Pet care · 2 min read
12 signs your dog or cat needs grooming now, not next month
The physical and behavioural signs that a pet is overdue for grooming: matting, nails, ears, scooting, smell, and more. What each means and what to do about it.
By PGH Team · Published
Owners see their pets every day, which makes slow changes easy to miss. Run through this list. One sign means book soon. Three or more means book today.
On the coat
1. Mats you can feel. Run your fingers through the armpits, behind the ears, the belly and the trousers. Lumps that do not comb out are mats. They tighten over time and pull on the skin.
2. Coat that stays damp. If your dog is still wet hours after a walk in the rain, the undercoat is packed and holding water. That is where hotspots start.
3. Dandruff or greasy patches. Dead skin and oil build up when a coat is not brushed or washed. Common along the spine of older cats who have stopped grooming.
4. Shedding that will not stop. Some shedding is normal. Clumps of undercoat coming out in your hand means a de-shed is overdue.
On the body
5. Nails clicking on the floor. Nails touching the ground when standing push the toes up and change how the pet walks. On tile, the sound is the giveaway.
6. Scooting. Dragging the bottom along the floor usually means full anal glands. Occasionally worms. Either way, see a groomer or vet.
7. Head shaking or ear smell. Yeasty or sweet-smelling ears, dark wax, or constant scratching means the ears need clearing and possibly a vet visit.
8. Fur between the paw pads. Hair that bunches between the pads collects dirt and causes slipping on tile. Easy to miss, easy to fix.
9. Dirty or stained bottom. Long-haired cats and dogs need a sanitary trim so faeces and urine do not catch in the fur.
In behaviour
10. More scratching or licking. Often a sign of skin irritation under the coat, which grooming reveals and a bath soothes.
11. Reluctance to be touched in a particular spot. Check for a mat, a sore or a tick.
12. Smell. A healthy groomed pet does not smell. If you notice it when they walk into the room, so does everyone else.
What to do
For a dog, book a basic or full groom. For a cat, a cat groom covers all of the above. If you spot a wound, a lump, or a tick that has been attached for days, see a vet first and groom after.
Then set a reminder. Most coats need a salon visit every four to eight weeks. Here is how to work out the right interval for your dog.
Questions we get asked
- Can matting hurt my pet?
- Yes. Mats pull on the skin constantly, trap moisture and dirt, and can hide sores or parasites. Severe matting restricts movement and is painful to remove.
- What if the nail quick has grown long?
- Nails have to be trimmed back gradually over several visits so the quick recedes. A groomer can start this and show you how to maintain it.
Written by
The PGH team
Groomers and hotel staff at Pets Grooming Hotel, Main Place Mall, Subang Jaya. These guides are based on what we see on the grooming table and in the hotel every week. They are general advice, not a substitute for your vet.
