s pet professionals, our utmost priority is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the pets we care for, yet harm is sometimes unintentionally inflicted—possibly even more frequently than we might realize. We must remain vigilant and attentive to the basics, as any oversight could harm the very pets we intend to help.

We are all aware of the obvious harmful nature of brush burns, clipper burns, and even the unintentional cut from our razor-sharp scissors. We are also cautious about getting water or shampoo in pets’ ears or eyes. Even still, we occasionally need to take a pet to the veterinarian for a squinty eye, whether the dog or groomer caused it. But there are other dangers lurking around that we are often unaware of or take for granted—and these can be as bad, if not worse, and sometimes even fatal. It’s crucial to be constantly cautious and aware of these potential dangers, which include the following.

Some of the scariest dangers we deal with are the ones we can’t see. Bacteria and fungus are present on every pet, but in some cases these can be really harmful. Certain ones are very pathogenic (disease-causing) and aggressive, while others are just hard to get rid of because they are drug or antibiotic resistant.

Two of the more common bacteria species we deal with are Pseudomonas aeruginosa and MRSP (or methicillin-resistant Staph pseudintermedius; MRSA being the human variety). Pseudomonas is present in the soil and Staph pseudintermedius is a common bacteria on a dog’s skin, but when they overgrow or become drug resistant, we have a problem.

Given the right environment, both tend to overgrow, and the medications used to treat these are often toxic. These drugs can potentially complicate the situation or even kill the patient with the treatment. So, if the salon, equipment, towels, cages, bathing systems, etc. are not cleaned between pets, we stand the chance of perpetuating the growth of these organisms and even spreading them from animal to animal.

Our equipment can often be the source of the spread of infections if we are not cleaning it between every dog. Not once daily; not once weekly; not once monthly, but between every dog. This is especially critical for any of our equipment that will trap the bacteria and fungus in an environment where it can grow. Warm, moist areas with a food source are a perfect petri dish to produce these “bugs.”

The need for frequent cleaning cannot be overstated. Take the time to look around your salon or walk through a typical groom and look for areas that may harbor these organisms. Think about the frequency with which you clean them, and then think about it personally. Would you want me to dry you with that same towel, bathe you in that same tub or use that same water in the recirculation system on your whole body? How about if you have a scratch or a sore?

We have many cleaning modalities you can use to battle these bacteria and fungus, including chemicals, UV lights, sterilizers and even ozone, which work great to clean. However, we have to understand what they can and can’t do and use them frequently enough to prevent the spread of disease.

For example, if you think your UV light is magical and will disinfect the inside of the hinge of your scissors and both sides just by laying them under the light in one position, you don’t understand how the UV light works. It only works on the surface the light shines on. That’s why it is essential that you know the science.

Many groomers also believe they are safe from bacteria and can treat skin infections using shampoo. We must understand that shampoo is for cleaning, and unless it is specifically designed to address bacteria or fungus, it only cleans and does not disinfect. Therefore, a routine shampoo used on infected skin only dilutes the problem but doesn’t kill the organisms. If we are just cleaning and not disinfecting, we may perpetuate the spread of disease by using the wrong technique or products, putting our pet clients in harm’s way.

One area that I think we take for granted the most is when we premix our products. Once you dilute a product with water, you also dilute the preservatives in that product. Products in a bottle (especially if it is sealed) are very stable, but when diluted, they can break down and start growing bacteria within an hour. The longer you let them sit, the more growth potential you will have. This is more critical with shampoos than conditioners (conditioners have more oils so they are less vulnerable to bacterial and fungal growth) but both can grow organisms.

If the skin is normal and healthy, in most cases, it will protect against the bacteria or fungus growing into a problem. However, this can be a different scenario if the skin is compromised. If we cause brush burn or clipper burn, or if the pet has existing sores, the skin will be very susceptible to an infection.

The condition we underestimate is when the skin is compromised because of a lack of healthy sebum (which provides the protective barrier). So, for example, if the dog hasn’t been bathed for a while, they swim often or alcohols have been used on the skin (dyes, perfumes, some cleansers like ear cleaner, etc.), the sebum may be compromised.

Using harsh products, degreasing (removing the sebum layer) or failure to condition correctly can also compromise the skin barrier and make the pets more prone to infections. So, in simple terms, if the skin is raw with harsh products (or other things that compromise the sebum layer) and then bacteria are poured onto the wound (in the form of premixed shampoo), we will get an infection.

This often leads to deep infections like folliculitis (infection of the hair follicle) or furunculosis (this is considered a deeper type of infection, generally looking like boils or groups of abscesses associated with the hair follicles). While not the only way folliculitis/furunculosis is caused in pets, it is probably one of the common ways.

These examples go to show that we must be diligent about thinking through and preventing any hazard to the pets in our care, whether seen or unseen, so we are not the source of skin infections and misery for our pet clients.

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.