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SHAMPOO THERAPY

Skin disease is a very real and serious problem that affects about 40% of my clientele.  Most Vets will treat with antibiotics and steroids.  In days gone by shampoos were also used to give the animal and owner some relief but in the past few years we have seen a significant decline in the use of shampoo therapy.  Compromised immune systems are responsible for the animal being susceptible  to inhaled allergies.  This along with poor nutrition and over vaccination has really reeked havoc with our pets. 

So, given the toxic environment it is pretty obvious why the need for medicated shampoos.  Once again medicated shampoos are on the rise.  Weekly we encounter at least three clients who walk in our salon with a bottle of prescription shampoo for us to use on their pet.  Because these shampoos must be used at least two times a week I am going to give a short lesson in shampoo therapy.  The same techniques used for medicated bathing can be used for normal bathing.

FYI:  Comb and brush thoroughly to remove any dead coat before bathing!!!!

First, it is important to use tepid water and pre-cleans the skin and coat with a very  mild "hypoallergenic shampoo".  We prefer Quadraped Hypoallergenic Shampoo for this step.  Once the initial bath is given rinse with a baking soda and tepid water rinse to insure that the shampoo that may not have been completely rinsed out is neutralized.  Now we can proceed to the medicated shampoo.  Start with the areas that are  most affected, usually the feet and stomach and apply the shampoo full strength. Next, in order to properly distribute the medicated shampoo we recommend that you dilute it with warm water.  It is not unusual for medicated shampoos to be very thick, a honey like consistency, so if you don't dilute the shampoo it will be applied to one spot and not reach the rest of the pet.  Once this is done you can to back and apply it full strength to the areas that are having the biggest problem.  This is where you must leave it on at least 10 minutes.  We usually massage it into the skin and comb it through the coat.  This provides even distribution.   Again, after rinsing use some baking soda and warm water to rinse the pet for the final step; this will neutralize any shampoo left in the coat.

Finally, for those of you who may bath you pet in between grooming be sure to use a PET shampoo, NEVER, EVER use a human grade shampoo and NEVER use dish detergent.  Why?  Dogs and cats have a neutral  pH of about 7.0-7.5 and humans have a pH of about 5.5.  Human grade shampoo will only add to your worries and cause irritation and damage to the epidermal layer and an imbalance in the "Microbial flora".