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Heat Wave! Should You Shave Your Pet?

Thursday, July 19, 2012 - 11:45am








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Please refrain from asking others to refrain from political commentary and then offering your own.


Well said. I love how people make everythhing about them. When the focus should be on the annimals.

Christine Heidt

Dear Gail,
I disagree with shaving a dog for summer. For ten years I had my Malamute and Pomeranian groomed 3 times a year and they were fine. Then, without my permission, the same groomer took it upon herself to shave my dogs (is probably easier than combing out all that underfur)and both dogs developed a 'razor burn'. I went to three different veterinarians who confirmed that these breeds should not be shaven and I had to put the dogs on Prednison and antibiotics. Needless to say, their fur did NOT GROW BACK. Both looked like pigs instead of dogs. Three years later I had to put them to sleep. The incompetent groomer never acknowledged her mistake.
Christine Heidt, Saint Lazare, Que/Canada

Jessica Butts

I'm wondering why the two dogs had to be put to sleep? Of course I'm terribly sorry for your loss. I'm wondering if the shaving caused their deaths three years later? Were their immune systems harmed by the steroids (prednisone) ? It wasn't because of their appearance,right? I'm sorry and please don't feel insulted but I don't know you and was concerned. My deceased grandfather put one dog to sleep bc of cancer and chose to put his healthy dog to sleep at the same time. Why? Because he wanted his heartbreak to be accomplished in one swoop and was worried the healthy dog would be lonely.

Victoria Reeve

It is not at all absurd to assume a causal connection between the dogs being shaved, developing razor rash and later having to be euthanized. The reason: Prednisone suppresses the immune system and alters the function of the adrenal glands. The dogs could easily have developed any number of illnesses/diseases as a result.


Your post makes it sound like you are relating your dogs being clipped or shaved with their eventual deaths., or that the resultant "need" for a course of steroids and antibiotics caused their deaths three years later. I hope I'm reading that wrong, because if I am not, that sounds utterly absurd.

Cheryl Smith






