lost. Why? Pets get scared. The energy, the costumes, the noises, the decorations.

What can you do?

* Find a quiet, secure place for your pet to be BEFORE the trick or treaters start arriving. You want to alleviate the stress of so many people coming to your door. Remember this is your pet’s safe home. You also don’t want a pet to slip out the door unintentionally. This happens so often on Halloween.

* Understand your pet might be afraid of costumes. They don’t understand humans wearing costumes. The noises, behaviors, etc… that are all part of the costume. (Costume parties, trick or treaters, etc. )

* If your pet is tolerant of costumes, please please please dont allow others to intentionally scare your pet with their costume. Humans can find this funny. It is NOT funny to your pet.

* Put pets inside before trick or treaters start. Especially cats (dogs arent typically loose like cats). So many cats going missing because they get spooked or are afraid to go home.

* Make sure ID tags and microchips are on and up to date with current information.

* Tell your pet what to expect. Example: “Im keeping you in this room because trick or treaters are coming and I want you to be safe and relaxed. We are going to have many kids coming to our door but they won’t look like kids. It is a silly human holiday. You are safe in this room. I will come get you as soon as it is over and check on you when I can.”

My goal is zero calls for lost pets on November 1st. Help me with that goal!

Now, there are some pets that are totally cool with Halloween, costumes, the energy and decorations. And for those pets, great! Some will really love the energy and the fun! And this is great!!

Even so, watch for signs of stress. Panting, yawning, tail tucked, looking sideways. And just knowing your pet and seeing tension. Also keep an extra eye on them…
It is still very easy for them to slip out the door, all in good fun, and then Boom… they’re missing.

Never ever ever assume your pet is not going to go missing. It can happen to any pet, any time, just by accident. No animal or human should have to go through the stress and heartache of a missing pet. It’s often the ones that people never expected. Because when you have a flight risk you are always ready for it and one step ahead. When you have a pet that never ever takes off, your caught off guard.

10/27/2024

Look at these cuties ...
We are having so much fun taking photos with Halloween costumes. These are some amazing pups and they look so cute.

10/16/2024

08/26/2024

It’s that time again!!!!
No, not pumpkin spice, but it is time to schedule your Christmas grooming appointments if you haven’t already done so.
Those that prebook their dogs grooming appointments don’t suffer with the anxiety of not getting an appointment when they want it.
Did you know that you can book all your appointments for the year🗓️?

Call or go online to schedule those 🎄Christmas appointments asap.
(705)493-0816
www.touchanimal.com

06/29/2024

Did you know the seeds (crushed) in the berries of the Mountain Ash tree are poisonous to dogs.

06/18/2024

The temperatures are soaring this week and we are getting requests to shave double coated dogs because their owner thinks they will be cooler. BUT this thinking isn’t accurate.
As a professional groomer I will not shave a double coated dog, their grooming needs are different. Please read the linked article below ⤵️.
Double coated breeds include:
Huskies
Newfoundland
Great Pyrenees
Golden Retrievers
German Shepherds
Labradors
Collies
Shelties
Pomeranians etc.

Don't shave your dog, as it might make them hotter in summer and creates health risks. Instead, try these grooming and safety tips to keep them cool.

06/18/2024

IT’S HOT!!!
If it’s too hot for you, then it’s too hot for your pets.

05/09/2024

So many cutie patutties💗

05/06/2024

Truth!

🥰...!

04/26/2024

Our groomer Melissa has been busy making the pets of North Bay feel fresh and clean!

04/11/2024

Brushing your dog is important not only to prevent mats and keep their coat healthy but its also great for bonding. With all the grooming tools on the market, it can be hard to figure out which one is best for your breed of dog. Here is some info to help you choose the right one.

Straight tooth metal comb (1" teeth): good for use on double and single coated, curly coated and long coated breeds. Recommended as your best grooming tool on a regular basis for most, if not all, dogs. The comb reaches the skin and helps prevent matting and impacted undercoats.

Slicker brush: this brush has short, wire pins, packed close together. Good for medium-long coats, curly or wire coats. Used to remove or prevent mats.

Undercoat rake: good for use on double coated breeds. Helps to remove loose fur, remove or prevent mats.

Rubber brush: best for short coated breeds. Good for massaging the skin and bringing loose fur and dirt to the surface.

03/17/2024

So very accurate 😂

03/02/2024

A Happy Hoddie makes a squishy face even squishier🥰. Ali is such a sweetie!

We use the Happy Hoodie to reduce the noise from the high velocity drier.

Those are “magical fibers of love”, that Ali left behind on my table 😉.

02/24/2024

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02/19/2024

Check out the amazing work and fun experiences available Touch Animal Rehabilitation