Jan's Grooming

01/10/2023

Hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season. We’re still kicking over here so we look forward to seeing you all this year! 😉

08/26/2022

I just wanted to let people know unfortunately I am booked up until the end of the month. I will not be taking any appointments in September due to having eye surgeries scheduled. I will be back at it, but probably not until October. Will keep you posted.

07/11/2021

https://www.facebook.com/SagehillsVet/photos/a.593087784090293/4091771684221868

Please be safe out there! Just got word from a fellow classmate (ER veterinarian in Seattle area) during her shift yesterday they had 8 dogs DOA due to heat stroke, most short nosed breeds! Please provide shade, plenty of water, allow access to house if possible and DO NOT take any walks unless early in the morning. ~ Dr. S

07/19/2020

Importance of keeping dog's nails trimmed.

We recently welcomed this beautiful girl to the practice! 🐶

We are so glad that her owner chose animal chiropractic first to try to avoid surgery. They were suggested to place a metal plate on the ankle of her right front paw. Upon her first visit I noticed this girl actually has some abnormalities in her digits that have caused her gait to be off kilter.

Because of the toes the whole leg into the shoulder and upper back are affected. This unequal use of the limbs creates issues when the animal over compensates by distributing weight unequally causing imbalances through out the entire skeletal system.

Even though this digit issue is a genetic one, I often see similar issues in pets that are lacking in nail care. You can say I am somewhat of a "nail hound." 🤣💅

Long nails creates an issue in a dogs propreception. Proprioception is the awareness of the position and movement of the body. Dogs diagnosed with proprioceptive deficits or CP deficits, have abnormal body positions or movement due to a lack of normal perception. In many cases, dogs with CP deficits experience paw knuckling or dragging while walking.

To keep the nails at a healthy length you can "chase back the quick." The secret to keeping your dog's nail tips short is to give frequent, gradual nail trims, or to make sure they get adequate activity on a regular basis. Consider that each time you trim that nail a little bit more every week, the quick should gradually recede farther and farther up into the nail bed. After trimming a small portion of an overgrown nail, generally, within seven days, the quick should have receded enough to allow you to trim off another little bit of nail again. If trimming with clippers is too overwhelming you can also file them down with a dremel. After this has been done the nails should slow enough to allow for longer periods of time in between trims.

05/22/2020

Keep your dog’s ears clean and healthy

There are many potential causes for canine ear problems and this one factor can make them especially hard to resolve.

12/10/2019

Christmas is almost here, don't wait until the last minute. Call and get your appointment before they are all filled up.

09/24/2019

Cushing's disease is most often seen in dogs; it is a condition characterized by an ongoing release of too much cortisol by the adrenal glands.

05/31/2019

Did you know dogs can throw their backs out of alignment just like people?

Did you know that dogs can throw out their backs like people?

Many people seek chiropractic care when they have this happen to themselves and I encourage you to do the same for your pets!

I have had the absolute pleasure of serving 6 families now who came in with a lame dog and left after completion of care with a walking dog! (Not after one visit typically. I'm not magical. 😂)

I have TWO dogs right now with rear end paralysis issues who came in today for their first adjustment and cold laser session. O'Malley here is one of those dogs.

Will you do me a favor and share this post with your friends to spread the word about chiropractic care for animals so that I can potentially help more families to be complete again with a happy, carefree pup?

And if you will, please say a prayer with me that we can get these two guys up and going again to be 7 and 8. 🙏🏻 Thank you!

*picture shared with owner permission

02/08/2019

Hey Janice,

While I was surfing the internet yesterday, I came across a popular forum for dog owners.

As I scrolled through the site, I noticed an interesting trend...

It seemed a certain “smelly” topic kept popping up over and over again in many of the posts.

And since it’s an issue many dog owners are dealing with, I thought I’d talk to you about it today.

The pesky problem I’m referring to is... (drumroll please)

Gas!

Is it unpleasant? Absolutely.

But the good news is, it’s usually not anything you need to worry about in regards to your pooch’s health.

Flatulence is a normal part of life.

