A Pet's View / August 2005
De-furred Decision for Bad Hair Daze
Excessive shedding makes pet own ers unhappy and can be hazardous to an animals home situation, if it gets too bad. Village Groomer Myra Talbot likes to say, “Don’t terminate your pet relationship-Furminate your pet!” She is one of only a handful of groom ers in West Virginia who employ the Furminator shedless treatment program to rescue distraught owners from bad hair days .
The treatment is effective for dogs and cats and Myra says, “It reduces shed ding by sixty to eighty per cent.” She says cat owners often bring their long and short haired varieties in for treatment as a hair ball prevention. “It’s much easier to remove the hair before they ingest it than trying to remedy the problem later.”
Big dogs, like Labs and Golden Retrievers, are regular choices for a Furminator program. Myra says “A large dog with a shedding problem can be a real problem for busy families. But, even smaller dogs like Beagles and Jack Russels can shed quite a lot too. Since they often sleep in the bed and are allowed on furni ture, it can be a major nuisance.”
Beside the use of a special tool, which is part comb, part blade, the pro gram includes a shampoo and condition er that incorporates omega-3 fatty acids with oatmeal and fruit oils for a healthier coat. Myra says, “They give the coat a luster and a silky feel.”
It isn’t a quick treatment. Typically, it takes from two to three hours each grooming visit. “The animals are care fully bathed, with the shampoo worked into the skin, then we apply the con ditioner with the same healthy ingre dients.” Animals are then dried with a high velocity blower to remove loose fur. “After drying, it takes almost an hour to completely go over the animal with the Furminator, removing the undercoat fur, not the top coat.” Despite the extra time involved, she charges only $35-60 for each grooming, depending on the size of the animal.
First timers bring their pet back a week later for an initial follow up treat ment to remove as much of the undercoat as possible. The process is repeated every six to eight weeks to keep the animal’s skin and coat healthy with dramatically reduced shedding. A weekly brushing at home is suggested.
Removing the undercoat has the added advantage in the summer of help ing keep animals cool. Owners of wire haired dogs like Scottties and Westies like the specialized grooming procedure since it leaves the distinctive top coat intact. But, Myra says the Furminator is often a life saver for big dogs, whose owners have often been referred by local veterinarians. “Sometimes it has come down to giving up the dog if something can’t be done about their shedding. With this treatment, owners can keep their pets and pets can keep their home.” PL
For more information, contact Myra Talbot,304-422-1411.
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