Can I groom my dog at home to save money on professional care?

The only thing you can do at home is carefully remove the brown stuff on the cere and put a bit of oily lotion on it. Everything else, ie the exam to look for an underlying cause can only be done by a veterinarian. An avian vet is not more expensive than a dog or cat vet.

I'm sorry to hear that Friday needs professional dental work. It is, unfortunately, very common in her breed crosses. It would recommend saving for the procedure. Dental infections are painful and can even spread to other organs in the body. Cleaning under the gum line and extracting any damaged teeth will resolve the infection and any pain. In the meantime though, you can try a few things at home to help her out. There are dental treats and water additives to help combat dental disease. Tooth brushing is most effective though. Depending on how bad her teeth are, it may be painful for her. If so, forgo this option. I hooe this helps. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question. There are several options for an owner if treatment is cost prohibitive. Most veterinarians will work with you to offer less expensive options such as forgoing diagnostic tests and treating based upon symptoms. While this cannot ensure a positive outcome, it may work. Most clinics will offer financing options such as Care Credit as well. Otherwise there are rescue groups that will take animals and assume care for them depending on the condition. Finally, there is euthanasia if the condition is severe enough. If all of these options are ignored and the animal is allowed to suffer unnecessarily, then it may be considered abuse. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Unfortunately, I cannot prescribe any medications for Marley without having examined him myself. If he is extremely aggressive while being groomed, you may want to consider having him sedated and groomed at your vet's office. This will mean that Marley is closely monitored during the sedation and supported with fluids and heat if necessary. Your vet can also perform a thorough exam, and ensure that Marley's heart and lungs are healthy enough to handle the sedation. At home, you can try calming chews available in most pet stores, and consider getting Marley a muzzle to keep yourself safe.

First of all, Bentley is way too young for a bath (unless he has gotten into something nasty). It is a good idea to bathe him twice a year, just as the hair starts to clump. As for the equipment: I had a Samoyed for years, and also Siberians--another double-coated breed. Your best bet is to use a rake (made for dogs, not your lawn rake!). Aside from a general going-over to get the loose hair out, the best method for grooming Bentley is to pick up a section of hair., as if you were going to tease it. Do nothing with the section except hold it. Rake what's left underneath (the undercoat). If Bentley's hair is really clumping, you can grab a handful yourself. You might want to use the metal comb to get the hair around his face, but it's not really necessary--nor are all the other products you bought. You can train him to the rake by initially just showing it to him with a treat. Just run the rake gently over his coat and treat/praise when he leaves it alone.

I am sorry your pets aren't doing well. This is a common area to scratch with flea or food allergies. It is a good idea to have all of the dogs on a good quality monthly flea preventative. Some dogs will also require a special diet and maybe even special medications, like Apoquel, for continued itching. It will be hard to rehome a dog with an undiagnosed medical issue. You may start by talking with your vet about rescue groups or no-kill shelters in your area that could help with finding a new home for Gizmo. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/.../trouble_affording_pet... https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant.../ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary.../

Great question! You can use a slicker hair brush to remove excess hair and to keep shedding to a minimum. I would also recommend getting a medium bristle brush. You can get these brushes in a pet store or online.