s groomers, we see clients’ pets on an average of every six weeks. This schedule is the perfect time to notice something owners may miss because they see their pets daily. When interacting with a pet daily, what may be a minuscule difference in behavior will appear huge to a groomer who has not seen this pet in weeks. A behavior change can be one of the early signs of an underlying medical condition. And remember, early detection means early intervention, and early intervention can increase survival rates or decrease recovery time.

Let’s take Brownie for example. Brownie was a sweet, lovely Shih Tzu. I could do anything to this boy. On one occasion, he was snappy. Very snappy. I called the owners to come pick him up and reschedule him. Brownie’s owners informed me that their home was burglarized the day before, and the intruders terrorized Brownie. The owners thought a change of scenery with someone he loved would be better than staying home. Brownie was suffering from PTSD. We stopped grooming and let him hang out with us while the owners cleaned up the mess at home. The following grooming, he was back to his usual self.

Brownie’s behavior change had to do with stress outside of the grooming facility. Other examples of outside stress could include events in the pet’s home such as death, divorce, medical issues, problematic children or the addition of a new pet.

An opposite example of Brownie is MacBeth. MacBeth, a Miniature Schnauzer, hated grooming. He always let me know how distasteful the entire process was…except for the day I came to groom him while all the grandchildren were visiting. Just imagine, one six-year-old girl who was dressing him up and five boys ranging in age from 7-10 running around the house, as only young boys can. MacBeth jumped in my arms, begging me to get him away and to take my time. He was in no rush to get back to those kids.

Then there was Princess. Princess was a handful. I nicknamed her the “Pterodactyl,” as she could fly and nail you at the same time. Except for one groom, for which she was very complacent. It was the only time in her life (15 years) that she was a pleasure to groom. I mentioned it to the owners, and they had her vetted. It turned out to be the beginning of a medical problem they could successfully treat.

Any medical problem can cause a behavior change. Medical changes in behavior could also include incontinence and aggression. Conditions such as epilepsy, brain tumors, infections, and immune and degenerative diseases can all directly affect a dog or cat’s nervous system and, therefore, its behavior. In older pets, aging can directly affect the brain, leading to cognitive dysfunction and senility.

I loved grooming Casey. He was such a good boy for grooming. He was a large Golden Retriever and, typical of goldens, a total goofball who eagerly looked forward to my arrival, as it was another human to pet him. When he looked a little withdrawn and cautious around his legs, I told the owners that it wasn’t like Casey not to be wagging his tail the entire time he was here. The owners took Casey to the veterinarian, who started him on joint supplements, and by the next groom, he was better.

Pain can change the most excellent pet into Cujo. Joint pain may not just be the first signs of arthritis, but can also be the onset of diabetes, skeletal or paw injuries, a tick-born disease, or something neurological in origin. And let’s not forget teeth pain, especially in smaller dogs.

Owners don’t always make the connection between teeth in bad condition and the fact that this pet’s mouth hurts. I’ll ask the owners if they have ever had a toothache to make it relatable. After they nod their head, I ask how they would feel if they took an electric toothbrush to their painful tooth. They will generally grimace, and then I add that our clippers vibrate in the same manner as an electric toothbrush does. And that the pet in question knows it hurts and is anticipating pain, so they will want to protect themselves. I usually can see the light bulb go off over their heads, and now we can discuss what we can and cannot do.

Just because you can pinpoint a reason behind a change in behavior does not mean you have to continue this groom. It may not be safe for you or the pet, for that matter. Knowing when to stop a groom is in everyone’s best interest.

It is imperative to pay attention to subtle changes in the behavior of the pets we groom. The owners I mentioned in this article noticed no changes in any of their pets. And the longer a health issue goes undiagnosed, the less likely there is to be a full recovery.