And just like us humans, there are all sorts of reasons why your dog passes gas.

Today though, I want to highlight a MAJOR gas-producing culprit that tends to fly under the radar of many dog owners.

Don’t worry, I’m also going to share an incredibly simple trick to “nip it in the bud.”

But first, “the problem.”

In this case, it can be boiled down to three words:

Eating too fast.

Let me know if this rings a bell...

You pour a healthy scoop of food into your dog’s bowl. And in a matter of seconds, all of the food is GONE.

Moments later, your dog begins to drop some serious “stink bombs” around the house...

Or even worse while you’re cuddling with them on the couch!

I know my dog’s have made me suffer through this on more than one occasion.

And if you stop to think about it, it makes sense why this happens.

When your dog chows down too quickly, they swallow a large amount of an “invisible substance” along with their food.

Of course, the “invisible substance” I’m talking about is...

AIR.

And as you know, what goes in... must come out.

Unfortunately, that can result in an air assault of off-putting smells.

Not to worry though, I have an easy way to get your pup to eat slower — which’ll help fix this stinky problem for you. I call it:

The “Obstacle Course”

And all this simple trick requires, is a tennis ball.

It works likes this...

The next time you feed your dog, place a tennis ball inside their food bowl.

Now, this might sound crazy, but it works like a charm.

Why you ask?

Well, because your dog can’t INHALE the food. They have to slowly eat around the obstacle. And that means, they don’t swallow as much “gassy” air.

I use this trick all the time with my patients. And it never fails.

So, put your dog through the “obstacle course.”

It’s good for their digestion and even better for your nose!

To happy and healthy dog years ahead,

Dr. Gary Richter

P.S. Keep your eyes peeled to your inbox. I’ve got tons of tips coming your way over the next few days and weeks. Also, if you have any interesting dog tricks or health hacks up your sleeve... feel free to share them.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

11/10/2018

Good After noon...Turkey Day is coming soon, are your fur babies needing a bath, hair cut,nails done. Get your appointment before it's to late. Rumors was going around that I wasn't grooming dogs I HAVE BEEN doing dogs and will be doing dogs as long as I can AND I WILL BE THE ONE TO TELL YOU IF I EVER STOP.......THANKS.......JAN'S GROOMING.🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃

10/30/2018

Halloween poses risks to pets, including from treats and costumes that restrict their movement or contain dangling cords that pose a strangulation hazard.

10/18/2018

The FDA has issued a warning about flea and tick medications - finally! So, what are they saying, and which drugs are listed as dangerous?

10/16/2018

Curious how old your dog is in human years? Check this out!

09/11/2018

If your little furry baby is looking like Tanner, then give me a call and set up an appointment and get that baby looking pretty again.

08/12/2018

Avoid the common mistakes that cause pet skin problems and how to address your pet's omega 3 deficiency, which results in excessively flakey skin.

08/12/2018

https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/04/12/coat-and-skin-flakiness-and-irritation-problems-in-pets.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookpets_ranart&utm_campaign=20180811_coat-and-skin-flakiness-and-irritation-problems-in-pets

Avoid the common mistakes that cause pet skin problems and how to address your pet's omega 3 deficiency, which results in excessively flakey skin.

07/04/2018

I don't know why I did this. original video was NOT by me...I just added music... My source: https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/comments/8utezc/loves_getting_his_h...

06/22/2018

This is so true we want our fur babies around for along time. Mine are in the shop with the A/C on them.

This goes for all dogs...but extra special care should be taken with the short nosed breeds.

04/26/2018

Why do dogs eat grass? Read this article to discover the reasons behind this popular dog behavior.

02/12/2018

Dr. Becker's Comments about expressing a**l glands:

A**l glands are little sacs that sit right inside of dogs’ and cats’ re**ums. They sit about 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock just inside of the a**s, and they’re designed to secrete really stinky material that contains pheromones.

Pheromones are chemical messengers that help identify “who’s who” in the pack. That’s why dogs sniff each other’s butts, as the scent provides a lot of biochemical information that dogs need to communicate with one another -- kitties, too.

