Should or should not shave dogs and cats and common misconceptions. How to keep pet fur shiny, clean and healthy?
Article content:
1. Does shaving help pets stay cooler?
2. Does shaving help new hair grow back more beautifully?
3. Does shaving help prevent skin diseases?
Many pet owners often shave their dogs and cats. Below are some misconceptions that many pet owners have.
1. Does shaving your pet keep them cooler? WRONG!
Dogs have two layers of fur:
-The thin, smooth inner layer acts as a cooling layer in the summer and keeps them warm in the winter.
-The thick, waterproof outer layer acts as a protective layer for the skin.
The fur helps dogs regulate their body temperature. Dogs do not have sweat glands on their skin like we do. They only “cool down” through their tongues and paw pads.
Therefore, shaving your dog does not help them stay cooler, but can even have the opposite effect in hot weather, causing your puppy to suffer from heat shock, or even sunburn if exposed to direct sunlight.
2. Does shaving help the new fur grow back more beautifully? WRONG!
When pets go through the shedding season, many people think of shaving their fur to make the new fur grow back more beautifully. But this concept is incorrect.
As mentioned above, dogs have 2 layers of fur, the growth rate of these layers is different. Shaving too closely can permanently damage the fur layers. The new fur will grow unevenly, the fur will become thinner and weaker, and will change the color of the fur in an undesirable way.
3. Does shaving help prevent skin diseases? WRONG!
At the same time, shaving does not help prevent or improve skin diseases, and even makes the problem worse. Diseases such as dermatitis, allergies, fungus, dandruff, etc. are not caused by fur. When dogs are shaved, more skin flakes and oils are secreted. This makes them feel uncomfortable and they will lick more, thus making the allergy worse.
Remember, shaving is only a LAST RESORT. When your pet has severe dermatitis, fungus, or scabies, we have to shave the affected area to apply medicine. In other cases, do not overdo shaving your pet.