BBird TALK

TOENAIL CLIPPING - GROOMING 101?

To what extent is nail clipping the foundation of professional grooming?  Are groomers expected to clip nails, no matter what behavior the dog(s) manifest?  Is the stress of nail clipping a reason to not do it?  These questions are running through my mind as I fume, yes FUME, over the finale of Groomer Has It and Lisa Leady’s  failure to win the title Groomer of the Year possibly because of her decision not to clip the nails of a mouthy, distressed, Irish Terrier. 

I will tell you why I am upset.  I think one of the big failures of our industry is the failure to acknowledge the importance of  grooming stress  on animals in our care.  Lisa Leady made a decision that “the stress wasn’t worth it” and declined to wrestle down the dog to do the toenails.  This decision was totally dishonored by the judging panel.  Even the veterinary judge, who last year was such an advocate for the animals, on this matter said, “Why didn’t you just muzzle the dog?”  Behavior management was placed above stress management.  I hate to see this established as a professional model. 

Two years ago, at a local grooming establishment, a five-year old Boxer died on the table when three people held him down for a nail trim.  These groomers were simply doing what it took to get the job done.  They managed the behavior without regard for the deadly potential of the stress.  It was not the first time I had heard of death-by-nail-clipping.  A year before that, I got a frantic call from an inconsolable groomer who had a 16 week old puppy die after being wrestled down for its nails during its first (and last) grooming. 

Doing whatever it takes to get the job done is what I call the “cowgirl” model of grooming.  This is how I was taught – put on your Big Girl panties, toughen up, and get the job done.  The short coming of this model is that it teaches us regard our work as hand-to-hand combat rather than a challenge of how to do our job with the least amount of stress on the animal. And it fails to recognize the potentially fatal power of stress on animals.  Bad behavior is often a manifestation of the inner stress the dog is feeling, but is sometimes regarded as simply “attitude” or retaliatory behavior.  The dog is considered bad, not the stress.

There are times when nail care is clearly demanded, and time when it’s not so clear.  When nails are dangerously long, curling under, growing back into the foot pad, or affecting how the dog walks, it can be obvious that nail clipping is worth a little stress.  As a matter of routine, however, of Grooming 101, is nail clipping necessary no matter what?  How much stress is too much, or how much stress is “worth it”?  That’s a judgment call, and if a groomer of the experience and reputation of Lisa Leady is not to have her judgment respected, then what hope do the rest of us have? 

 

TIME AND PET GROOMING PRODUCTS

            I enjoy reading groomers’ descriptions of their bathing rituals, what products they use, the sequence they employ, and how long they let various products “set up” on the coat or skin.  These descriptions are shared in the sincere belief that the ritual and timing is as important to the result as the products themselves.  Although I honor the value of ritual in giving us confidence in our results, some of these rituals are based on myth and fiction. Today we will look at some facts in the relationship between time and use of pet grooming products. 

SHAMPOO CLEANING AGENTS

            MYTH: Leaving a regular shampoo on longer will yield better cleaning.

            FACT: The action of cleansing surfactants is instant.

            FACT: Movement of the cleansing surfactant through the coat is more important to better cleaning than is additional contact time.

            FACT:  The possibility of skin irritation from the shampoo detergents (contact dermatitis) is increased with increased contact time.  Some detergent cleansing ingredients, such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, that have been removed from many human bubble bath products, because of a high incidence of contact dermatitis following soaking in the products.  These same ingredients are used in many pet shampoos.        

FACT:  Mechanical action, scrubbing or massaging product through the coat by hand or water pressure through a bathing system, is more important to thorough cleaning than increased contact time.

ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTIFUNGAL AND THERAPEUTIC AGENTS

            FACT: Most antibacterial and antifungal agents require 5-10 minutes of contact time with the skin to be effective.  It is important to read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the label. 

            MYTH: Leaving a medicated shampoo on longer will give better results.  Not true, although leaving it on less may compromise the desired results.  Leaving a medicated product on longer may risk skin irritation from the detergent ingredients. 

CONDITIONING AGENTS

            A very basic generalization is that agents that require penetration of the skin or hair cuticle need time to do this.  Penetration is never instant.  Conditioning ingredients that have been made cationic and simply attach to the hair surface, can do so quickly without set up time.  Most conditioning agents are of this type.  The best indication of what type of ingredients are in a conditioner are the instructions on the label.  If the label says to leave the product on for 2-5 minutes (or more, as in a remoisturizer), it means that it requires that time for full effect.  If the label does not suggest a time frame, most likely the product acts quickly. 

Another way to tell if conditioning ingredients are cationic is to look for the suffix –onium. This means that the ingredient has been “quaternized” or made cationic.  This clue, of course, only works for products where the manufacturer discloses ingredients. 

CONCLUSION: Many conditioning agents, especially more sophisticated ingredients, act instantly and do not require long “set up” time.  Old-fashioned ingredients, and many less chemically sophisticated agents require time to work. For many regular conditioners, there is no benefit from greater contact time than is suggested on the label.

TEXTURIZING AND BODYIFYING AGENTS

            Texturizing is usually accomplished either by adding stiffening ingredients, or omitting ingredients that soften the coat.  Texturizing products do not usually require extended contact time.  Bodifiers may require penetration of the hair cuticle.  An example of a bodifier that needs a few minutes of extra contact time would be Chris Christensen Thick N’ Thicker Foaming Protein.  Spray-on products usually have instant effect.  Again, the manufacturers instructions are your best clue.  The best practice is to use a timer to be accurate in your set-up time. 

PESTICIDAL AGENTS

            Flea and tick products almost always require a few minutes of contact to be effective, especially the more natural ingredients.  Leaving products on for longer than the manufacturer’s instructions, however, can lead to irritation or even toxicity.  Putting pesticidal or medicated products on pets and leaving them sit in a cage while the groomer does other things risks overexposure to either the active ingredients or the detergent surfactants. 

COLORING AGENTS

            This is another group of products that requires careful timing and care in use.  It is important to use color enhancing shampoos on thoroughly wet coat unless otherwise instructed, and for only the recommended contact time.  If too much pigment is deposited under the hair cuticle lens, you will have a dye job instead of color enhancement. 

            There are very few products where lengthy contact time has better effects.  In terms of shampoos, extended contact beyond that recommended on the label may risk contact dermatitis or toxicity.  Color enhancing ingredients, bodifiers, and some deep conditioning ingredients may benefit from extended contact, but many ordinary shampoos and conditioners work very quickly and extra “set-up” time is wasted. Anionic cleansing surfactants and cationic conditioning ingredients work instantly, like magnets, and thorough application is more beneficial than more contact time.  Always read and follow the instructions on the label. And remember,