



In my opinion, every time a pet comes into your salon, a quick once-over to check for abnormalities is worth its weight in gold for the wellbeing of the pet, and for your own protection. No, I am not saying to make a diagnosis—but you can observe when the ears are dirty and nasty, when the teeth are rotting out of the pet’s mouth or when the coat is matted to the skin.
To do the best job, we must follow a routine when each pet comes through the door. Typically, I recommend a nose-to-tail-type approach, because certain areas of the pet’s body tell a huge story. Here are a few keys areas and some of the things you should be looking for:
- NASAL AREA: Nasal discharge or blood.
- TEETH: Dirty, broken or missing teeth.
- EYES: Swelling, redness, discharge, eyelid growths or “Cherry eye.”
- EARS: Smells, debris, hair, redness or debris on the ear flap.
- PAWS: Smells, debris, redness or swollen bumps.
- ANAL AREA: Swelling, debris, anal gland swelling or rupture, or signs of a loose stool.
- LYMPH NODES (MORE ADVANCED): Swelling would indicate an issue from the area where the lymph node drains.
Ideally, the person handling the pet and doing the groom should check them in and discharge them. It cuts down greatly on miscommunications and issues that may arise. By doing the quick exam before you check them in, you can pick up on problems that may negate the groom for the day while they go see a veterinarian. It also allows you to charge appropriately (and train) the client in the case of matting.
Clients, as a whole, don’t like being bothered once the pet is dropped off (assuming you can even get a hold of them) because they have their day planned out and may not be able to come back to get a pet that has a health issue. Or, they may think you are just running up the bill when you call them and tell them there is going to be an extra charge for de-matting. The secret to eliminating the stresses in your day is to plan ahead so there is no awkward communication with the client.
When you can actually show the client the problem and quote an appropriate fee, you give them a chance to walk away or refuse services (most won’t, but give them the option). If you do the service and charge extra, clients don’t have a choice, and that is where we end up with upset clients and bad Google reviews. I would much rather have a bad review for quoting a client too high and they leave versus getting a bad review for charging them extra without their approval.
The process takes a couple of minutes, which is much better than the headaches caused by an upset client or trying to defend your reputation online. We have to remember that clients don’t know what groomers do with their pets, and in this litigious society, everyone is looking to sue if things don’t go their way.
There are two ways to handle this: First, call the veterinarian up directly and ask if that is what was said. Or, even better, tell the client that you will need to turn it over to your insurance company, so you will need a letter on the veterinarian’s letterhead from the veterinarian stating that you, as the groomer, caused the situation. However, don’t expect to ever get that letter! If you do, a trip to the veterinary board with an explanation could quite possibly put the veterinarian’s license on the line, because there is no way that they can definitively say, “the groomer caused it.”
The easier solution, though, is to check them out before you check them in to prevent the majority of the issues you may encounter with accusatory clients—and, more importantly, for the wellbeing of the pets.
Dr. Cliff Faver graduated with a BS in Biology/BA in Chemistry before getting a Veterinary degree in 1987. He is the past owner of Animal Health Services in Cave Creek, Arizona and now the US distributor for Iv San Bernard products, teaches the ISB Pet Aesthetician Certification program, and speaks internationally on hair and skin. His passion is to merge groomers and veterinarians to aid in helping and healing pets. He is also a member of AVMA, AAHA, AZVMA, Board member with Burbank Kennel Club, and has served on Novartis Lead Committee, Hill’s International Global Veterinary Board, and a Veterinary Management Group.