Health Checking

The purpose of the health check is to highlight any health problems that may cause issues during the groom, may require alterations to the grooming process or may require the groom to be terminated. The health check should be carried out on arrival into the salon and any issues should be recorded on the dog’s record and reported to the owner.

Under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 it is illegal for a groomer to diagnose conditions on a client’s dog.

When carrying out a health check it is important to start with the eyes then work logically along the rest of the body. This prevents the transfer of dirt or bacteria into the eyes.

 

 

Contraindications are symptoms which, on detection, should result in the procedure being terminated / postponed.  The presence of a zoonotic disease may be a contraindication for grooming.

 

Examples of signs of ill health which would cause the groom to be terminated or require immediate veterinary assistance.

• Sickness

• Diarrhoea

• Difficulty breathing

• Difficulty moving

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Health Care

A daily, visual health check should be carried out on all

animals

. The

animal

should be moving

freely, with no visible discharge

or

bleeding, open eyes and should be seen to be eating

regularly

.

Any signs of ill health should be

investigated,

and veterinary advice obtained where necessary.

A more thorough, physical health check should be carried out as a minimum of twice weekly. The

animal should be correctly restrained on a hard surface and a detailed examination carried out,

starting from the eyes, down the head, over the body and then ending at the anus to prevent the

spread of pathogens to the eyes or mouth.

Body part

Signs of health

                                                                                                    Signs of ill health

Eyes

Open and close freely.

Clear, bright

.

                                                                                      EYES Discharge. Unable toopen & close freely

                                                                                                                Cloudy Swollen

Ears

Respond to sound

Clear

                                                                                                        Ears Blood or discharge

                                                                                        Smelly, Excess wax, Visible mites, Sign of trauma, Nose Dry

                                                                                              Blood or discharge, Sneezing or wheezing

 

Mouth

Eating well

Aligned teeth

Pink gums

                                                                                             Mouth Dropping food /dribbling, Reluctant to eat, Blood or discharge

                                                                                                           Overgrown teeth Pale gums, Coughing

 

Body / skin

Smooth, glossy coat

Complete coat

                                                                                                 Body / Skin Dull coat, Bald patches, Red/ broken skin, Scratching

 

Legs / feet / claws

Move freely

                                                                                         Legs/Feet/Claws Overgrown claws, Reluctance to move /weight bare,                                                                                                      Anogenital area Clean and clear Evidence of regular faeces production

                                                                                                 Blood or discharge, Sticky faeces /matted fur Smelly Swelling

                                                                                            In addition to carrying out physical health checks the animal’s weight                                                                                                        should be observed and recorded through body condition scoring

                                                                                                        or weighing the animal. Their behaviour should also be

                                                                                               monitored for signs of ill health or stress, e.g. lethargy, reluctance or                                                                                     stiffness when moving, lack of grooming, withdrawal from the group, aggression. Rabbits can also experience several conditions which result the rabbit developing a head tilt; veterinary examination is required to identify the cause and a treatment plan. It is important to monitor the length of the animals claws as these can quickly become overgrown and may require trimming.

Nails have blood vessels running through them (the quick) so care

must be taken to remove only the excess, dead nail where there is no blood flow. Only cut the tip

of the nail and have a coagulant ready to stem any bleeding.

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