Cleaning your pets

Winter's chill has taken hold of Shanghai, bringing with it special grooming concerns for pet owners. Bathing duties do not take a break during the chilly season, however, baths can be less frequent.

Baths are essential in winter to keep your companion from turning into a muddy mess, but owners must take special precautions to keep their animals warm and healthy.

Here are some tips on how to keep your cats and dogs clean in winter while making sure they don't get too cold.

Cats

A warm bath in winter is essential to keep your cat clean and pretty and to eliminate tangles in it's hair. But improper warming measures could give your pet a chill with sneezing, a runny nose and even a fever.

To eliminate the possibility of hypothermia, use very warm water, about 40 C, for your animal in cold weather.

Cooler water is acceptable for summer baths, but warmer water during the winter months will ward off chills. Place your hands in the water to test the temperature; if it's too hot for comfort, add a little cold water to protect your cat's skin.

After the bath, wrap your cat in a towel that is highly absorbent. Rub the animal vigorously to remove as much water as possible from its coat.

Pay careful attention to the cats head and belly which are most likely to get cold if soaked.

Blow-dry your cat thoroughly. Blow-drying warms and fluffs the coat, keeping the animal warm as it dries. Hold the animal with one hand and run the blow dryer back and forth along the body, holding the dryer nozzle at least six inches away from its skin to prevent burns.

Combing the coat as you blow dry the body can speed up the drying process. It also prevents your kitty from eating too much hair when it licks its body after the bath.

The bath should take place in a properly warmed space. In Shanghai, where central heating is not available for most families, a fan heater, electric oil heater or bathroom heater are good options to keep you and your pet warm.

Other tips to keep your animal warm include choosing the warmest period of a day to give her a bath and limiting its activity until it is completely dry. Keep your animal in a small and warm space after its bath until it is dry from head to toe.

Dogs

Do not bathe your dog too often because it will dry out the skin, deplete healthy oils from the coat and skin, and lead to scratching and irritation.

Frequency is largely dependent on the breed and how dirty the dog is. Dogs that spend a lot of time outside or engage in outdoor activities that expose them to dirt, bugs or debris typically require more bathing, perhaps every two weeks.

Too frequent bathing can cause the coat to soften and reduce its insulating qualities. Don't bathe your dog if it is younger than two months old or if it is old or weak. Clean them with a wet towel or cleaning powder instead.

Before the bath, brush thoroughly and remove all tangles and matted hair, which you won't be able to unsnarl when the fur is wet.

Use a nylon collar and leash to help stabilize your dog during bathing.

Place one cotton ball in each of the dog's ears. Push the cotton ball into the opening of the ear canal, using just enough pressure to lodge it securely in the ear. Don't push it too far into the ear or you could injure the ear canal.

Get your dog used to the water by spraying its back and shoulders. After your dog relaxes, shampoo its body, start toward the rear end and work your way up to the head.

After lathering thoroughly, rinse your dog with lukewarm, never hot, water. Gently rinse the dog's face and head first. Next, cover the nose and rinse the rest of the face and neck, and work down the body.

Wrap the dog in a large, absorbent towel. Gently rub dry before putting the animal under a blow dryer on a low setting.

Never bathe your dog outside in the winter. If your dog is filthy and you can't bathe it in the house, take it to a do-it-yourself dog wash or professional groomer.

Rabbits

Healthy rabbits do not need to be bathed, but their claws do need to be trimmed every month. Check for fleas, and also make sure the teeth, eyes and ears are clean. Rabbits are able to self groom, but if you want to wash your rabbit, put a small amount of warm water into a container. Then, wash the animal gently with a little shampoo and dry it with a towel.

Birds

Birds need to be cleaned once every couple of days. Owners can either spray their birds with a misting bottle of cool water or let them jump in the kitchen sink with water, but never saturate a bird's feathers. After bathing, your bird is most likely to dry itself by puffing out his feathers and shaking. Do not use soap or a hairdryer.

Guinea pigs

Guinea pigs need to be washed once every six months. A bucket works well as a container because it is an enclosed place. Use baby shampoo and make sure that you do not get soap or water in its eyes, ears or nose. After bathing, either wrap the animal loosely in a towel or use a blow dryer on its lowest setting.

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