For thousands of years, dogs and cats have existed with their a**l glands with no problems. Adam in the Garden of Eden didn’t squeeze his dog’s butt. Cavemen in caves didn’t put their cats up on rocks and express their a**l glands.

Dogs and cats have existed in harmony with their a**l glands for quite some time. So the question is, to those of you who have a**l gland issues with your pets, ‘What’s going on?’
Why Do Dogs and Cats Have Recurrent A**l Gland Problems?

In grooming schools during the ‘40s and ‘50s (and even some “old school” programs today), groomers were taught to clean the dogs’ ears, trim the dogs’ and cats’ nails, brush their teeth and express the a**l glands.

Emptying the a**l sacs was considered to be a courtesy, but the downside is that pets were never meant to have those a**l glands recurrently expressed.

And one of the main reasons pets have recurrent problems with their a**l glands is unnecessary trauma. If every single day I told you to wake up and squeeze your sub-mandibular lymph nodes or glands to express them, you could end up having glandular trauma. Or, if I told you to squeeze your salivary glands every single time you eat, you could end up with soft tissue trauma.

The two tiny glands inside your pets’ re**um have a tiny duct that leads out to the a**s. When animals p**p, f***s come into the re**um and as the colon expands, these glands squeeze a little of this stinky material on the f***s, which provides biochemical markers for other animals.

This is why your dog insists on stopping to smell p**p when you’re out on a walk. They’re picking up on the a**l gland material, which contains a lot of information on the dog that was there last.

All of these systems are meant to work in harmony, however, if that little duct that drains the a**l gland becomes swollen shut, all heck can break loose. The area can become very irritated and inflamed, and if those glands swell up and pinch off the outflow tract, there will be no porthole for the material to be secreted.

So, what happens is that when groomers get in there in an attempt to provide a service to you, it can actually create unnecessary trauma. Veterinarians who express your dog’s a**l glands can cause unnecessary trauma as well.
Unnecessary Trauma Through Recurrent Expression of the A**l Glands

Unnecessary trauma is a major reason why animals have recurrent a**l gland problems, so if your pets don’t have a**l gland problems right now, tell your vets and groomers to please leave them alone.

Do not automatically express your pet’s a**l glands.

However, if there’s an underlying inflammatory condition or low-grade infection that’s already in the a**l gland, sometimes gentle manipulation by a veterinarian who’s capable of recognizing how much pressure to apply can be helpful.

It’s very important that your vet knows when to stop squeezing, as the goal is to help the a**l gland retrain its muscle tone so that the body can do its job on its own.

One of the biggest issues I see at Natural Pet, my practice, is that groomers have recurrently expressed a**l glands once a month or so, whether the pet needs the service or not. When this is done, the muscle around the a**l gland that naturally has good tone ends up losing muscle tone.

It’s kind of like a balloon. When you buy a balloon it’s small and tight but when you blow it up and let the air out, the balloon never goes back to its original taut, small size.

When your pet’s body becomes dependent on groomers and veterinarians expressing those a**l glands, oftentimes muscle tone is lost and the body ends up not being able to do its job on its own.

So, if muscle tone is lost through recurrent expression, please do not have your veterinarian or groomer automatically express the glands. Instead, your vet can check the glands on a regular basis and determine whether the glands are normal-sized, not too full, and whether the duct is working properly. In that case, the best choice is to leave them alone.
Inflammation of the GI Tract and Other Organs

The second major reason why we often see recurrent a**l gland issues is inflammation of the GI tract. Keep in mind that the re**um in the a**s or the very last part of the gastrointestinal tract and any underlying disease or disease cascade that can influence the gastrointestinal tract can also influence the a**l glands.

So, for instance, inflammatory bowel disease. If you’ve got inflammation of the colon, the a**l glands can be infected. If your pet has allergies, allergic gastritis or allergic colitis, that can also cause inflammation of the a**l glands.

