How to bathe a dog with dermatitis

Received the diagnosis of canine dermatitis and are worried about how to bathe a dog with dermatitis? Don’t worry: we’re here to help. Check out our tips!

Dermatitis in dogs is an inflammation that leaves the skin red, flaking, and with sores that itch a lot. The causes are varied, but, in general, allergies and imbalance of the skin flora are the most common.

Therapeutic baths

To teach how to bathe a dog with dermatitis, let’s talk about therapeutic baths. They use shampoos, formulated solutions, soaps, correct drying of the animal, water temperature, and action time for the treatment of dermatitis.

These soothing actions act very comprehensively on the skin, regulating gland functions, rebuilding barriers, replenishing water and fat, controlling infections and scaling. With this, they promote good disease control.

It is worth noting that the skin of the dog with dermatitis is more fragile and sensitive, so be careful not to hurt it even more. Therefore, do not use any coarse material to rub it. Use only your fingers, never your nails.

Another very important recommendation is also related to skin sensitivity. When using any shampoo for canine dermatitis, even prescribed by the veterinarian, observe if the skin does not become more red, and the dog more agitated.

This may indicate some allergy in the dog’s skin. If this happens, wash the dog thoroughly with fresh water to remove the shampoo or conditioner and report what happened to the veterinarian.

Starting the bath

Before starting the bath, gather all the necessary materials for this moment. To help, we have prepared a list with everything you will need. Make your checklist to start the step-by-step on how to bathe a dog with dermatitis:

• hydrophobic cotton to protect the ears;
• hydrophilic cotton to clean the eyes and ears;
• lotions for ear and eye cleaning (prescribed by a veterinarian);
• therapeutic shampoo and conditioner (prescribed by a veterinarian);
• cotton cloth to clean the pet’s head;
• suitable brush for the dog’s coat;
• towel.

Brushing

Before bathing with water, brush the dog’s hair to remove dead hairs and untangle knots, but without pulling to avoid hurting its skin even more. This is an important tip on how to bathe a dog with dermatitis.

How to clean the ears and eyes

Since the dog has dermatitis, the products for cleaning should be prescribed by the veterinarian, since the skin of the ears, eyelids, and around the eyes also suffers from the disease.

Start by cleaning the eyes with the cotton ball soaked in the specific cleaning lotion. Use one cotton ball for each eye. Pass the cotton ball from the corner of the eyes outward.

Now, clean the ears. Moisten the cotton ball with the specific cleaning lotion. Wrap your finger with the cotton ball and gently rub the ears and ear folds. Do not use tweezers or sticks with cotton tips, which push dirt further into the ear.

This lotion can be placed in the ears. Put a few drops (5 to 15, depending on the size of the dog) and massage well. The cerumen becomes more liquefied and, with the shaking of the head that the dog does, comes out on its own.

After cleaning the ears, put a good wad of hydrophobic cotton in each ear to protect the ears from water drops. Excess moisture in the ear canal predisposes to otitis.

Prepare the water and wet the furry one

If the pet is already used to taking a bath, wet it as usual. Otherwise, start by wetting the feet and slowly going up. Do not wash your head yet. Leave it for last and use the cotton cloth to wash it. With it, the pet is not scared, and the chance of water entering the ear is less.

Foam time

Apply the shampoo all over the dog’s body and massage well, gently producing a light foam. This shampoo acts for contact time, so it must act for the period indicated by the veterinarian.

To distract the furry one while time passes, continue massaging him or make small jokes. If it’s cold, don’t forget to put a heater in the bath area so he doesn’t get cold. Then rinse him well.

Apply the conditioner and let it act for the time indicated by the veterinarian. Then, remove all excess product with plenty of water. Now, the furry one can shake himself all over!

Drying the dog

The drying process of the dog’s bath must accompany the gentleness of the bath. Use a warm temperature and do not bring the device too close to its skin. This can dry out the skin even more.

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