I have been offering Moisture Wrap services at my salon for
about 3 months, now, as well do I try to use specialty products and tools on
dogs that I know need the extra help. And I see just what we all see for dogs
every day. Oily/flaky Cockers and other Sporting breeds, hot spots,
cobblestoning, OC chewing and licking, interdigital cysts, sebaceous cysts, dry
& sparse coats, you name it. Most of these owners have been working
with their vets for sometimes years with some or minimal relief. I truly feel
that Vets do all they can to try to figure out and end these symptoms, but
there are more pieces to the puzzle that must be recognized by the other
caretakers for the dog as well in order to sometimes break through and finally get
results. And, we are all caretakers of the overall health of our clients,
right?! Therein enters the consideration of holistic care and how important it
is in seeing the big picture and achieving a higher standard of living and
quality of life.
This dog that served as a case study is an American Cocker, with some food allergies, and
typical combination coat, some ear infections, hot spots, hair loss &
itching/licking- the works. She is now 5 years old, and not aging well due to
these underlying health issues.
I began grooming her about 9 months ago. I talked on the very first visit with
her Mom- who is incredibly open minded and considerate of my experience, about
all of the symptoms she has exhibited. We talked about her food and treats, her
Vet care, her typical behaviors, the home environment (carpeting, smokers, age
of the home, outside play areas, EVERYTHING!). All of the questions that I
thought an Allergist would ask a person. I wrote all of this info down, as I
have for the rest of the handful of these special clients- and I really looked
at it... tried to find the things that clicked or stood out...
So, I started this dog out on a monthly visit. She got a certain shampoo every
time- no deviations. She got no colognes, no spray on coat conditioners
(antisats, speed driers, detanglers, etc.) She got a moisture wrap treatment
and an aromatherapy treatment (heavy cream conditioner infused with TeaTree,
applied & set for 10 minutes under a warm, wet towel). She had no changes
to her food or treats (she is being fed Nutro, which she always has- so no
"ah-has"), except that the owner added a daily ration of this
Fido-Vite supplement, and I waited to see what happened. And low & behold,
she started having no flakes, then the red stained lick spots subsided, then
the shine and texture and density of the coat came back. And finally, the
elasticity and pliability of the skin itself returned- and ever her breath, ears
and foot pads smelled far better. So, I began to see, in steps, how this dog's
health was returning and how happy both the dog seemed and the owners were with
these changes.
Now she is so much better. She still goes in for exams a little more often than
some, but because the owner really wants the best for this dog (and she worries
some, too!), and the Vets wanted feedback as well. I wish that I would have
taken pics of her the first visit so I could SHOW you the differences. I
promise for those who are interested I will do this with the next poor dog that
comes in!
So, in close- I am not plugging any products as different things work for
different dogs, I only want to say that I know we all do the best we can for
out clients. I know we love out jobs or we wouldn't be doing them! But, if you
have the time and the interest in learning more, there is PROOF that holistic
and encompassing care works for those clients wiling to do their part.
The moisture wrap method: Davis
Mix up 1 cup or so (for medium sized dogs) of any lotion consistency cream
DOG conditioner. I happen to be using
Mix this cream conditioner with about 1 tsp. of my chosen essential
oil. For this dog, and for most any dog with severe skin inflammation (but NO
open sores), a high yeast count or obvious soured skin oil (causing that
yeasty, loamy smell) I choose straight melaleuca or Tea Tree oil. The healing,
antibacterial, sloughing and cleansing properties of this oil is amazing- but they must be administered with caution of their strength! Just
be sure to do an allergy test spot on yourself before using any certain oils as
well as the dog- a dab (don't rub) on the inside of the ear leather & wait
for 10 minutes-look for a round red area at the application spot before you go
ahead & apply.
I mix this well with the conditioner and apply it to the dog after it has
been bathed & rinsed (cool water if the dog has irritated skin). This is
rubbed well in up to the dog's cheeks and over the ears. Then I run a thick
towel under quite warm water, squeeze it out & wrap it over the dog &
tie it at the cheek so it covers the entire dog. I let this sit for 10 minutes
and then rinse well. Now- I would recommend this NOT be done on a very old dog
who may not tolerate the warmth of the towel well- as the warmth will cause
slightly raised blood pressure, and therefore all over increased circulation to
the skin.
The idea with the moisture wrap is to treat the skin irritation while the skin's pores are open after they have been cleared from as much buildup as possible, apply a topical that then seals in this added moisture and it will be significantly utilized. So, the conditioner
provides the moisture sealant and the essentials provide whichever qualities they offer.
There are MANY different oils one could use, I just like the Tea Tree best for
its antibacterial compounds- but it must be used with caution and not over long periods of time as it is caustic in its cleansing ability. I want to mention that any topical skin care or treatments will produce results over time, but once you get relief of the symptoms, it is important to not continue the same regimen as the skin will be signaled to shed and slough itself at treatment time, and if there is improvement in the dog's condition, this could begin a non-productive cycle. So, only use these treatments until you get results, and then discontinue.
I then style as usual, but use no added topical sprays during drying and
brushing. If you are gentle with the comb & brush, the moisture introduced
from the cream conditioner will make the coat more elastic, supple and
resistant to brush damage.
I choose Tea Tree
for this treatment because of its healing, antibacterial and antifungal
properties. But if the essence doesn’t
agree with you, and the skin symptoms are not severe, there are some wonderful aromatic blends like Chamomile and Vanilla,
Lavender & Eucalyptus, Lemongrass & Comfry, Citrus & Sage. The only ones to stay away from are strong menthols and Spices- like
Cinnamon and Spearmint- unless they are very diluted or blended with a
dampening essence (Vanilla is a good one) to lessen their strength both for the dog
& yourself- then they are usable also.
Have fun, use your head, and do great things!
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