And most importantly, anything that can cause soft stools, such as parasites, medications, and antibiotics, are also major risk factors for causing a**l gland issues

This is because part of healthy a**l glands is based on firm stool. When f***s pass out of the re**um, it’s the pressure of the firm stool against the colon wall that effectively expresses the a**l glands. If your pet’s stools are recurrently soft or if they’re having diarrhea often, that’s really a major metabolic reason why recurrent a**l gland issues can become a problem.

The underlying cause that must be addressed in that case is whatever is causing the soft stool.
Allergies can Also Irritate Your Pet’s A**l Glands

If your pet is sensitive to ragweeds, grasses, pollens, molds or other allergens in their environment, this can be a problem for their a**l glands. All it takes is your pet sitting down outside for those allergens to transfer to the a**s and cause overwhelming itching.

So your dog may start to scoot, itch, become red and irritated, and even chew at its re**um, which can create the a**l gland problem. So if you’ve got an allergenic pet, addressing the root cause of the allergies is a great way to secondarily address the a**l gland problem.
A**l Glands can Also be in the Wrong Spot

Some animals have a**l glands that are placed deep and low inside of the re**um. In this case, even though there is healthy stool being passed out of the re**um, there’s not enough pressure to the wayward a**l glands to effectively empty their contents during a bowel movement. Very rarely in those situations, those animals have to have a**l gland expression performed because they’re not capable of doing it on their own.

In extreme circumstances, sometimes the a**l glands have to be surgically removed but you need to know, in my opinion, this is the very last choice. Surgical removal of a**l glands falls under the surgical definition of a “salvage procedure”, which means it can carry with it a whole host of complications.

So, first and foremost, if you’re having problems, identify what the root issue is. And if your pets do have an ergonomic problem (a**l glands are set abnormally deep), then you can rely on expression, through a trained professional as minimally as possible, to help provide some relief to your pet.
If Your Pet’s A**l Glands are Healthy, Don’t Express!

I want you to remember that if your pets don’t have an underlying a**l gland problem, leave them alone! Do not squeeze the a**l glands. If your pets do have a**l gland problems, identify if it’s an inflammatory response, an allergic response, or a soft stool issue. Addressing the underlying root cause of why your pets are dealing with the recurrent a**l gland problem is the best choice to deal with this problem.

02/11/2018

Ask for titer test before revacinating pet to make sure they need it.

Rather than blindly re-vaccinating your pet when they really may not need it and risking a health-harming reaction, there's an affordable 3-in-1 titer package that you can now access yourself, even if your vet won't do it for you.

02/02/2018

01/25/2018

01/22/2018

Maybe we should try this on the dogs that don't want to stand still in the tub LOL

01/21/2018

In my opinion and the opinion of many others in the veterinary and animal welfare community, there's absolutely no justifiable reason to mutilate a dog's ears for cosmetic purposes.

An excuse for ear cropping is that it reduces the incidence of ear infections because it provides increased airflow to the ear ca**l. There is zero scientific evidence to back up this claim, and in my view, it's utter nonsense.

Ear cropping is typically done when a puppy is 8 to 10 weeks old.
The procedure is performed under general anesthesia. A dog's ears have lots of nerve endings, and the pain this surgery would cause without anesthesia is extreme.

Cropping involves the surgical removal of around two-thirds of the pinna, or floppy part of both ears. The remaining tissue is then tightly taped into an upright position. Pain medication may or may not be given after a cropping procedure.

Over the next several weeks or months, the altered ears will be taped and re-taped in an effort to get them to stand up straight. This process may or may not yield the intended result. Many cropped puppies, even after weeks or months of taping, still have floppy ears.

Cropping can also disfigure the ears, leaving them scarred or bent.

Just as there is a use and purpose for every organ and appendage you were born with, so it is with your dog.

All ear cropping methods cause suffering for the animal, and many dogs go on to experience the phantom pain of a missing appendage much like human amputees do.

For the full article and locations where ear cropping is currently banned or restricted, read up on my site

http://bit.ly/2FL5pFa

01/03/2018

Jan's Grooming's cover photo

01/03/2018

Jan's Grooming

10/21/2017

I'm starting to look like that dog LOL🤣